I have spent a goodly amount of time today despite the heat, sorting, or attempting to sort out the myriad documents about the Seward family. I think I may have now got my head around it all again. When I was previously engaged in this research, I found it extremely top heavy with characters that I had never heard of, some of whom died young and ceased to appear anymore.
I have strived to piece my original findings together in some sort of order beginning with my G Grandfather Edward Thomas Seward born 1870, died 1961. He married a Alice Elizabeth, or Elizabeth Alice nee Butcher 3rd March 1889
According to Ancestry back in 2006, he was born in Bethnal Green workhouse, but I myself trawled through numerous records and discovered he had told other people that he was born in Hythe for some reason..
This is where the elusive John comes in according to Ancestry. Edward Thomas Seward father was apparently John Seward born : WFT Est 1822-1852. I had an accomplice that was also researching the Seward family. They informed me that John G Seward was indeed a plate layer, and was born 1840 at Boston Lincolnshire, and was seen/recorded as being in Yorkshire 1881-1891..
Then, which muddies the entire file, we have another John Seward being born in 1808, yet another plate layer, at Ruckington Lincolnshire.
The birth certificate for Edward Thomas Seward, my G Grandfather does not have a fathers name on it, but is mentioned on his marriage certificate as deceased.
As I said above, I spent an inordinately long time trawling through massive lists of BDM's, searching for proof of all this. I came up with a John Seward residing in Bethnal Green at some address. I failed miserably after long hours and forgot to write it all down. This particular John Seward was a cabman. I seem to recall that his address was where some stables once existed. In retrospect, I may well have simply lost the plot at this juncture....!! I have a heavy box file with other scribblings that I have not consulted as of today, but I will do, not that I expect much to be revealed except photographs. Except that this etheral John Seward, was rumoured to have been a deeply religious character... I have what is supposed to be a photograph showing him and his wife. Very austere looking.....
I truly thank those who have answered my call, and I hope I answered your queries. I am again at a loss this evening, I need sleep tonight...!!!! The reply I received through Rootschat from AllanUK is very interesting. He mentions a female Seward by the name of Eleanor from back in the 1700's. She evidently hailed from the Morton area in Lincolnshire. I must seriously invest in an older map/atlas book.