Hi Jomot
Thanks so much you have certainly shed some light on my Ancestry! As soon as I saw the name 'Waite' I had a 'lightbulb moment' going back to my childhood when my grandmother told me she was writing to someone called 'Waite' who was my Grandfather Harris's relative. I also have some vague recollection of a mention of someone being in Canada but I cannot be sure. So, there must have been some awareness in the family that some of my Grandfather's brothers and sisters were in fact only step brothers/sisters. However, no-one has mentioned this to me ever,despite the fact that I was adult before my grandfather died and he knew of my interest in Family history. My own parents have similarly shown no awareness of the Waite connection.
I have checked out the birth records you quote for Annie Matilda Waite, and William Henry Waite and have found their births in Monmouthshire. I was unaware of the existence of Walter Sidney Waite !1882) and wonder what happened to him subsequently? I wonder if he died quite young because Emily who is then using the name Harris (post 1891) has a Sidney Harris in1897 and a Frederick Harris in1898. So, perhaps these two names were chosen because the Sidney Frederick Waite born in Monmouthshire was by then deceased ?
I note that there is a William Henry Waite born in Chorlton Manchester in 1889 vol8c p744 which would seem to fit. However, this suggests that Samuel Waite also came to Manchester at this time. Or, he had died and a pregnant Emily had come alone, and perhaps around this time she met Thomas (James?) Harris?
Using your Waite info I have established that Annie Matilda Waite married a John Henry White in 1906 in Prestolee a sub-district of Ringley and on the outskirts of Outwood where the family appear in 1911. Incidentally, William Henry Waite is a witness to the wedding. Annie's father is given as Samuel Waite (deceased). I have looked briefly today but as yet I have not found his death. In tracing him he seems to be Samuel Fred Waite born around 1860 in Caldicot, Monmouthshire, where one of the children (Walter, Sidney) is Baptised. Incidentally, where did you locate the baptisms of Annie Matilda, Sidney Frederick and William, Henry Waite, as I have not so far traced the Baptism records? The parents of Samuel Fred are Eliza and Matthew, so a pattern is showing with chosen names.
I still have not established if Eliza, whom I have as born Ardwick area of Manchester around 1891 is a Waite or a Harris. (do you have any idea?)
Now, I suspect I can stop looking for Thomas (or James) Harris in Monmouthshire. It would appear that the connection is in Manchester somehow. I now need to try to trace his Birth in Honiton and see if I can find him before the 1891 census. I hope this is less tricky now I have some of the jig-saw thanks to you!
You queried Matthew Henry's whereabouts and he does appear on the 1911 census. By then Tom Harris is widowed and they are living in Outwood which is between Ringley and Whitefield where he later marries
Thanks again for all your help and if you have any further flashes of genius your input would be welcomed.
Thankyou!
