Where is my great grandfather???

[Jamjar]

The nearest Phebe /Phoebe SANDERS to Philip PARKES of a suitable age is a 20 year old single woman who, in 1871,  lived in Sheffield, Staffordshire. Not very close at all to Aston.

Phebe SANDERS
Piece 4687
Folio 32
Page number 7

She is unemployed on census night and lives with her father William, a labourer and her 22 year old brother.

Sue

A possibility. I used SAUNDERS with phonetically similar variations and only one suitable.

SANDERS, JOSEPH       - 
GRO Reference: 1873  J Quarter in LICHFIELD  Volume 06B  Page 448

Jamjar

[Jamjar]

I did find Joseph(27) on a 1901 census in Walsall Staffordshire with his mum Phoebe(widowed 59) & her niece Lilly(18).

That Joseph was discounted back in reply #5. He is still working in Walsall as a polisher in 1911 census, and married. His mother's maiden name was GENT.

PARKES, JOSEPH mmn GENT 
GRO Reference: 1875  S Quarter in WALSALL  Volume 06B  Page 690

Jamjar

[Andrea Pea]

Seems there are way too many Joseph Parkes. I’m searching everywhere for a connection to Phillip & Phoebe. No birth, no baptism, no link to parents.
Could it be possible that UK parish records were lost thru fire or And so they can’t be found?

[sparrett]

A possibility. I used SAUNDERS with phonetically similar variations and only one suitable.

SANDERS, JOSEPH       - 
GRO Reference: 1873  J Quarter in LICHFIELD  Volume 06B  Page 448

Jamjar

I wonder if this boy died in infancy
(EDIT)  June quarter  1873 
SANDERS Joseph
Aged    0
At  Lichfield  6b/239   

Sue

[jaywit]

Lets go back to what you defiantly know.

John F was born 1/8/1911 in Sydney.

Father Joseph was described as a Grinder Engineering Works.

Not at Lithgow, the factory hadn't opened at that time.

So how many engineering works were they in Sydney at that time?

He appears to have been a workman, not super skilled so I don't think he was involved in setting up the factory, so I think you can discount that story.

The Birmingham marriage I think you can be sure that didn't take place, at that time no person would have dreamed that in 100 plus years in the future their descendants would be able to check out easily any story they told.

I guess Joseph or whatever his original name was had been married in the UK and had taken up with May and they left for Australia possibly changing names en route.

Have you tried DNA?  It could possibly throw up some clues.

[Andrea Pea]

Lets go back to what you defiantly know.

John F was born 1/8/1911 in Sydney.

Father Joseph was described as a Grinder Engineering Works.

Not at Lithgow, the factory hadn't opened at that time.

So how many engineering works were they in Sydney at that time?

He appears to have been a workman, not super skilled so I don't think he was involved in setting up the factory, so I think you can discount that story.

Sorry..but this throws a spanner in your assumption of Joseph.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/81001167

[Andrea Pea]

This entire search started because my grandfather had told his sons (my dad & his brother) that they were related to Sir Henry Parkes. That one of Henry’s brothers was a great uncle of his.
Henry’s family tree is not easy to locate. Most info is about Henry not his siblings families.
So all of us grew up being told the same info that my grandfather said back in the late 1940s.
Also…that May was from the Claridge hotel line.
He told my dad when he was young…that when his mother May died, he moved out from his fathers house because he was so angry at Joseph for remarrying 3 months after May died. He had her trunk full of personal effects and he moved into a lodging house. In that trunk was Claridge family jewels and keepsakes. When he got back from his work…it was all gone.
I have info on Mays mother’s side…the Parsonages…but not the Claridges.
We all know there are family Chinese whispers…I just don’t understand why my grandfather would say this stuff…and then it turns out that Joseph and May are hard to find info on. 🤔
I want to get info one way or the other for my family future gens…so thank you for any help you’ve given so far. It’s tiring but I’m going through it.

[jaywit]

Andrea  My interest in family history started when my aunt insisted my family was due to inherit from the Jennings Millions ( Google it )

She had many years ago spent hours trying to research the family history, living in London she had access to records way before the internet was even thought of.

I spent many hours trying to research the Jennings family coming up against a brick wall for a long time.

When I eventually did crack it it turned out the man who brought the Jennings name into the family wasn't born Jennings it was the surname of the man his mother married some time after his birth.

So you just can't believe family stories you have to look at facts.

[ShaunJ]

my grandfather had told his sons (my dad & his brother) that they were related to Sir Henry Parkes

I think similar family stories have been handed down in many Parkes families. In my case via Job Parkes born Smethwick in 1809, and his father Joseph Parkes. No connection found so far.

That one of Henry’s brothers was a great uncle of his.

Then Henry himself and all the other brothers would be great uncles too wouldn't they? Apart that is from the one who is the grandfather.