1 Clarendon Gardens, Ramsgate

[Pheno]

A distant relative of mine, Henry George VINTEN (b.1848), can be found living at 1 Clarendon Gardens in Ramsgate in the 1881 census. By the time of the next census, in 1891, some other distant relatives of mine are living at the same address: Winifred (b.1880) and Gerald (b.1885) WINNETT with their widowed mother Margaret. [Margaret married into the family and is no blood relation to Henry, or to me.]

So far, that does not sound particularly unusual perhaps. I know that members of the same family often occupied the same house at different times. However, the connection between these two families is extremely remote. The common ancestors between Henry George VINTEN and Gerald/Winifred WINNETT are John VINTEN (bp.1640) and his wife Mary nee CRAYFORD (bp.1638)! The relationship between Henry George VINTEN and the WINNETT siblings is 5th cousins once removed.

It’s possible that Gerald, Winifred and their mother moved into the house immediately after Henry moved out, and that they were therefore consecutive residents.

[Of course, I accept that the street might have been re-numbered between 1881 and 1891 and that 'number 1' is not actually the same property. I guess I'll never know if that did happen...but I suspect not because, in both cases, 1 Clarendon Gardens is the building immediately after 19 Guildford Lawn.]

My question is: can the two families have known of the connection between them? And could this have been part of the reason that the WINNETT family moved to Ramsgate in the first place? They don't have any obvious connection with Ramsgate, and only relocate there (from Sydenham) when the head of the household (Howard WINNETT) dies. It seems a fairly random move. Could Henry George VINTEN have written to Margaret WINNETT (the widow of Henry's 5th cousin Howard) and suggested that she take over the house he was about to vacate?

My own personal feeling is that this is unlikely. This would require keeping in touch with increasingly distant relatives, through multiple generations, spanning almost the entire county of Kent and over a period of 200+ years! I think it is probably just an astounding coincidence. But I'd be grateful for the views of others.

If anyone wishes to look it up; 1 Clarendon Gardens can be found at piece 988, folio 111, page 5 in 1881 (Henry is transcribed as VINTER) and piece 730, folio 139 in 1891 (no page number).

Thanks,
Pheno

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I would agree that it is unlikely they knew of the connection. I discovered through my research a much more recent connection to a family in the next village, who were well known to my mother's generation, but the link had been lost. It was only about 100 years before my time, and we were 4th cousins once removed.

[Pheno]

These coincidences are so fascinating, aren't they?! I would love to know the statistical probability of them occuring.

I have other instances of this occurring. In 1939, my great-aunt Emily MUSGROVE (nee BOND) was living next door to an Ethel CLARINGBOULD (nee GOATER) in Edward Street, Deptford. These two women shared common ancestors John VINTEN (bp.1670) and Ann GIBBONS (bp.1683).

I'm certain that these women would have known each other - they were only a year apart in age and, in 1939, people did talk to their neighbours!

Emily is John's 4th great-granddaughter and Ethel is his 5th great-granddaughter. Their relationship to each other is 5th cousins once removed.

It's doubtful the two women ever knew of the connection, which always strikes me as a shame. [Although, who knows, maybe they didn't like each other much?!  ]

[Top-of-the-hill]

  I have a theory that my strict Victorian gr grandmother made her husband move because the man who had taken over the local pub was a sort of cousin!