Woman with monkey had private means

[Milliepede]

I'm investigating a woman who in 1911 is 23 unmarried with 3 young children and of "private means"

The first and third child were born in Wiltshire where she was from but the middle one in London Kensington.  I got the birth for this child born 1908 expecting it to say mother was a domestic servant or similar but it says "of no occupation" 

Would this indicate the private means do you think or the opposite she had no means of support?

The birth address was 41 Sydney Street - Chelsea North reg district.

PS The monkey reference is a real life one told to me by a relative who met her! 

[stanmapstone]

The instructions for filling up the Columns headed "Profession or Occupation" on the 1911 census schedule have;
7. PRIVATE MEANS. -- For persons neither following nor having followed a profession or occupation but deriving their income from private sources or allowances write "Private Means"

Stan

[Finley 1]

well maybe it was a 'barrel organ' Monkey and she took to the streets with it to earn her living....


  _sorry 


xin

[Erato]

"private sources or allowances"

Perhaps she received an allowance from a 'friend.'

[Milliepede]

It may well have been xin   

One of the fathers helped her out maybe.  Her own father had passed away by the time her first child was born and in 1901 he was an agricultural labourer so nothing too fancy to have left her means of supporting herself and 3 youngsters. 

I was just curious about the "of no occupation" on the birth certificate 3 years earlier and if that equated to means or no means.

I haven't got the births for the other two children to see what they say. 

And I haven't got one for the monkey either as wasn't sure where to look 

[IgorStrav]

Perhaps all the three children were from one father, who could not marry her for some reason.
They might otherwise have been a normal family.

The Chelsea address suggests a degree of affluence.

I find myself envisaging a country girl of some beauty who attracted the attention of someone who was not free to marry her.  Romantic - me? 

[Milliepede]

Yes maybe.  There were born fairly close together, first one baptised 10 Jan 1906, second one born 12 Mar 1908, third one baptised 22 Dec 1910. 

I should add she did go on to marry in 1918 to a 57 year old bachelor but she was widowed by 1939.
Husband was a retired butcher per the marriage. 

[Milliepede]

Is it possible to find out who was living at 41 Sydney Street in 1908?
Or what kind of establishment it was.

[Jebber]

You are talking about a time when men of a certain class were still expected to marry a suitable wife, not necessarily a love match. Once the wife produced the heir and spare their duty was done. The husband then took their pleasure elsewhere, this could result in a love match where the man supported a second family.

This could have be the situation when a woman appears to have no obvious means of support.