Alfred Pope

[wilcoxon]

I had some time to spare and did a bit of browsing.
This might be worth checking out.
FindMyPast, marriage of Charles Hill to Emma (Elizabeth)  Pope , 1859 St Jude`s Southsea Portsmouth.

In 1861 living in Portsea  Charles 24 and Emma 24 b Bermuda  have her mother Emma Pope 65 with them, she was born c 1796 Portsea .  Charles is a linen draper !
In 1871 the family are in  St Paul London, Emma E born Bermuda.  Mother isn`t with them .
By 1880 they are in Chicago, Emma Hill born England .
1900  Los Angeles . Emma E Hill  born Bermuda
1910 Los Angeles Emma Hill  widow born Bermuda. She is an inmate at what looks like Hollenbeck Home,  Los Angeles
Emma E Hill  death 15 December 1915 Los Angeles.

Of  course I know this doesn`t really help with your Alfred,  but I`ve had a nice trip to the USA
 

[Malcolm173]

That's brilliant, thank you for looking all this up!  I knew Alfred had a sister because she was baptised at the same time as he was.  This is the extract from the record:

Pope, Emma – father: John – mother:  Elizabeth – baptism:  1841 Aug 15- comment: 5 years old – St. George’s Parish 

Pope, Alfred – father: John – mother:  Elizabeth – baptism: 1841 Aug 15- age 4 weeks old – St. George’s Parish

So she was born about 1836 and they hadn't quite got around to baptising her before.  I was just thinking today that I should follow this up, but my subscriptions are only for the UK and Ireland so I couldn't have traced them to the US anyway!

It can't be a coincidence that Charles and Alfred were both drapers.  Perhaps Alfred was working with Charles while he was learning the trade - you did find he was a visitor in London in 1861.   

[wilcoxon]

1861 Middlesex
Rd Down    33 carpenter b Devon
Mary Down    30 b Cornwall
Mary H Pomsey  relative 12 b Cornwall
Alfd Pope visitor 21 assistant draper b Bermuda St George
Wm Brice lodger 25 “    ” b London

As Alfred is a visitor this suggests he knew the family.

1861 Portsea Hampshire
Charles Hill 24 linen draper b Widley
Emma Hill (Pope) 25 b Bermuda
Infant Hill 0  (1 Day female) b Portsea
Emma Pope wife`s mother widow 65 b Portsea

[wilcoxon]

1880 US census All born England
Franklin St Chicgao
Charles Hill    43    Self (Head) ladies suit cutter
Emma Hill    42    Wife
Emma Hill    18    Daughter clerk.
Rose Hill    17    Daughter
Charles Hill    13    Son
Arthur Hill    11    Son

1900 US census
25th Street Los Angeles
Arthur S Hill    31    Head surgical instrument ??
Edna W Hill    23    Wife b Illinois
Stanley R Hill    1    Son b California
Emma E Hill    64    Mother b Bermuda

1910 US census
Hollenbeck Home / House Boyle Ave,  Los Angeles Assembly District 69, Los Angeles, California, USA
Emma Hill Age   74 Birthplace:    Bermuda
Immigration Year: 1871 Inmate   Widowed

No one here under 62 so probably an old people`s home.
 Possibly her death
Emma E Hill Birth Year:    abt 1836 Death Date:    18 Dec 1915
Age at Death:    79 Death Place:    Los Angeles, California, USA

[Malcolm173]

It's interesting to see all this, many thanks.

I've just searched the public trees on Ancestry and Emma is on the tree of a lady who says that Charles Hill disappeared - so even this side of the family has it's issues!  She says this:

"My uncle Donald A. Hill told me today that his grandfather told him that his father just disappeared one day in Chicago.  He told my uncle that possibly his father went to Australia because he had talked about it.  Meanwhile, his wife is listed in 1900 as a "widow" living with her youngest son and family.  In 1910 she is in the Hollenbeck Home in Los Angeles.  An interesting mystery should anyone want to try to solve it."

Hollenbeck Palms in Boyle Avenue in LA is still a retirement home.

This lady doesn't have Alfred in her tree.

[wilcoxon]

I have a "gut" feeling this is John Pope but perhaps he is a bit old. Could he have been married before. 
None of the family are found in 1851 .
On Ancestry.
England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858
John Pope. 1854  He is of Landport, Portsea. Has a wife Elizabeth and unamed heirs


The original burial register entry has no occupation on it.
John Pope Age 70  abode Landport.
 Burial Date 22 Nov 1854
Death or Burial Place St Marys Portsea, Hampshire, England
Birth Year (Estimated)1784

It's a shame the children's baptisms don't have a mothers maiden name.
It's getting to be guesswork now.

[Malcolm173]

Those do look possible but it would make him rather old, as you say.

In Findmypast there's a parish record of a John Pope, widower, who married Elizabeth Watson, spinster, on 29th January 1832 at Alverstoke, which is across the water from Portsea.

There’s a baptism record for an Elizabeth Watson on 3rd August 1796 in Portsea.  Parents David and Elizabeth.

There seem to be a lot of Popes in that area though!

The Gwent office says it has a copy of the parish registration of Alfred & Kate's marriage so I've ordered that and we can see if that helps at all (£12.25, so not too bad).

[Malcolm173]

I've received the copy of the 1877 parish register with the marriage of Alfred Pope to Kate Dunstan.  I've taken a copy of Alfred's signature and added it to the other two on the attached document.

 We may need a graphologist to give an opinion!

[wilcoxon]

Try the Handwriting Recognition page.
There are some experts on there 🙂