Who was this Jane Parry? Who are her family?

[CelticAnnie]

I am trying to identify the family of a Jane Parry. 

 This Jane first appears in my tree in 1861 Portsea census as the wife of Edward Davies age 55 born Denbigh. Wales.  The census suggests Jane was born in Newington, Surrey in about 1816.  I have not, however, been able to find any marriage record for this pair.  Perhaps Jane was a widow when they married and had a different maiden name.

The only other records I have found for Jane is a death registration record in the name of Jane Parry Davies in London Q3 1863; coupled with Find A Grave suggesting the presence of a gravestone of a Jane Parry Davies d 17th August 1863 in Brompton Cemetery.  Not very enlightening.

Intriguingly, in the 1871 census, Edward Davies has a young unmarried woman staying with him who is described as his niece.  Her name is Frances E Walker and she was born about 1845 in Middlesex.  I am confident she is not descended through the Davies line -- and she must therefore be, presumably, of the blood line of Jane Parry.  It seems to suggest that Jane Parry is a sibling of one of Frances' parents.

Frances' parents are Sir William Harrison Walker b1799 Sittingbourne, Kent and Isabella Thomasine Paxton Rider, daughter of the Rev. Ralph Carr Rider.  However, so far as I have been able to trace, neither of these -- unfortunately -- in fact had a sibling named Jane born c1816. 

Intriguingly, I might just mention that both Edward Davies and Sir William were naval men of officer rank who could well have met each other and become friends through this commonality.

So I am now stuck!

Please does anyone have any ideas on this? 

Grateful for all and any assistance anyone can give.

Many thanks.

CELTICANNIE   

[AMBLY]

Hello :-)

I wouldn't be too sure that "Parry" was anything more than a middle name  -  whilst it was common is the US to style a woman's name as first name/ maiden name /married surname, it wasn't so much (if at all?) in the UK at that time (someone will correct me if I'm wrong! :-)

I would be more inclined to consider "Parry" as her mother's maiden name, or a Grandmother's name, or a family name.   There were a few "Jane Parry Davies" in the records, especially Wales over the years.

Just a bit more for the records (you may well have this):
I would be fairly inclined to  believe this to be Jane in 1841.  The age is not quite right - this census supposed to round down to nearest 5 years, so your Jane should be 20 or 25, but mistakes in applying the rule were common and so were mistakes if the person didn't actually supply the information  (ie: in a Lodger/boarder situation),  Born in Surrey (Y) fits, and "Ind" Independant fits   

The way the Census is laid out,  infers none of the household are connected to each other or in any family group

1841 St George The Martyr, Southwark, Surrey
Elizabeth BOWLEY 55, Druggist, N
/
Jane Parry DAVIS 30, Ind, Y
/
John A SAYER 35, Druggist sh, N
/
Henry  RICKARDS 15, Druggist Ap, N
/
Mary BROWN 25, F.S.
//


The  1863 Burial you found is definitely her - Edward died 1874 and is buried with her:

BURIAL RECORDS - West London & Westminster Cemetery, Earls Court, Old Brompton
Jane Parry Davies #34702
4 Allens Terrace, Kensington
Buried  17 Aug 1863, aged 46
Private Grave, Ref: A, 77.3, 4.3
Remarks Extra Depth to 10ft see 75700

Edward Davies M.D. #75700
1 Uxbridge Villas, Paget Road, Shooters Hill
Buried 10 June 1874, aged 69 years
Private Grave, 2nd Internment, Ref: A77,  3x4.3
Remarks 34702 B.R. Opened to 8ft

Edward left a Will, probate 17 June 1874. Effects under £1500
Inspector General of Hospitals and Fleets, died 4 Jun 1874
Proved by: John Henry Plowes of 39 York Terrace, Regents Park, Middleses, Esq, Sole Executor

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

Edward Davies' executor has a WALKER connection - not found how yet but:

John Henry PLOWES
Of 39 Yorks Terrace, Regents Park
Died 2 Mar 1893
Probate to Arthur William Walker Esq, and George William Oldfield, Solicitor and Joseph Ernest Oldfield, Esquire
Effects £22226, 7s, 5d

He was born in Brazil 1811
To John PLOWES and wife Lucy nee EDWARDS

He had a  younger sister Eliza, who never married, She died 1912:
Eliza PLOWES Of 39 Yorks Terrace, Regents Park, Spinster
Died 3 May 1912
Probate to Arthur William Walker and Joseph Ernest Oldfield esquires
Effects £14005, 3s

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

John Henry Plowes, also had a sister named Louise, born in Brixton Surrey, baptised Lambeth 16 Dec 1824 to John PLOWES, Merchant and wife Lucy, of Acre Lane

Exactly 21 years later, on 16 Dec  1845 St Pancras, Louise married
James  Sidney Walker, full age, bachelor, Merchant, son of William Walker, Merchant
Louisa Plowes, full age Spinster, father: John Plowes, Merchant
Witness: were John Plowes, Ann Plowes

James Sidney (Sydney) Walker was born in NSW Australia.

He died 1881.  His Probate
James Sydney Walker late of Old Broad Street City of London and of 22 Hyde Park gate, Middlesex
Died 24 May 1881 Boulogne France
Proved 24 May 1881 by the Executors>
The son, Arthur William Walker, of 22 Hyde Park Gate
The brother, Benjamin William Walker of Old Broad Street
Donald Larnach of Old Broad Street

Cheers
AMBLY

[CelticAnnie]

Intriguing stuff, Ambly -- thank you so much for your time and trouble.

