One person, two last names? (KENNETT and SMITH)

[Midnight_rambler]

Hi everyone!

This is my first post, so bear with my newbie-isms.

I am trying to research the allegedly Romany side of my family. (I say alleged because it had always been a family rumour more than anything...) Anyway, when my father started researching our family tree, he found something peculiar. The wife of my great great great (I think?) grandfather appears to have two last names. (On the marriage certificate of her son, John Chapell, her maidden name is listed as Emma Kennett, but on John's birth certificate, she's listed as Emma Smith.) Because of the sheer volume of names, my dad started researching a different line...and I picked up where he left off.

Anyway, we wondered if Emma were married twice...so I traced her in census records down from 1901 to 1861. From 1871-1901 she has her married name (Emma Chapell), and in 1861, she's listed as Emma Kennett (14 years old and living as a servant in a family of Coopers, interestingly enough...[I am aware that both Smith and Cooper are common English traveler names.]) 14 seems a little young for a first marriage...even in the mid-nineteenth century, though of course it's possible. Is it also possible that she used two last names? Was this practiced by travelers?

It creates a problem, because I can't find any earlier records! She would be around 4 in the 1851 census, but no one really seems to match. (Her birth place for the other census records - Boxley, Kent - had been consistent...but I know we can't always rely on birthplace accuracy, thanks to the million parishes, districts, etc. one could list...not to mention the fact there is also a Bexley, Kent, which adds to the confusion.) (Plus I don't know if I am looking for a Smith or a Kennett.) I have no idea what her parents' names are...this information would be exceedingly helpful.

Also, the Cooper family connection is interesting beause the head of the household (Alfred Cooper) is 23...which struck me as young. His wife, Eliza, is 22. I looked at the 1851 census for Alfred, and it shows he was a servant to a different family. (So it seems odd that a 23 year old former-servant would employ a servant himself.)

Anyway! I am rambling, now. Apologies for the length of this post. Any tips on where to proceed next would be very appreciated! Of interest: Emma's husband, James Chapell, wore an earring and called birds to him. Of course that means very little...except for the fact that I have a heap of unrelated and circumstantial evidence that seems to point to the possibility of Romany heritage. Anyway, again, any advice/comments would be wonderful!

Eliza

[Midnight_rambler]

Mystery solved! Thanks to the Latter Day Saints website. (Though it took some searching.)

It seems that Emma IS in fact a Smith. Her mother, however, ran off with one Richard Kennett (the lodger), and I guess Emma took his last name. (Or used both.)

Still looking to see if there is a Romany link, though. So if anyone has any tips...

[deb usa]

Hi Eliza

Seems that Richard and Harriett did eventually get married..I wonder if the marriage cert would reveal her maiden name plus father's name and Occupation. Then at least you could research her family to see if they were Romany.

marriage
Richard Kennett = Harriet Smith
jun q 1861
Medway Kent
vol 2a pg 53

deb

[deb usa]

Hi Eliza

I have followed James Chappell through to 1851 and his family to 1841 (in Milton) and it doesn't look like they were Travellers 

His father was a Labourer in 1841 and by 1851 was a mariner. James seems to have stayed in the brickmaking field.

deb

[Midnight_rambler]

Thanks for your response!

Yes, the Chapells didn't strike me as overly Romany-esque either, not when they had settled in Milton. I want to know more about James' parents and their parents, etc. (I do have the names of his parents - I just have yet to really research them because I have been working on the Smith line.)

And good idea, about the marriage certificate. Though it's possible it would just list Smith as the maiden last name... the certificate for her and George might show her parents. I want to learn more about him, but the name "George Smith" is just so bloody common.

Thanks for your help, though!

[nelwild]

hello midnightrambler,i have a mary chapell born 1819 milton in my family tree,she married richard rossiter born 1813 sittingbourne occupation brickmaker.richards father was edward rossiter born 1793 sheerness  occupation mariner and labourer.edwards parents were richard rossiter born 1757 sittingbourne occupation travelling showman and sarah taylor born 1758 england.the rossiters were a very big romany family who worked in the brickfields and on barges,as well as travelling,dealing,pedling and working in fairs and circuses.they have connections to many romany families,regards,nel.

[Midnight_rambler]

Hmmm. THat's very interesting, Nell. Do you know the names of Mary Chapell's parents? I wonder if there is a connection... (brickfields + mariner + name Chapell + Milton = a lot of similarities.)

[nelwild]

hello again,im afraid i dont have anything on mary chapell on my tree,but a lot on her husband.ive had a look at the 1841 census and there are no mary chapells.there are two mary chapels,one born 1821 and living milton,gravesend with beck family,a long way from milton,sittingbourne and one born 1814 living gillingham with john eltham,fish dealer.even if either of these were her,theyre away from family so not much help in getting further back.if it were me,id be thinking that mary ann could be directly related to james chapells father,or fathers father,given the shared location of milton,the common occupations of labourer/mariner and the brickfield connection,possibly siblings or cousins.i can tell you that mary ann chapell married richard rossiter on 25th december 1837 in milton,sittingbourne.if you wanted to take a chance,you could order the marriage certificate and  find out mary anns parents names.you could then compare this to what you have and see if it matches up.all the best,and good luck,nel.

[Midnight_rambler]

Wait...your Mary Chapell is Mary Ann Chapell?

William Chapell (James' father) had a daughter named Mary Ann, born MIlton, Sittingbourne. Problem is that she was born in 1851, not 1819. Mary Ann is likely a common name... but it strikes me as possible that if there were another Mary Ann earlier in the family (yours?), she could have been named after her (an aunt?)

William Chapell's parents are William and Elizabeth. I haven't been able to find information yet on whether they had other children (though I am sure they did), but perhaps your Mary Ann Chapell was one of William and Elizabeth's kids (and therefore the second William's sister.)

I wish there were available censi from before 1841! I'll try finding out if there is a connection between your Mary and my William. (And perhaps order a certificate.)