Missing husband and children? Found, COMPLETED

[RosieJ]

Assuming the Elliott family is right and Horace is Robert's then he must have died in 1884 at the very earliest.

Searching for a Thomas Elliott, the only similar candidate I can find, who also happens to be a tailor, is married to a Louisa on the 1871 & 1901 censuses! Maybe Isabella was his 'other woman' and she put him down as husband to make it all more respectable?!  The census info is only as reliable as the person supplying it I suppose......

Might be quite tricky to track down the children if they are in homes or workhouses, you would think they would still appear on the census though??

Rosie

[Abiam2]

Hi Rosie,

It is difficult!  The Thomas Elliott part looks right except for Horace I suppose Robert could have disappeared - gone walk about.  It is a big coincidence as Horace Brown appears again as a witness at the marriage of Flora in 1909. 

On the other hand there is the baby E(s)thel Elliott 9 months.  And then Ethel Brown aged 0 or 11 in 1901.  But against that I think they were poor and at that time they generally had to stay together through lack of money. 

I shall look again for a death for Robert Brown up to 1900 and also look at the Elliotts on the 1871 and 1901.  If they are right then Louisa didn't die..........
Will investigate further!

Thanks for your thoughts,
Abiam

[RosieJ]

Ethel is definately 11 in 1901, as the children are usually put in age order and Frank below her is 9. What is also weird is they have a boarder by the name of Nell Harris who is only 2!

Interesting that Alfred is a watch engraver when Robert was a watchmaker, he was following in the trade.

Will try and do some lateral thinking and a bit of digging!

[Abiam2]

There is family chat, gossip that Robert the watch maker was actually in the police although in 1881 he is a watchmaker. The son Alfred R. step son to Thomas Elliott is a watchmaker's errand boy in 1891 and in 1901 is a watch engraver living at home with his widowed mother and siblings.

Ethel Elliott is 9 months in 1891 but has become Ethel Brown, 11, by 1901.  I think she was Ethel Brown all along.  No, that doesn't make sense I have found a death for Robert, aged 31 1885 in Holborn which is only 1 and a 1/2 miles away and Ethel was not born 'til 1890!!!  She must have been Elliotts!

I wonder was there a hospital in Holborn will have a google.

So many coincidences!  And as you say earlier Horace Brown was born 1884 so if he is Robert's son then Robert died during or after 1884, he would have been 3oish. Sorry to be repeating myself but it helps to see things written down!

I'm not giving up yet,
Abiam

[RosieJ]

Think I might have found Ada and Annie on 1891!

District Holborn Union Industrial School, Mitcham, Surrey (RG12/603, F143, P3)

Brown Ada  10  Pauper Inmate  b. St Luke's Middx
Brown Annie  12  Paper Inmate  b. St Luke's Middx

Will keep looking for Flora.......

[Abiam2]

Great!  That makes so much sense!  Will go take a look,
Abiam

[Abiam2]

Rosie,
Found Flora!   I think!  Page 14 at the top on the 1891 census she is named Florence, aged 9 and born Clerkenwell.

So her name is not the same as was registered (have the cert), she should be 11 and she was registered at Islington East.

I think it must be her what do you think?  Surely they wouldn't have sent he somewhere else away from her sisters?

Abiam

[RosieJ]

It's very likely to be her, isn't it? You would think she would be in the same place as her sisters as its not as if she was a small baby, so would have been put with relatives.

Now that's sorted, you've just go the mystery of Robert Brown & Thomas Elliott!! 

[Abiam2]

Yes, how right you are!  I think that Isabella just moved in with Thomas Elliott as she had his? baby in 1890.  I think it probably was his baby but by the time of the 1901 and all her familly were under one roof it was easier to call the 11 year Brown.  As yet I haven't found a death for his wife Louisa Elliott.  Surely he didn't leave one family with 6 children (and his brother on the 1891) to move in with Isabella's 3 plus a new baby?  (Plus the 3 little girls in the Industrial school in 1891).

I have had contact with a distant relative who tells me Isabella was "a bit of a girl"!!!  I don't know how she found the time!  But she knows nothing more.

I now have Isabella and Robert's marriage cert and discovered his father was a Joseph Brown but I don't seem to be getting very far.  All those parishes and the surname Brown!

Thank you very much for help especialy finding the girls - I wouldn't have known where to start.   
Regards,
Abiam