William Carter

[Pialba]

Looking for clues on a William and Charlotte Carter nee Curtis who are proving to be rather elusive to say the least. I have them on the 1871 census at Writtle in Essex, children at that time was Jessie, Charlotte and William. I know they moved to Hertfordshire at some time, but don't know when.
Their son William [William Joseph Curtis Carter to give his full name], married Maria Ridgway nee Atkins, and they have proven to be as equally elusive. I can't find either on the 1881 census but did find William and Maria on the 1891, they were at , well I'm not sure, but the civil parish of St Peter mun. borough St Albans, and their children were Charlotte, William,Percy, Mabel, John and Jane.. When William married Maria, he was a police officer, but in 1891 he was a blacksmith. My uncle, Robert, was born in 1892, and I believe Maria left William and was living with another man and had living with her on the 1901 census Mabel, Jane, Robert, Annie , Jessie and Fred.
I have no idea what happened ot William Joseph.
Twiggy

[ds0706]

With a fairly common name like Carter, we really need where & when born to act as a filter.  Can you supply any (eg as given in the 1871) please?

regards
Doreen

[Pialba]

Hi Doreen,
Well, I haven't got a lot on the Carter family. I haven mention of them on the 1861 Census. At that time, they weree in Writtle, Essex, the family was William, 43, Beer house Keeper, born in Derby,Charlotte,39 [I think], born in Norfolk, can't figure the place, Jessie, 6, born Berkshire, Charlotte 5 born Writtle, and William 1 born Writtle.
The next finding I have of them is on the 1891 census, and William, the son was married, He was 28 and a blacksmith, his wife was Maria 33, born Abbotrs Langley, the children were Charlotte,8, born A. L., William7, born Kempton ?,Percy, 3, born London, Mabel,3 born  London, John 1 born A.L. and Jane 1 born A.L.
I did find Maria on the 1881 census, she was a widow, she had married ?Ridgeway, and was a nurse in London, no sign of William. On the Marriage Certificate I have of William and Maria married in 1883, and at the time William was a Policeman, they married at Watford in Hertford.
I have the birth certificate of William, he was born 19/4/1860 mother Charlotte nee Curtis, and father William Beerhouse keeper. I haven't been able to find the marriage of William and Charlotte, and I haven't found them on any other census, so I don't know what other family memebers there were.
Oh I did find Maria on the 1901 census, she had left William and and 3 other children by another man, the children took the Carter name.
The son Robert born 1892 married my aunt Alice.
Twiggy

[ds0706]

I had a look on the 1861 Writtle, and I think Charlotte (Curtis) was born in Maundsley, Norfolk. Jessie was born Warfield, Berks.  Odd that Jessie was named before Charlotte when I normally expect the first-born to take the mother's name.

I found them in 1881

Bowling Alley (Woodmans Arms)
Harpenden, Hertfordshire
RG11/1429    Folio 67    Page 8
   Marr   Age   Sex   Birthplace
William CARTER   M   63    M   Middlesex, England
   Rel:   Head
   Occ:   Gardener And Publican (N D)
Charlotte CARTER   M   49    F   Cromer, Norfolk, England
   Rel:   Wife
   Occ:   Publicans Wife
George CARTER   U   19    M   Enfield, Essex, England
   Rel:   Son
   Occ:   Carpenter
Ellen CARTER       16    F   Enfield, Essex, England
   Rel:   Daur
   Occ:   Scholar
Henrietta CARTER       9    F   Harpenden, Hertford, England
   Rel:   Daur
   Occ:   Scholar

I also found in the IGI batches C072402 & C072404
ROBERT HENRY JOSEPH CURTIS CARTER - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 26 JUL 1870 Harpenden, Hertford, England
 
ELLEN CHARLOTTE CARTER - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 11 JUL 1866 Harpenden, Hertford, England

HENRIETTA CHARLOTTE CURTIS <CARTER> - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 30 JAN 1880 Harpenden, Hertford, England

So, they were in Harpenden in 1871 and perhaps sks could take a look for them there, it probably wasn't too big at that time.
No luck with William Joseph though.

regards
Doreen

[Arranroots]

Here's 1871

RG10/1376 66 11

CARTER William J H M - brewer's lab - Middx Stoke Newington
CARTER Charlotte W M 39 - Norfolk, Cromer
CARTER William J C son 9 - scholar - Essex Writtle
CARTER Charles G C son 8 - scholar - ditto
CARTER Ellen C C dau 6 - scholar - Middx Enfield

Address: Bowling Alley (Woodman), Harpenden, Herts

kind regards, Arranroots 

[ds0706]

From FreeBMD, Robert Henry died aged 1, Sep 1870 St Albans 3a/255
Henrietta Charlote born Mar 1872 St Albans 3a/375

regards
Doreen

[Pialba]

Thank you everyone for the info you have sent. I had found that family on the 1881 census but wasn't sure if it was the same one I am looking for, because there was no mention of any of the children on the 1861 census, but looking at that I can see why.
I do appreciate the help.
Twiggy

[Andy Raggett]

I have just found this site and the postings about William Carter. William Carter was my 3x Great Grandfather, his son William Joseph Curtis Carter (WJCC) being my 2x Great Grandfather.

I don't know a great deal about William senior, but William J C Carter appears to be missing from both the 1901 and 1911 census. I have however found his Wife Maria Carter residing in Abbots Langley with their children, on both occasions as head of the family.
Unfortunately WJCC suffered a tragic death on 18th April 1934 when he fell into the road at dusk and was stuck by a passing car in St Albans Road, Garston. The report of his death and the subsequent coroners inquest were reported in the Watford Observer newspaper at the time. The inquest heard from his daughter Jane Wallington (b1890 Abbots Langley) that she didn't really know her father and that she had last seen him 12 month before the accident, but did not speak to him at the time. The court heard at the inquest that he had no home, but was a well known in the Watford district and was a pedlar of bootlaces.

His wife Maria Carter pre-deceased him by one year, dying at Watford Peace Memorial Hospital, now Watford General Hospital on 5th May 1933, from complications surrounding diabetes.

I would really like to know where William was between the 1891 census and his death in 1934. My feeling is that he didn't go too far from the Abbots Langley and Watford areas and if you look at the map Garston is just north of Watford and a little East of Abbots Langley. His daughter Jane was living at 32 Adian Road, Abbots Langley. At the time of her death Maria Carter lived at 20 Adrian Road.

If he had been consigned to the Watford Union, I would have expected to have found him on the 1901 & 1911 census returns, so Where was he and what was he doing in all those years?

AR

[Maddie]

Hi Andy

A warm welcome to RootsChat, unfortunately Twiggy hasn't logged in since 2007 but if her e-mail is still active she should have notification of your post.

I have tried to find your WJC Carter in the census after 1891 but to no avail.

When reading the inquest report for William's death in Garston I immediately had visions of an old soldier selling bootlaces, something from my youth in Watford I suspect.

I don't know if this would be any help but I had a look on FindMyPast for any Military records & there are 2 showing for a WJC Carter during the Boer War. One for the Essex Regiment & one for the City of London Imperial Volunteers.

Could be worth you trying the Military route as that would certainly account for him not showing in the census.

Maddie