James Bushnell and Snr Completed with thanks

[Tropical]

Hello all,

I am researching the Bushnell family for a freind

I am wondering if you can help me,

James Bushnell was born 6 Feb 1874, St James, Holborn, parents are James Bushnell, fruit Salesman and Sarah Bushnell nee Sergeant.

I can't find James snr & Sarah's marriage.

I found James jnr and his wife Elizabeth and children on 1901 census
Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 258; Folio: 47; Page: 35

James & Elizabeth married in 1893, St Peters, Clerkenwell, James father was deceased and was a Potato Merchant.

I think i may have found James jnr and his mother on 1891 census, but it says Sarah is sister in law to head, i don't think this is right.
Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 247; Folio 87; Page 32; GSU roll: 6095357

I can't find James snr & Sarah on any census before 1891, and was hoping if anyone can help find them.

Many many thanks in advance

Pam

[louisa maud]

It clearly states "sister in law", also both Caroline and Sarah both born "city", was there a connection between these 2 women, it makes me wonder if Sarah Bushnell had married to someone else prior to birth of James born circa 1875, have you got James birth cert?, also Sarah was aged 63 and James 16, were there any other children, she would have been about 47 when she had James an older mother
I can't find a marriage that fits, Sergent to Bushnell or Wakeling to Sergent just in case there had been a marriage prior
Just a few suggestions and thoughts

Louisa Maud

[Valda]

Hi Pam

Legitimately registered births don't by themselves prove the birth was actually legitimate. There were no checks in the system so it was just a matter of bluffing it out with the registrar which was made more easy if you were registering the birth in a large city.

On the 1871 census there is a James Bushnell a widower aged 68 a meat salesman at 5 Holford Street St James Clerkenwell. His relationship to the head of household was father-in-law and his birthplace was the City. RG10 384 folio 31. His death was registered in Holborn in 1879. On the 1861 census he was married to Charlotte M who was older than himself. James was born in St Sepulchre and was a shopman at a potato warehouse on the 1861 census. With James and his wife were two of his daughters both in their 20s. RG9 221 folio 122. On the 1851 census James was a warehouseman with three of his daughters HO107 1527 folio 405.
His wife Charlotte died in 1870

Deaths Dec 1870   
Bushnell  Charlotte  75  Holborn  1b 479

A possible marriage for James was in 1822 to Charlotte Roberts perhaps Charlotte Mary.

CHARLOTTE BUSHNELL
Christening:  27 DEC 1823   St Sepulchre, London
Father:  JAMES BUSHNELL 
Mother:  CHARLOTTE 

MARY BUSHNELL
Birth:  08 APR 1828   
Christening:  27 APR 1828   Saint Andrew, Holborn, London
Father:  JAMES BUSHNELL   
Mother:  CHARLOTTE 

JAMES BUSHNALL
Birth:  20 APR 1829   
Christening:  17 MAY 1829   Saint Andrew, Holborn, London
Father:  JAMES BUSHNALL   
Mother:  MARY CHARLOTTE 

MARTHA FRANCES BUSHNELL
Birth:  05 DEC 1831   
Christening:  01 JAN 1832   Saint Andrew, Holborn, London
Father:  JAMES BUSHNELL 
Mother:  CHARLOTTE 

PRISCILLA BUSHNELL
Birth:  04 APR 1834   
Christening:  27 APR 1834   Saint Andrew, Holborn, London
Father:  JAMES BUSHNELL 
Mother:  CHARLOTTE 

ANNE BUSHNELL 
Christening:  04 SEP 1836   St Bride Fleet St, London
Father:  JAMES BUSHNELL 
Mother:  MARY CHARLOTTE 

Son James was with the family on the 1841 census HO107 726/3 folio 22 and can be found on the 1851 and 1861 censuses married to Emma. He was a green grocer and cheesemonger with 4 children on the 1861 census. RG9 224 folio 198

Marriages Dec 1850   
Bushnell  James Bushnell    W London  2 301   
Draper  Emma     W London  2 301

On the 1871 census he was in St George Hanover Square and was a grocer and oilman with his wife and four children RG10 112 folio 49 and was in Clerkenwell still married to Emma on the 1881 census, but had returned to his earliest profession (1851 census) of Law stationer. RG11 35? folio 27.

1901 census RG13 194 folio 44
37 College Street Islington
Sarah Sergeant 72 Widow Living on own means  London City

Regards

Valda

[Tropical]

Thank you Louisa Maud and thank you Valda

Valda,

Going by your reply, am i correct in saying James Bushnell b 1874 is the son of James Bushnell whom married Charlotte

I will go through the census returns you have put down and put them all together.

Thank you very much for your look ups Valda, it is so much appreciated as i was so stumped on the Bushnell family

Pam

[Valda]

Hi Pam

I don't think it is completely proved because there is no marriage, which would make the birth if that was the case an illegitimate one. Since James junior was called James it also seems unlikely that his father if it was James, then aged about 72, acknowledged him, as he already had a legitimate son called James. Having said all that, how many James Bushnells in the Clerkenwell area, or even further afield, are there at this same time who were salesmen connected to potatoes?

You could check to see whether James senior left a will to see whether there is any mention of Sarah and her son.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm

It is just as likely though that Sarah was paid off at the time of her pregnancy or asked to leave when her condition became noticable. Since Sarah was aged about 46 at the time of her son's birth, it isn't really the case of a young vulnerable female servant being taken advantage of by the 'master' of the household. If it is the same Sarah as the woman living on her own means on the 1901 census, it might also be worth searching for a will for her, though there is much less chance that she left one. The difficulty in searching for a possible will for Sarah would be knowing her death date and what surname her death might be registered in.


Regards

Valda

[Tropical]

Hi Valda,

I understand that it is not proof that James snr was James jnr's father,perhaps James snr had one last fling.

Last Friday and Saturday, i was looking at all James Bushnell's occupations on the census in and around London, Kent, Sussex etc, and same as you have really only come up with the one you found.

It is just a feeling that Sarah Bushnell on the 1891 census with the Wakeling's is James father and infact was a coverup saying Sarah was sister in law to the head.

Thank you very much Valda for all your help and input to my plea of help

Pam