Help with Ralph's!

[suzanne2812]

Hi All,

I am at a loss here & it's a conundrum that I cannot solve myself.

My great x3 grandad was James Ralph born 1856 in Limehouse (allegedly). He married Marth Yewer 21st November 1877 in Staines, Middlesex. His father's name is down as William. One witness is Louisa Ralph(mother/Sister?). He appears in one census in 1881. Other than that he is away from home, but by the time his daughter marries in 1897 he is listed on her certificate as deceased.

Now for the Kent bit. I am being matched more & more often to Ralph's in Kent. In fact they are 3/4th cousin matches & right at the top of all my connections. Most of them link to a John William Ralph b 1772 Salling, Kent & his wife Sarah Lion (married 15/11/1811 -Boughton-Under-Blean) . They have three children, listed as Sarah b1826, Faversham, Kent, Mary Ann b1832 (1825 also in Deal) Margate, Kent & James b1832 in Minster, Kent.  Obviously, this is from the trees attached to my matches & I would do my own research to clarify. Looking at this, it's entirely possible that John & Sarah had many other children, but I can't see any records that I have access to. So can anyone do any digging for me please? I can't find William, I can't find my James, yet the DNA points either William being a brother/son of John William Ralph & explains the connection, but I need to find the facts to back this up.

Any help would be gratefully received as always.

Regards Suzanne x

[rosie99]

Where do you have them in 1881, please post details

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I haven't found much so far to confirm the details from your matches, apart from the marriage. Can't find John William, b Selling 1772, but John b Hernhill 1769 or 1787. Sarah Lion b 1769 or Sarah Lyons b 1787. The earlier birth dates make them too old to be parents of the children listed, but I would put very little faith in those - they look very random!

[Milliepede]

Is this the 1881 census under Rolfe?

James Rolfe 24 born Stepney
Martha 22
Elizabeth 1

1891 - not sure if W or M for Martha

Martha Ralph 31
Elisabeth 12
Caroline 8
George 2
George Wymer 39 boarder

[Milliepede]

Other than that he is away from home, but by the time his daughter marries in 1897 he is listed on her certificate as deceased.

Martha dies in 1909 and probate entry says wife of James Ralph so he is still alive at that point it would seem.

[wivenhoe]

Ancestry ....London Births and Baptisms

18 Sep 1888  St Mary Staines

RALPH  George Whymer     parents  Martha / James  labourer
res  *****

[Dundee]

Louisa  married the other witness, John PEARCE, a printer, the following year.  She also gives her father as William, a coachman.  She was aged 20 and has a middle name of 'Marple'. The witnesses were Eliza RALPH and Samuel KEMP.

In 1881 Louisa says she was born in Nottinghamshire, in 1891 it is Nottingham.

Debra 

[Kay99]

Interesting re Louisa

The only birth that I can see about the right time and including varients in Nottinghamshire is

ROLFE, LOUISA   mmn     CASSELDINE     
GRO Ref: 1857  Dec Qrtr MANSFIELD  Vol 07B  Page 43

There is a possible marriage of parents

William Rofe - Eliza Casseldine   March Qtr 1876 Mansfield 7b 81

and a further sibling     

ROFE, ELIZABETH  HANNAH  mmn    CASELDINE     
GRO Ref: 1856  Sept Qrtr MANSFIELD  Vol 07B  Page 50

Can't see a James  at the moment   but Louisa's middle name is listed as Marple when she married and I notice a number of trees on Ancestry that list Eliza Caseldine as born 1834 Annesley, Nottinghamshire with parents James Caseldine and Eliza Marples

Kay

[Dundee]

By 1871 (RELFE) the family are all together in Hackney with more children including a James W. but he was only 9 years old.  Father William is a coachman.

ROLPH, WILLIAM  JAMES
Mother's maiden surname: CASSELDINE     
GRO Reference: 1862  M Quarter in THE ROMFORD UNION  Volume 04A  Page 87

Perhaps our James was a ring in, related in some way, but didn't know who his own father was.

Debra