nana's birth mother disappeared in 1901

[brigidmac]

There are 63 xJessie smith in 1911 census ...

4 x Jessie Ball
..None of either in glamorgan

But maybe the Neath address was. Misreported
According to reports of the trial where names were not used the lady who had care of Lottie's baby was a well to do  young married woman from Hammersmith

The baby is described as a prepossessing little girl charmingly attired

[hasta]

One of the newspaper articles says Mrs Ball subsequently moved to Southport - have a look in 1911 census - I can see here there as Jessie Smith aged 4.

[brigidmac]

Wonderful hasta .I.ll have a look tomorrow

Do we have first names for the Ball couple ?

For the detectives out there ....

There are 3 British articles about elderly boarding house keeper Mrs Charlotte Roberts of stapleton road Bristol

I.d like to be able to open the one titled BRISTOL MURDER CLUE

 western daily press
It contains the sentence ...
  Had been thought Mrs Roberts was a widow ....But police are now inquiring .....

[isobelw]

hasta - that's a brilliant find! Has to be the same child surely, as everything fits including place of birth being Swansea.
Isobel

[heywood]

Yes it was Welsh evening express and mail of thurs may 23 Rd that refers to Lottie Bourne professional name  Jess Baker

I looked to see if there were any evidence of Lottie Bourne's in Shropshire

There is one born 1885  on 1891 census and 1901 wrockwarden wood Wellington Shropshire

But if she was the one handling babies  she did a good job passing herself off as Lottie Roberts to journalists and police

Sorry if I am repeating what is already known but it is a bit confusing 

We now have baby Jessie Smith with the Ball family - good, all fits - great find hasta.

Baby Jessie Smith born Swansea with mother named Bourne.

Lottie Bourne - parents James and Mary - Wrockwardine, Shropshire

1891 Lottie S Bourne 6 yrs b St George's Shropshire

1901 Lottie J Bourne 16 yrs b London

Maybe this isn't your Charlotte after all?

[brigidmac]

Hasta and isobel  holistic private detectives !

I.ll get my nose out of news reports and join a site where I can look at 1911 censuses

But another nice tie is that one paper said Lottie testified to having travelled with Herbert Smith for several years. 
So despite the wording of his appeal that he was just helping a friend I distress I think he must have been the birth father

He obviously loved Lottie and was willing to take all blame for the idea of taking payments pleading for leniency for her

 Jessie smith

[brigidmac]

Thanks for  Bourne summary Heywood

The birth reg has the couple as married but they weren't
They were been  living in  Swansea as Mr And Mr Leo selwyn
According to the landlady they also received letters addressed to Smith and Bourne


If she was really Lottie J Bourne

Why did newspapers change from using that name to Lottie Roberts
Court records also say Roberts. 

Was  Shropshire Lottie Bourne working aged 16
 did she marry
can we find her in 1911 would it say how many babies shed have if she is still single ??

[brigidmac]

Worked out how to use ancestry search and found
Adoptee Jessie Smith with Thomas and Sarah Ball in Southport

They were childless .
Jessie is down as aged 4 so I couldn't find her at first she would have been 5 really

[heywood]

She was born November 1906 and 1911 census was taken April 1911 so she would have been 4 yrs and the age is right.

Lottie Bourne isn't working in 1901.