Great-great grandfather's birth place

[scottmathew]

My two-times great grandfather (great-great grandfather) was William Villette born in 1859 in London and died in Gretton, Northamptonshire in 1934.

I've just found this from the 1911 Census. It says he was born in London on what looks like "Princees Street" - no such place exists or ever has, to my knowledge. Either this is a spelling error or it says either "Princes Street" or "Princess Street" and I just can't make it out due to the bad handwriting.

According to Google, if born in "Princes Street" then he'll have been born in Mayfair (which, considering he was a poor ironstone labourer I find very hard to imagine?) - or if born in "Princess Street", he would have been born in Brixton (I find this much more likely).

But what do you guys think? Does it say Princes or Princess?

And what is also very strange is, that his place of birth in the 1901 Census is given as "Gretton, Northants" (the village in which he lived). So, also, anyone have any idea why the change in 1911 to London? So weird 

***The attachment was "too large" apparently so would not upload with my post  So, if anyone has a findmypast.co.uk account (either with the free trial or as a paying member), then just type "William Villette" in the ancestor's search and you'll find it on the 1911 Census in Gretton, Northamptonshire. But be sure to click on the image as opposed to "view transcript"***

[CaroleW]

1891 entry shows his birthplace as Gretton.  He only married in 1886 so have you found him on the 1861/71/81 censuses?

[scottmathew]

Thanks for your speedy response. No, I haven't. I haven't found a site where I have been able to access those censuses without being forced to register a paying account.

But isn't that strange how his place of birth appears in at least both the 1891 and 1901 Censuses as Gretton but as London (with a specific street name, which I cannot make out) on the 1911 one?

[CaroleW]

Are these his parents?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKNV-79R

[CaroleW]

A Rebecca Villette aged 71 died Uppingham 1901 per www.freebmd.org.uk

[scottmathew]

Are these his parents?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NKNV-79R

Yes, they were his parents

[scottmathew]

So his parents were wed in the St James area of Westminster (I had seen this before while doing my research). This suggests some kind of London link, but still...this is so confusing.

[weste]

It may be an earlier one correct because that would be his parents given info. He may have put the earliest place he remembered or presumed that's where he was born because that's all he knew. That's if its the same person on the census.

[CaroleW]

He may have been an infant when the family moved to Northants and may have only discovered his real birthplace after his mother died.  Mother was buried at Gretton and died 29.5.1901