I'd not appreciated before that Edward and Jane were buried together, so I'm extremely grateful for your information about that. 

I am grateful for your thoughts on the name 'Parry'.  The possibility of it being her grandmother's maiden name rather than the name of a previous husband of hers certainly 'feels' as if it could be right, and I shall bear that in mind going forward.

However, I am not quite so sure about the 1841 census entry you found.  Edward was away at sea a lot; but the Davies family were quite a 'tight' one -- he was quite close to a couple of his siblings, and if he had been married to Jane in 1841, then I should have expected to have found her living in the care of one of these siblings during Edward's absence rather than with people unknown to me who are  in trade.  Also, I notice that several persons near her in these couple of pages of census are referred to as 'Ind' -- independent -- so it may be that the census-taker's definition of this word does not conform to our understanding of it!  Nevertheless, I will certainly bear this entry in mind.

Intriguing stuff about the Walkers and Plowes!  I shall investigate this Walker line further!

Many thanks for all your hard work -- much appreciated.

CELTICANNIE 

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

I hope you don't mind me asking but why do you think that the Frances living with Edward DAVIES in 1871 is Frances Elizabeth WALKER, daughter of William Harrison WALKER and Isabella Thomasine Paxton RIDER?
I think that Frances was born at sea and is with her family in Paddington in 1851, 1861 and 1871. But I could be wrong

Regards,
Daisy

[CelticAnnie]

Hi Daisy

Thanks for your much-appreciated input.

 Yes -- this is 'my' Frances: the one you've identified in the census records as born at sea and living in Paddington with her parents.  Edward Davies (head of household) mistakenly gives her place of birth as Middlesex -- but significantly this is where (according to census records) her older sister was born, and so perhaps Edward was confused with that.  This Middlesex mix-up also actually reinforces, to my mind, that this is the right Frances.

But -- how bizarre! -- I see now that her father lists Frances in the 1871 as being at home with her family, so she is in two places at once!     Perhaps her father made a mistake -- filled in his census form several days earlier and then circumstances changed?  It simply never occurred to me to check the 1871 for her home premises!  But I'm sure this is the right Frances.

Edward Davies and this Frances' father, William Harrison Walker, had a lot in common: they were both naval men and shared a link with the East India Company.  It is not difficult to understand why they would have become friends.  Just can't tie Edward's supposed niece, Frances, with Jane Parry.   Perhaps there was actually no physical relationship, and Edward was just being gentlemanly and entering her on census as his niece in the interests of 'correctness' and wanting to protect her reputation?!

CELTICANNIE





 

 

[Mabel Bagshawe]

Not sure if this helps or not, I'm off down a different route. Some of the ages are slightly out, but bear with me

The Times on 10 June 1865 carries a death notice for a Miss Jessica Kendall, died 7th June at Kensington at the house of her brother in law Dr Edward Davies  She was 49, according to GRO

The register at Brompton cemetery gives her address as 4 Allens Terrace, the same as for Jane Parry Davies,


Jane Parry Kendall
Born 21 April 1807
Baptism    6 Nov 1808 St Mary, Newington,
Father:    John Kendall
Mother:    Sophia Kendall

Jessica Kendall
Born 17 Feb 1811
Baptism     13 Mar 1811    St Mary, Newington,
Father:    John Kendall
Mother:    Sophia Kendall

Another sibling

Sophia Frances Kendale
Baptism Date:    13 Aug 1809

Marriage
Sophia Frances Kendall - father John Kendall, custom house officer
Alexander Walker - chemist. Father Thomas Walker, surveyor

4 Jun 1839   St George in the East,

1851  - Ireland Row, Mile End

Alexander Walker    43 - chemist
Sophia Frances Walker    36 b Newington
Frances Jane Walker    10 - b Stepney
Alexander Walker    9
Charles Walker    7
Sophia Parry Walker    6
Elizabeth Benstead    18

 HO107;  1553; 282; 20;

Alexander died in 1869, so Edward may have had his niece with him in 1871 to assist him and also support his widowed sister in law

[CelticAnnie]

Gracious, Mabel; I really think you're on to something here!  But where did you locate Jessica's death notice in The Times?  I'm quite an addict of the britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk and have been trawling intensively on there -- both before and after your post -- but could not locate this notice you found there.  However, I am extremely grateful that you did -- wherever you found it.

Intriguing that, although Jessica died almost two years after the death of Jane Parry, she was living at 4 Allen Terrace -- Edward's address -- when she died.  I imagine she needed his expert medical care towards the end of her life.  And I see from probate that Edward was her executor, too -- and that Jessica is buried in Brompton cemetery (same place as Jane and Edward). This supports that he had a close relationship with Jane Parry's siblings that long continued after Jane's death; and it is certainly supportive of the idea of a niece who is of Jane's blood visiting with Edward so many years after Jane's death.  I am aware of another example of White Knight Edward riding to the rescue of a damsel in distress (his suddenly widowed great niece, who had young children to support) so this seems to have been very much in keeping with his nature.

I am still perplexed as to why I didn't uncover the notice in The Times, though!

I shall go investigate the Walker connection -- which looks very encouraging; but thought it past time I at least posted to thank you for your trouble.  Apologies for not doing so sooner -- been very tied up with other things today.  But I am very grateful to you, Mabel Bagshawe!

Thank you!

CELTICANNIE