The mystery of Jane Wiltshire / Annie Down

[Mabel Bagshawe]

If that's Thomas W Down b c1867, the draper's warehouseman on 1891, he's still in Plymouth with his wife Fanny in 1901

[Mabel Bagshawe]

I have my suspicions this is Thomas on 1891 - RG12, 1743, 68, 21. Right age, in Devonport, but b Exeter. The interesting thing is he is a groom, and Annie's husband is an ostler

[Familytreeme]

Thank you all, I have found a death certificate for a Jane Clifford ( as she would have been after her marriage to my great, great grandfather, in Neath, South Wales for 1947 ) which fits in with the info my Nanna tells me. I am almost sure Annie downs Is  actually Jane Wiltshire but Im intrigued as to why she changed name. Also what's the family connection? Why would she marry Herbert Clifford and take on all his children when he only had months to live as it seems. My Nanna said she stayed and raised the whole family, staying until her death when she was 91 yr old

[Familytreeme]

Also, Annie down is listed on her marriage cert to Herbert as a spinster!

[Milliepede]

Goodness it's rather baffling isn't it.

If she really was a spinster called Annie Down but with a father called John Wiltshire then is it possible John married again or had another relationship after Harriet died with a lady called Down who had a baby Annie.  Probably not.  Realms of fantasy now Jones!

I can't see any reason for a spinster to make up a different fathers name.  Or make up a different name for herself if she had no previous history to hide. 

[Familytreeme]

Yes, know its all rather puzzling. My nan who is now 88 would love to know how her Nanny Annie ( or Aunt Jane as others in the family on her mothers side called her) came to marry her paternal grandfather out of the blue after her real Nanna Selina died. Selina died young leaving a lot of young Clifford children, Annie/Jane came along and quickly married Herbert and he died months later leaving her with all the children to rear. It must have been planned, he must have known he was dying.

It's extra confusing as if Annie is actually Jane Wiltshire as i suspect then not only did her her niece May Bignell also marry into the Clifford but another neice Beatrice Joyce also married one of the Clifford boys too. My nan thought for a long time that there was some interbreeding but no looking at the tree it's not really like that but two families having more than one marrying into it.

[Familytreeme]

I should add that the Abercarn link may be correct, my nan says that there were strong links in the family to Newport / Caerphilly / Monmouth and that Herbert and Annie down marriage cert says they married in Newport. Herbert's first wife Selina was from there we think. I think her name was Selina Stephens but I can't find any link to Jane Wiltshire / Annie downs with her.

[Milliepede]

Maybe because of the close relationships she made up a different name for herself?  But then why give your real father's name especially if you were claiming to be a spinster - you would match your father's name to your own and say he was Mr Down.   

Will have to sleep on this one but where do the nieces come from - May for instance was her mother a Wiltshire or is it more complicated?!

[Familytreeme]

May was a Bignell, but her gran was a Martha Wiltshire, sister of Jane / Annie. Her mother was a fanny browning, neice of Annie / Jane. May came up from Southampton to help her aunt Jane / Annie  with the Clifford boys and she ended up marrying one ( Reuben).

Very puzzling indeed. Why state your fathers name as John Wiltshire when you've stated you are a spinster with the name Annie downs? Why did some members of the family call her aunt Jane when she made herself known as Annie? I found once census in 1911 where she is listed in Neath as Annie down but her birthdate is 1861, yet her death certificate in 1947 is for a Jane Clifford birthdate 1856. What did she hide in those middle years where she doesn't appear either as Jane or Annie.