Help to read 1861 census, please!*COMPLETED, with grateful thanks*

[KateW]

Now for Mary Willoughby (great grandmother)

She married Samuel Coad in Truro Sept Qtr 1880 and was recorded as Jane Mary A B Willoughby (AB = Ann Bray)
The family story is that Mary's mother, Mary, died at her birth in abt 1857. Mary was then brought up by aunts as they didn't like or trust the father Mr Willoughby.  The aunt or aunts were seamstresses or dressmakers and had the surname Bray.  Mary's mother Mary (nee Travis) who died had two known brothers William and Samuel and her father was John Travis, journeyman carpenter (1861 census - HO107/1911) born in about 1793. Her mother was Mary (nee Williams) her father had been a Miller in Chagford, according to the census and this fits in with the family story.  In the 1861 census it shows that John and MAry Travis had 4 daughters, Eliza, Emily, Charlotte and Josephine.  We then did a search for the sister's marriages and found an Eliza Bray married to William in Kenwyn.  This is where we we are guessing.  Eliza is 32 in 1861 census and should have been 29 but they did make errors.    The Kea Census was a mistaken one I think...

If you look at the 2 family groups there seems to be an overlap which I am having trouble sorting out!  This is where a fresh pair of eyes would help .

Thanks...
Kate

[danuslave]

Hi Kate

This is a bit of a muddle isn't it?   

I've trawled through the various records and come up (or not) with the following (bearing in mind that Kea would register in Truro)

The most likely birth for Jane Mary A(nn) B(ray) Willoughby is

Jane Ann Willoughby  1856  Apr-May-Jun  Truro  Vol 5c Page 221 

There are only 2 possible deaths for her mother Mary Willoughby registered in Truro 1855-1865

Mary Willoughby  1858  Jan-Feb-Mar  Truro  Vol 5c   Page 139

Mary Willoughby  1859  Apr-May-Jun  Truro  Volume 5c  Page 109

Added - see later post

Most strange of all is that having written down her family details (as we can find them) they appear exactly the same as her husband's (places, names, dates and occupations of parents and grandparents) I can't believe that we have the wrong family members

I would be very suspicious about this.  Either someone was telling porkies at the time or you have got your lines of research crossed   

What makes you believe that Jane Mary A(nn) B(ray) Willoughby's mother was born Mary Travis?

The only marriage 1845 - 1858 in Truro is

Mary Ann Travis  1853  Jul-Aug-Sep Truro  Vol 5c Page 273
Others on the same page are
William Coad
Richard Eddy
Elizabeth Behenna

William & Mary Ann Coad appear on the 1871 census (RG10/2283/70/22) with a son Samuel aged 15, presumably the one that went on to marry Jane Mary A(nn) B(ray) Willoughby?

Have you found Samuel & Jane/Mary in 1881?  That would give you an idea of her YOB.  If it matches the birth registration above, I would be inclined to get the certificate to find her mother and possibly father's names. She may have been illegitimate and the story that

Mary was then brought up by aunts as they didn't like or trust the father Mr Willoughby

was just a cover - it wouldn't be the first

At the moment you are in serious danger of following completely the wrong family - which would be sad to say the least 

Please come back if there is any more we can do to help

Linda

[Tati]

Don't know if this helps but the Cornwall OPC site has this christening:

23 Jul 1857, Kea
Jane Mary Ann Bray Willoughby
Parents George (Labourer) and Mary Ann, residence Calenick

[Tati]

A widowed George Willoughby, Labourer, age 40 born Cornwall St Columb appears in 1861 at Kenwyn,  RG9/1559 7 7
(I wonder if his age is 10 years out. All the other censuses have a George Willoughby born St Columb ca. 1828/1833, who goes on to have lots of children with a wife Elizabeth)

Not sure it's the man we're looking for but there's a possible marriage:

Mar 1856 Truro 5c 259
George Willougby to possibly Mary Ann Bray

[Tati]

http://pilot.familysearch.org finds a burial in Kea - same date as Jane's christening

Mary Ann Willoughby, 23 July 1857 Kea

Shame it doesn't give her age.

[Tati]

Doesn't it look like Mary Ann Bray was James' daughter = little Jane/Mary was living with her grandfather in 1861? 

Here are earlier censuses for him

1851 census
HO107/1910 361 17 & 362 18
Kenwyn, Cornwall
Daniel Street
James Bray, head, wid, 39, Tin Smetter, b. Kenwyn
Mary Ann, dau, 14, ditto, b. Kea
Walter, son, 11, Potter's Assistant, b. do.
James Bray, son, 9, b. Kea
William Bray, son, 7, b. Kea

1841
HO107/147/12 22 10
Kea, Cornwall
Calenick
James Bray, 30, Ag lab
Ann, 30
Mary, 5
Walter, 2

Christening source http://pilot.familysearch.org
Mary Anne Bray, 30 Oct 1836, Kea - parents James and Ann

Walter's birth cert would confirm Ann's maiden name. For the time being, this looks like a possible marriage:
James Bray - Ann Tregwanna 22 May 1836 Kea, Cornwall   

[danuslave]

Well done Tati 

How is this for a scenario

Birth  Jane Ann Willoughby  1856  Apr-May-Jun  Truro  Vol 5c Page 221 

Mother becomes ill in 1857, so baby is hastily christened and mother's names added to her own

23 Jul 1857, Kea
Jane Mary Ann Bray Willoughby
Parents George (Labourer) and Mary Ann, residence Calenick

Mother dies and is buried in Kea

Mary Ann Willooghby  1857  Jul-Aug-Sep  Truro  Vol 5c Page 109  (it's Willoughby on the original image)

Mary Ann Willoughby, 23 July 1857 Kea

Baby is then known as Mary or Mary Ann in memory of her mother and goes to live with her maternal grandparents

Linda

[KateW]

Linda and Tati,

Wow, you have been busy, what a lot of info.  Thank you so much for helping.  I need time to absorb what you have found and write it all down and discussing it with my friend.  When you ask 'What makes you believe....? I can only say that my friend insists they have records.  I am well aware that people made mistakes and covered up and I don't want to risk going down the wrong track.
Hopefully with your help I can sort out this muddle (yes I agree it is!!)   

I'll be in touch when we've had a closer look 

Thanks again
Kate.

[danuslave]

1871 - RG10/2287/9/9

14 Calenick, Kea

Eliza Bray  Head  Wid  59  Cornwall, St Gluvias
James do  Son  Unm  29  Shoe maker  Cornwall, Kea
Mary A  do  Dau  14  Scholar  Cornwall, Kea

(do = ditto, meaning the same as above)

which ties in nicely with the response to your original post