Trying to find Albert Joyce (1878) parents William and Elizabeth

[grahamsittee]

I have a real problem with tracking my grandfather Albert Joyce born 1878 and claims to be born in bath in some cases or bathwick in his army papers. I find Albert in 1881census at less than a year old living as a lodger with the Cox Family in Chudleigh. This is the only Albert Joyce of the right age. I find him later in 1891 in Portsmouth Living with his father and mother William and Elizabeth. William I am fairly sure I know but Elizabeth is a mystery. There is no birth record that I can find and no wedding which suits.

My first assumption was that Elizabeth was the sister of Samuel Cox and Albert was parked there. I thought I had solved the problem for a while when I found a William Joyce marrying an Elizabeth Cox in Evercreech but I now know this to be wrong.

She claims in the census that she was born in Lelant Cornwall. I can find no suitable candidates of the right age.

Has anyone been down this line before, fancy a challenge or have an idea of where to go?

[CaroleW]

Hi

Does he give William as his fathers name on his marriage cert?

when I found a William Joyce marrying an Elizabeth Cox in Evercreech but I now know this to be wrong.

This would be the 1885 marriage.  How did you know it was the wrong one?

[crisane]

There is an Albert Joyce born Bath c1879 in the 1911 census living in Exeter.

On the same page FreeBMD
Marriages September 1/4 1904 
Albert  Joyce and Alice Maude McDonald    Plymouth  5b 635 

Do his army records indicate he joined up prior to WW1?

[crisane]

Looking at his army papers there is a date of 26 November 1902 so the marriage could be him.
Second page of record says examined for re-engagement 22 December 1909 and enlisted 1898at Portsmouth so in 1901 he may have been out of the country.

[crisane]

The army pension papers I am looking at have Albert Joyce serving 22years in the army. Wife Alice Maud Joyce and the father's first name I can't read but if William it is very badly written. Are these the army records you have?
Have you thought that Albert's birth registration may be under his mother's maiden name because William Joyce is born 1861 according to 1891 census (9years younger than wife) and is single in 1881.

[crisane]

There is a William Joyce and an Elizabeth Cox on the same page for marriages FreeBMD December 1/4 1885 Shepton Mallet. This may be the marriage you are looking for if Albert was not William Joyce's son but his stepson.
I wonder if Elizabeth was married before and Cox is the surname of a previous husband?

[CaroleW]

Hi Crisane

Please see my reply #1 re that 1885 marriage

[grahamsittee]

Hi

Does he give William as his fathers name on his marriage cert?

when I found a William Joyce marrying an Elizabeth Cox in Evercreech but I now know this to be wrong.

This would be the 1885 marriage.  How did you know it was the wrong one?

Thanks for the reply, I am pretty sure that Williams father was Benjamin and I expected Elizabeth's father to be Robert  to line up with the Cox family Albert was staying with in 1881. When I found details of the the marriage, the  grooms father was Joseph Joyce and the brides William.

[grahamsittee]

There is an Albert Joyce born Bath c1879 in the 1911 census living in Exeter.

On the same page FreeBMD
Marriages September 1/4 1904 
Albert  Joyce and Alice Maude McDonald    Plymouth  5b 635 

Do his army records indicate he joined up prior to WW1?

Thanks for the interest crisane. Yes, that is the right Albert. Alice Maud was my grandmother and the children list are some of my aunts and uncles. His army records are fascinating as he joined up before WW1 and fought in South Africa in the Boar war. He enlisted in the RAMC on 13th December 1898 aged 18yrs 7mths and gives his place of birth as Bath. His father was called William Joyce and lived at 19 Carlisle Road, Portsmouth (which lines up with the 1901 census. No details given of mother.