who is Clara French

[harrygeorge1]

My husband's great grandfather was born in Greetham Rutland. Information from birth cert,

when and where; 18th February 1893 Greetham Rutland
name; James Rowlie
mum; Clara French an attendant in lunatic asylum
no fathers name
informant; Mary Stubbs

James didn't stay with his mum he went to live with James Rowlett and his wife Mary King. He became known as James French Rowlett. My husband's grandfather was told that his father had been adopted by James and Mary. Having had my husband's DNA sample done through ancestry we are getting quite definite matches with descendants from James snr siblings, so we think that James snr was infact the missing dad off the birth certificate.

1901 census has James French Rowlett living in Peterborough with James and Mary age 8 birth place Rutland Lincolnshire.

James French Rowlett also named one of his daughters Clara born 1920.

I have no idea where Clara French fits in other than being James Rowlie's mum. I have no idea if French is her maiden name or married name. I may have been looking at this too long or coming at it from the wrong direction.

 James snr did have a link with Rutland through his sister Mary (married name Goodship).

it would be great if someone could help me find out who Clara is.

[CaroleW]

The 1891 census has 17 entries for that name with a birthyear between 1865 - 1875.  Some married, some single but none living in Rutland

James Rowlett & Mary King married 1877 Peterborough and James was b Northants (Mary in Cambridge) There are 2 X 1891 entries for Clara French living in Northants.  One b 1868 and the other 1875

You may want to backtrack to see if there is any connection to the families?

[CaroleW]

Only one Rowlett/French marriage on freebmd - 1855 Leicester.  James Rowlett to Jane French.  1861 shows Jane was b Rutland 1827

Perhaps the connection to Clara is via Jane's side

[Pheno]

It's so close I wonder if the registration at birth should have been James Rowlett French rather than James Rowlie French thus leading you directly to the father?

Have you found a baptism?

Pheno

Modified to add: baptism 2 April 1893 gives name as James French Rowlett but with a birth date of 18 Feb 1887.  Mother Clara

[harrygeorge1]

Only one Rowlett/French marriage on freebmd - 1855 Leicester.  James Rowlett to Jane French.  1861 shows Jane was b Rutland 1827

Perhaps the connection to Clara is via Jane's side

Thank you. My James Rowlett snr was born in 1857 and married Mary King in 1877 so he was already married when James French was born. James and Mary were still together in the 1901 census with 8 year old James French living with them.

[harrygeorge1]

It's so close I wonder if the registration at birth should have been James Rowlett French rather than James Rowlie French thus leading you directly to the father?

Have you found a baptism?

Pheno

Modified to add: baptism 2 April 1893 gives name as James French Rowlett but with a birth date of 18 Feb 1887.  Mother Clara

Thank you, those were the lines I was thinking of. Thank you for the baptism.

[harrygeorge1]

The 1891 census has 17 entries for that name with a birthyear between 1865 - 1875.  Some married, some single but none living in Rutland

James Rowlett & Mary King married 1877 Peterborough and James was b Northants (Mary in Cambridge) There are 2 X 1891 entries for Clara French living in Northants.  One b 1868 and the other 1875

You may want to backtrack to see if there is any connection to the families?

Thank you. I will have a look at the 1891 census records. I have looked at both sides Rowlett and King just to see if there was any connections but couldn't see any. I toyed with the idea that Mary perhaps couldn't have children but Mary and James snr had their own.

[CaroleW]

Reply 3 & 4

Jane French was b Rutland & had brothers - Clara could have been the child of one of those brothers.  Given that Jane married a Rowlett .........??  Just a thought

[harrygeorge1]

Reply 3 & 4

Jane French was b Rutland & had brothers - Clara could have been the child of one of those brothers.  Given that Jane married a Rowlett .........??

My James Snr (1857) had an Uncle James born 1801 but he never married, as of yet my Rowlett tree lived in between Peterborough and Northampton/Kettering. I have an extensive Rowlett tree going back to 1770 and I don't have a Jane and James marriage. There may be a link there somewhere but it isn't jumping out yet.