Hello everyone - I'm getting into a bit of a muddle and cannot seem to iron out what is going on!
My Great Grandfather was Walter Perkins, born 2 March 1859 in Bermondsey to John Perkins and Ann Perkins nee Wood. I have his birth certificate which shows this - home address was 10 Mill St, Dockhead, Bermondsey. John Perkins appears to have died in 1869, Bermondsey, and Ann died at her daughter's house (Louisa) at 10 Linsey St, Bermondsey on 10 April 1892 from 'old age'.
Walter's older sister was Louisa, born 1841 in Bermondsey, went on to marry into the Richards family (I have traced along the lines of the Richards family).
Walter also had an older brother William who was born in 1856 and died in 1891 (unmarried) and gave his home address as Walter's address at 60 Leo St, off the Old Kent Road - I have the certificates for all of these events.
On the relevant Census returns for John & Ann Perkins are 2 other boys - John, born in 1842 in Spitalfields (1851 Census - 4 Mill St, Dockhead, Bermondsey) and Henry, born 1854 in Bermondsey (1861 Census - 10 Mill St, Dockhead, Bermondsey). By the 1861 Census John is listed as being born in Bermondsey rather than Spitalfields. Louisa shows up on both of these Census returns, and William and Walter also show up on the 1861 Census.
Searching the GRO Births, I have confirmed Louisa, William and Walter's births to MMN Wood. (I have also found 3 other births - William Wood Perkins in 1844 in St Saviours Union, Mary Emma Perkins in 1846 in St Saviours Union, and Amelia Ann Perkins in 1847 in Bermondsey.)
However, there is no sign of the births of John or Henry to MMN Wood. But there are listings for both to MMN Whaley in the correct years and places.
I have never been able to find a marriage for John Perkins to an Ann Wood, but there is one to an Ann Whaley on 19 July 1841 at St George The Martyr, Southwark. This lists John's profession as a Police Officer. My John was always a wharf labourer or leather dyer (as far as I have discovered). His sons also worked in these professions.
In the 1841 Census I cannot find John Perkins but I have found Ann Wood living in the same household as his parents. There appears to be a 9 month old child Louisa living there too, but she is listed in such a way that she looks like she is a child of John and Martha, not of Ann who appears to be unmarried.
So, what is going on here? Is Ann Wood also Ann Whaley? Who are the sons John and Henry who show up in the same household as the confirmed children of MMN Wood?
Can anyone help me work this out? To me, it should appear to be 2 different families but appears not to be??? The births of John and Henry seem to throw a spanner in the works for me, and the lack of an obvious marriage between Perkins and Wood is baffling me too. The differing professions of John Perkins also cause a hiccup (but I know he could have lied on the marriage cert as my father certainly told a whopper on his 2nd marriage cert!).
Perhaps I have been hammering away at this for so long that I am now blind to what is obvious, so if anyone can help me that would be great!!! I'm feeling mentally baffled by it all now - if you know what I mean!
Nina
