Author Topic: Family without trace in census  (Read 542 times)

Offline NicolaasMars

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Family without trace in census
« on: Tuesday 14 September 21 10:36 BST (UK) »
I find the couple Frederick Harvey (born circa 1832) and Sarah (MN Kitson) (born circa 1829/1832) in the 1861 and 1871 census, living in Islington, London. In trying to determine when and where they died, I am trying to trace them in the 1881, 1891, ... censusses, but so far without success.
What do I overlook?   

I have also been unsuccessful in finding a marriage of the couple. If they never married, would they be able to get children registered with the Harvey name?

(Full disclosure: this is related to the search topic I started on 28 August.)

Offline Comberton

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Re: Family without trace in census
« Reply #1 on: Tuesday 14 September 21 10:41 BST (UK) »

Offline Dundee

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Re: Family without trace in census
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 14 September 21 12:09 BST (UK) »
This looks like Sarah and son James George in 1851 using the surname WARD.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGTV-9DT

Frederick with three of the girls in 1881.  I don't know if he was really using the surname HEAD or if it was a mistake by the enumerator.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q277-7WPB

Debra  :)

Offline NicolaasMars

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Re: Family without trace in census
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 22 September 21 10:12 BST (UK) »
Thank you, Debra. That helped me a lot, but I am still confused ;-)

Let me summarize what I know and what I am still trying to find.

My start is the birth of James George, born 29 January 1849, in reg. dist. St James Clerkenwell. Mother Sarah Kitson. No father is mentioned, so illegitimate. (I have the birth certificate.)

I found James George in the 1861 census, in Islington, with father Frederick Harvey (born ca. 1832, vellum binder), mother Sarah Harvey, and four siblings:
John G (b. ca.  1855 Holborn)
Amelia (b. ca. 1857 Islington)
Emily (b. ca. 1859 Islington)
Arthur (b. ca. 1861 Islington)

I found the family (without James George, who married in 1870) in the 1871 census, still in Islington, with three more children. Father Frederick is still vellum binder.

I looked up these children in the GRO birth data base. James George is there, as he should, with his mother's name only. The others:
John 1856 M [no MMN; all the following have MMN Kitson]
Amelia Elizabeth 1856 D
Emily Charlotte 1859 M
Arthur Wright 1861 M
Anne Louisa 1863 M
Alice Grace 1865 M
Theresa Louisa 1867 S
Louisa Theresa 1867 S
[The Last two are twins; Louisa T died in that same quarter.]

What is confusing is that John and Amelia Elizabeth are born closely together.
John's record does not specify the mother's name. Amelia E and all other children have Kitson as MMN.

The 1881 census (found by Debra) has Head as last name, but the profession of the father is still vellum binder; he is a widower now. The three children still living with him are all present and correct in the list above (Emily [written as Emily Harvey, further evidence that the name "head" is just sloppiness of the census taker], Theresa and Grace).

Debra also found the 1851 census, were mother Sarah has been written with last name "Ward" with her son James G, also last name "Ward". She is reported married.

I am at a loss to explain this situation:
Did Sarah Kitson have her son James George in 1849 before she was married, married then a man named Ward, who died, and then married Frederick Harvey?

I tried to find marriages Ward x Kitson, Harvey x Kitson, and Harvey x Ward, without success.
Any help in clearing up my confusion would be very helpful. (As I said in a previous note, I am Dutch and not well acquainted with British genealogy.)

Also help in finding the birth/baptism of Sarah Kitson would be nice. All the census documents have her born in Suffolk.
(Father Frederick Wright Harvey was baptized 12 Mar 1832 in St. Martin-in-the Fields.)

My apologies for this long note.


Offline Milliepede

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Re: Family without trace in census
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 22 September 21 11:39 BST (UK) »
Quote
Did Sarah Kitson have her son James George in 1849 before she was married, married then a man named Ward, who died, and then married Frederick Harvey?

Maybe Mr Ward was the father of James George and she claimed to be Mrs Ward on the 1851 census for appearances sake? 

I can't see any marriages for her under any surname  :-\
Hinchliffe - Huddersfield Wiltshire
Burroughs - Arlingham Glos
Pick - Frocester Glos

Offline NicolaasMars

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Re: Family without trace in census
« Reply #5 on: Wednesday 22 September 21 14:02 BST (UK) »
There is an interesting candidate for the father: George Ward, born 1823. In the census 1851 he is in detention in St James Clerkenwell, where James George was born. The second name given to indicate his father?

Pure speculation, of course. But is there a way to find out why George Ward was detained?

Offline Milliepede

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Re: Family without trace in census
« Reply #6 on: Wednesday 22 September 21 15:30 BST (UK) »
Don't know if the same person but there is a George Ward age 18 Clerkenwell
Criminal register entry for larceny - 1 month imprisonment and whipped.
Date of trial 3 Feb 1841.
Hinchliffe - Huddersfield Wiltshire
Burroughs - Arlingham Glos
Pick - Frocester Glos