Tracing Huguenot Weaver History - Bethnal Green/East End

[avm228]

Is he the Henry Weaver who married Ann Hill on 24 October 1859 (at All Saints’ Mile End rather than St Dunstan’s)?  If so his deceased father Robert’s occupation was stated as labourer rather than weaver.

It’s wise to keep a very open mind about even the most confident family stories whilst diligently tracing the facts generation by generation.  If my family’s myths were anything to go by:

Our Scott line were related to Sir Walter Scott (they weren’t)
Our Lonsdale line were related to the Earls of Lonsdale (not even close - their family name is Lowther!)
We had a South American ancestor (nope, but an English ancestor did move to South America)
We had a French ancestor who taught languages to Queen Victoria’s children (this one might be true)

[Littlebn20]

Yep! That's him. How interesting. In any case, I can't seem to trace him anywhere. Interesting that it would be made up, given the surname. Maybe it was a presumption rather than a fact then?

[Littlebn20]

Although, would they still be weaving then? Is it possible that the occupation had changed by that time, or not at all possible?

[avm228]

All sorts of things are possible, but it’s important to start from documented facts and resist the temptation (which I am sure we all have from time to time) to bend those facts towards a preferred narrative.  This temptation can be particularly strong if it is an inherited narrative in which the family has some level of emotional investment.

So the recorded facts about Henry Weaver at the time of his marriage in October 1859 are that he was a 30 year old whip maker and hawker of 2 Dunk St, Mile End New Town (same address as his 30 yr old bride, Ann Hill).  His father is recorded as Robert Weaver, a deceased labourer.  The marriage witnesses were both Hills, so presumably related to the bride rather than the groom.

[Littlebn20]

Totally get it. I don't have a preferred narrative per say. I wish I could find more out about Robert as it would give me more clues! Thanks for all your input!

[avm228]

I see that Henry and Ann had been together for quite some time before they married.

In 1851 they are at 4 New Court, Whitechapel with son William aged 18mo.  Henry is 24, a boot maker born Bethnal Green.

In 1861 they are at 2 Dunk St, Stepney (same address as on the marriage).  They now have 6 children.  Henry is 34, a labourer born Bethnal Green.

[avm228]

It seems to me that this baptism is a likely match (sounds like you have already seen it):

St Dunstan, Stepney

17 December 1826

Henry Weaver, son of Henry Robert (a labourer) and Susan, of Mile End Old Town.

[Littlebn20]

Yep. That's the one I saw too. I shall pursue that a bit then. Again, thank you for your input. I have just found out (through ancestry DNA) that my Nans mum had a back story so far removed from wjat my Nan was led to believe that it was quote shocking! So I believe anything is possible. Chinese whispers and all that!

[avm228]

If these are from the same family the father seems to have gone by Robert on other children’s baptisms:

St Dunstan, Stepney, 28 November 1819

Susan, dau of Robert Weaver (labourer) and Susan, of Mile End Old Town, born 6 November
Sarah, dau of the same, born 6 April 1811

St Matthew, Bethnal Green, 26 September 1830

James, born 3 Oct 1815, son of Robert Weaver (chaff cutter) and Susan, of Church St.