I've been looking for the mother of my Mary Ann Lane for some years. Mary Ann was born in 1871 in St John Horsleydown Southwark. On the 1891 census (under her married name. I've never found her on any others under her maiden name) she says she was born in Rotherhithe.
Her birth certificate (born in the workhouse) says her mother is Hannah Lane and that Mary Ann is Illegitimate.
On her two marriages she gives her father as Edward LANE, lighterman - though where she got this from is anyone's guess as Edward Lane, lighterman doesn't appear to exist.
I estimated that her mother Hannah would have been born approx. 1851 but I've never found any conclusive record of who she was or where she came from. The workhouse records for her daughter's year of birth are no longer extant.
I was searching the Genealogist today and found this on the 1881 census
Hannah Lane born 1872 Domestic servant born Bermondsey
RG11
581
31
30
In the house of E.E.J Lewis, Lighterman.
Further research on Ancestry points to E.E.J Lewis as being one Edward Edmund James Lewis.
I got very enthusiastic thinking that there might be a few too many "Coincidences" here and I might be onto something....then...having looked up the same record on Ancestry and Findmypast I find they have transcribed Hannah's surname as Lapha.
and I agree. It's difficult to see on the image. it looks as though the enumerator has corrected it. However, I can't find any records for the name Lapha.
Anyone like to look at the original image and tell me what they think please?
Please, please please make it....LANE!