Were they Jewish?

[Mouchoir]

Thanks. No the problem really is that it is quite early - his daughter married in 1843, but I can't find any of the family in the 1841 census - she first appears in 1851 after her marriage to John Dunbar Page Howes.  It is as if nothing exists prior to this, though as she was born in Mile End circa 1822, she and her father must have been somewhere in 1841.  There is someone on ancestry with relatives from the same sort of time with a similar name (Peter and his daughter Mary Ann )Lewis Fridewick, but they have not been able find out much either, though we suspect a connection.  I wonder if Lewis if an anglicised version of Levy, maybe John wasn't his original name either?  I've tried all kinds of spellings and wild card searches and find it odd that neither John nor Charlotte can be found in 1841. 
Thank you for your advice though - it is certainly something I'll try with a few other mystery relatives.  So if people were away, might they have eluded the census altogether?

Very best wishes
Maddie

[Redroger]

Maddie, The rules for the early censuses clearly suggest that the entire thing was a work in progress. Basically if you were way from home for the night travelling, you were omitted.They could have been abroard of course when the census was taken.
I believe that things get more complex in that not only can Lewis be an Anglised version of Levy, it can also be an anglised version of Llewellyn. If there is a Jewish connection then have you tried Jonathan for John?

[Mouchoir]

Hi!
Still working away at this conundrum to no avail.  In another thread about these same ancestors I was given a reference to the street in the census (an RG number).  I've tried putting this into the 1841 census bit on ancestry to no avail (it comes up as somewhere totally different, like Nottingham, not Bridge Street Hackney).  Can anyone tell me what all the numbers correspond to in a census reference as it may just be that I'm keying in the info into the wrong boxes.

I tried to pursue the family and even traced the witnesses at John Lewis Fridenry's daughter's wedding (Samuel and Esther Walker), hoping they might have been neighbours, but no luck there.

If anyone can help further, please let me know.  I'd still like to be able to say for sure if I had Jewish ancestors.

Best wishes
Maddie

[SwissGill]

Lewis was also an anglicised version of Louis which was also a "so-called" English version of Ludwig.

One of my relations, Friedrich Ludwig Pfister called himself Louis Pfister in England, although he originated from Künzelsau in Germany and was Lutheran.

My own grandfather was called Christian Louis Pfisterer and was born in England. On being taken back to Kocherstetten in Baden-Württemberg in Germany, to be baptised, the name "Louis" was "crossed through" and he was baptised Christian Pfisterer.

"Louis" often replaced Ludwig and Lewis often replaced Louis regardless of religion.

[Mouchoir]

Thanks!  I'll try some searches using Louis and Ludwig and see if this helps.  At least the general consensus seems to be that they were German - that's progress.  I've tried so many variants of name and spelling in the 1841 census I am at a loss for what to do next to get any further with this.  I don't want to give up, but wonder if I am ever going to get a definitive answer.


I really appreciate all your help.
Maddie
 

[SwissGill]

This is just a hunch but I have seen Württemberg in Germany often written "bury" instead of "berg".

Her surname could be Friedenberg. There seem to be a number living in and around London. I couldn't find Charlotte Louisa though.

I see you have a tree on Ancestry and will keep you in mind when doing my own searches.

BTW, Clara Agnes Howes, born 1862 married Alfred Daniel Dodd on 6.1.1880, Tower Hamlets. They seem to have had a number of children.

It's a tedious way to search but sometimes looking up the ancestors' partners for Family Trees, etc. can help.

Have I missed something? Is it definite that Charlotte Louisa was born in England?

[avm228]

Hi Maddie

I'm going to post a link to your previous thread so that Rootschatters can see the background material there:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,561644.0.html


Anna

[Mouchoir]

Thank you Swiss Gill and Anna!  Still working on this.  I have been trying lots of variant spellings and really wildcard searches.  Charlotte was definitely born in England, but is still rather elusive prior to her marriage in 1843. 

I may have found John Lewis Fridenry's death just now though - there is a John Lewis Friday's burial listed on June 22nd 1821 - I found this on the London records under the Westminster St. John the Evangelist area - approx birth 1794.  I can't be sure, but this is the biggest breakthrough in a while.  Not that it tells us where he was born or if he was Jewish.

Thanks to everyone who has commented and helped so far.
Maddie
 

[Mouchoir]

Still puzzling over this.  I've spent hours on ancestry and have made no progress.  I just can't find Charlotte or her father in the 1841 census or in any early records.  Does the fact that "Lewis" was given as a name to Charlotte (as well as one of her sons) suggest that it is more likely to be from Levy than Ludwig? 
I've been thinking of paying for an hour or two of research, but the problem is knowing where to go.  I see Hackney archive expect you to be really specific and it is hard to know if the London Metropolitan archive would have anything.  The many variants of spelling make this something of a challenge.  I feel something of a failure as I work in a library and archive and help other people with family history, yet am so stuck with my own. 
If anyone has any further thoughts I'd be very grateful.  Much as I want to think they are German and Jewish, I'd rather know for sure.

Best wishes
Maddie