Did Alice exist or was she a figment of someone's imagination?

[jaywit]

The 1871 census has a family living in Peterborough as follows.
James Steel b. Byfield
Catherine Steel b. Byfield
Alice Steel age 1 b. Byfield
James Steel age 5 months b. Peterborough.

James Steel married Catherine Eyles in Byfield in Qctober 1869

After the 1871 census the couple had 3 more sons Herbert W 1872, Francis J 1873 and Frederick G 1875.

James died in 1879 and in 1880 Catherine remarried to George J Eggleton in Northampton, she had 3 more children with George and lived in Northampton for the rest of her life.

In the 1881 the family are in the census with the 4 Steel boys who have the surname of Eggleton.
No mention of Alice.

In fact the only mention I can find for Alice is the 1871 entry. No birth, baptism, marriage or death.
The 4 Steel boys were baptized together in Peterborough in 1876, again no Alice.

At some times Steel is spelt Steele.

I have tried under Alice Eyles as it would have been possible for her to have been born before the marriage, again I can't find anything.

There is a Family Tree on Ancestry that has Alice marrying James Osborn in London, again they only have the 1871 census and I am afraid I can't repeat what I think of the information on that tree, I would get banned from RootsChat.

So Alice what happened to her? Did she exist?

Can anyone help.

[hanes teulu]

FindMyPast has the baptism (transcript only) of an -

Alice Eyles, bap 1870, birth place - St Saviour Workhouse, Southwark, Surrey, mother Susan Eyles

[jaywit]

FindMyPast has the baptism (transcript only) of an -

Alice Eyles, bap 1870, birth place - St Saviour Workhouse, Southwark, Surrey, mother Susan Eyles

Problem with that is Alice's mother was Catherine and there was an Eyles family in London.
The family tree on Ancestry has the 2 families mixed up.

[hanes teulu]

FindMyPast has the baptism (transcript only) of an -

Alice Eyles, bap 1870, birth place - St Saviour Workhouse, Southwark, Surrey, mother Susan Eyles

Problem with that is Alice's mother was Catherine and there was an Eyles family in London.

Agreed.

[osprey]

I've been having a look at this birth reg
Ada Eyles june qtr 1869 Daventry vol 3b pg 98 mmn -
Right registration district for Byfield and registered before the marriage.

Next time she shows up is in 1881 as daughter of John, older brother of Catherine

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27N-9C7G

Not sure why John's wife shows as Jane in this census as he married Hepzibah Dunkley 9 Nov 1858 in Northampton. 1871 census with no children
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KDD3-XVQ

John died before the 1891 census.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7B92-FZM
No Frank with her and I haven't found any further trace of him after the 1881 census or a birth reg.
Ada married Thomas Timmins in 1896 registered Kings Norton. DOB from 1939 register is 18 April 1869 which fits with a june quarter registration.
Birth reg for the son from 1939
Cyril James Timmins june qtr 1909 West Brom mmn Steele.

[osprey]

1911 census
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWWD-QJB

birth regs
Elsie May Timmins dec qtr 1898 Northampton mmn Steele
Horace Frederick John Timmins dec qtr 1900 Northampton mmn Steele
Gladys Edith Timmins dec qtr 1905 West Brom mmn Eyles

[jaywit]

Osprey  That looks very promising.
Birth before the marriage.
On Ancestry is a copy of banns for the marriage between James and Catherine that were read in January 1869 but the marriage didn't take place until October.

At that time James who was a policeman was living in Wellingborough, he was still living there at the time of the marriage, so maybe some reason why the marriage didn't take place until after the birth.

[jaywit]

Osprey   There is a marriage between John Eyles and Mary Harris at Byfield  22/9/1852

[osprey]

John was baptised in 1837 so a little young to be marrying in 1852. John was 21 on that marriage and his father William.

John who married Hepzibah was baptised 4 June 1837 son of James & Ann Eyles.

1851 census showing James as master butcher
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:SGTR-YHN

Parish register for 1858 marriage in Northampton All Saints has father of John Eyles as James Eyles, butcher. Hepzibah's father John Dunkley was a labourer.