Stumped! ATTAWAY Faversham Area 1845 - ??

[Alex Walker]

Hi All

Any help would be appreciated with this mystery.

On the 7th April 1872 at St Mary Magdalene Church, Chatham, my G3 Aunt Elizabeth Walker Cullen (nee Tucker) married William James Attaway, described as a bachelor, son of William Attaway.  She was a widow.

I can find William James Attaway on the 1891 census at Greenstreet, near Faversham, living with her but I can find no other trace of him anywhere.  Both his marriage certificate and the 1891 census support a birth date of about 1845, and in 1891 he describes his birth place as Tong.

In 1901 I can find her still at Greenstreet, and also on the  1911 census as 'married' (not widowed).  But where on earth is William James?  I can't find any birth that correlates in either the Milton or Faversham districts around that time, and I can't find any trace on any of the census other than the 1891.

I am thinking that either the information on his marriage certificate was false, that he wasn't born an Attaway, or that he disappeared.  There is a possibility on the 1881 census of someoene with similar details in the Asylum near Canterbury.

Elizabeth Walker Tucker (married Cullen, married Attaway) was the Laundress in Greenstreet near Faversham for most of her life and in 1911 my GG Grandmother is living with her. 

I have no idea why this particular relative interests me but she does and I would love to try and solve 'the Attaway mystery'!

Any help much appreciated

Alex

[groom]

Have you ruled this one out, date is slightly out though? What was his father's occupation on the marriage certificate?

1851  HO107; Piece: 1626; Folio: 263; Page: 24
Faversham

William Attaway   29   Labourer                      Faversham
Harriett Attaway   28                                     Luddenham, Kent                       
William Attaway   2                                       Faversham
George Attaway   2 Mo                                  Faversham

[Alex Walker]

Hi

Thanks for the info.  I hadn't completely ruled this out but the age on the marriage cert and the 1891 census indicated a definite birth date of nearer 1845.  I know birth dates were not accurate on census etc but their age gap was consistent on the marriage cert and the 1891 census (she was older than him).  On the marriage cert he was a Moulder and his father was deceased and a Labourer

Cheers

Alex

[groom]

I wonder if he lied about his age because she was older than him? If that census is right there would be 8 years difference, but by adding on 5 years it made it look a bit better as there were only 3 years.

Although that William is probably this one, so John not James

Births Jun 1849   
ATTAWAY    William John        Faversham    5   181    

[Alex Walker]

Hi

Yes I agree that the chances of some age-gap covering were high but the mystery is that even taking in to account a likely 1848-49 birth, I am struggling to find much trace of him between his marriage and 1891 and then 1891 - 1911.  It's all a bit odd!

Thanks for all your help

Alex

[roopat]

I don't suppose this is at all relevant to your query, but my Hathaways (Gloucestershire, then London) were written as Attaway in at least one census (haven't got my records with me at the moment).

Is it possible it happened the other way round with your Mr Attaway? Doesn't explain why he wasn't home for the census but worth trying variants of the name.

Pat

[Alex Walker]

Thank you Pat, good suggestion.  I'll try anything, heaven knows how many hours I have put it to every possible search combination!

Alex

[Top-of-the-hill]

   Some of my husband's ancestors in the Hollingbourne area had Attaway as a forename, and I seem to remember that it was sometimes written as Ottaway.

[Chrisharman50]

Hi have attaway in my tree.which turns into hadaway.also written as hateway and adaway.mine are at seasalter.I am struggling with this family.chris