Temple family Manchester Ship Canal

[heywood]

I wonder if this is Nellie?

1881 2573/121/33

Elizabeth E. Bradbury   54 yrs
Alice Tomkin 36 yrs
Elizabeth J. Hoskins 20 yrs
Ellen Tomkin 5 yrs visitor b Market Drayton

Heywood

[jorose]

Elizabeth Ellen Tomkin was b. 1876 Market Drayton and judging by the GRO index was illegitimate.

Here they are in 1901, Alice Tomkin and Nellie "Emple" with Elizabeth Bradbury:
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSQC-QJD

Interestingly, back as far as 1871 Alice appears to be living with Elizabeth and her husband Thomas in Over, Cheshire.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VBJ3-FRK

It's entirely possible "Nellie" was named Elizabeth Ellen after Elizabeth Ellen Bradbury nee Cross.
Her husband, Thomas Swanwick Bradbury, died in 1880 and Elizabeth seems to have died in 1914.

I would suggest getting a copy of Elizabeth's will - she doesn't seem to have had any children with Thomas, and given that the Tomkin/Temple family lived with/were employed by her for so many years, she may have left money to them.

[emeltom]

Well she definitely left a Will along with £6084 -11-4d. The executors were Alfred Mackenzie Veterinary Surgeon and JohnTaylor Bank Cahier. Unfortunately you will need to see the will to find out who the beneficiaries were.

Emeltom

[heywood]

I wonder if this is the connection?

Elizabeth Ellen Cross married Thomas Swanick Bradbury.

There is an Elizabeth Cross b 1827 Wharton / Winsford daughter of William Cross.

William Cross was a Salt Merchant, a Timber Merchant and Shipwright of Winsford Wharf - River Weaver. - will 1869 plus articles re Winsford online.

As the River Weaver connects with the Ship Canal, maybe the recollections were a bit fuzzy.

That is, of course, providing we have the correct Nellie.

[Gadget]

Elizabeth Ellen Tomkin was b. 1876 Market Drayton and judging by the GRO index was illegitimate.

The Nellie that Mojo found with John Davey has birthdate of January 1875 - maybe she  adjusted it 

[heywood]

That's what I mean re the right Nellie, Gadget 
Nothing definite at all.

That registration is March quarter so a year out 

[Gadget]

It was fitting so nicely with Market Drayton ->Shropshire Union canal -> Manchester Ship canal -> Winsford Wharf.

John was a fair bit older than Nellie - I wonder if she made herself a  older than she was - e.g. 50 at her wedding in 1923. We're used to down adjustments but with such an age gap, she might have added some years on.

[Mojo47]

Hi all,

For some reason I haven't been getting notified when new comments have been made:(

Looks like you've all done a lot of digging and I really do appreciate your help.

I have rechecked the 1939 register and have  13th January 1875 as a birth date.Witnesses to the marriage were George Smith and S or D Warburton.These names don't mean anything to me as ancestors.

It does seem suspiciously likely that Ellen Tomkin might be Nellie.What if she was the daughter of Alice?

As you also pointed out there was a sum left in the will but who to?

This is a great little mystery to try and figure out and see if this Nellie is the correct one.Any new thoughts from anyone??

Thanks again:)

[heywood]

You could obtain a copy of the will -£10 - to see if Nellie is mentioned. Of course, she may not be, it's a risk but might be interesting.

https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/searching-for-probate-records