Rebecca Mee/Ward

[heywood]

I think that Alfred is Alfred H Ward at 1881 217/133/74
He is a widower with children.

The various marriage records we found for the children have their father as a Navvy and Labourer, I think which fits with your Alfred in 1881.

Sorry, I meant that this is the Alfred you found as a Pianoforte Maker.
You found him in 1891, wondering if it was him. I was pointing out that yours is the Navigator/Navvy and Labourer with Hannah.

[curtainhooks]

Sorry, I misread your message- my fault!

[heywood]

There are 4 Workhouse Admission/Discharge records 1892, 1893 and 1896 fir Alfred Ward, labourer, Lambeth.
I would think it is the same man but his birth year is 1824, 1825 and 1832.
Sadly there are no hints re his origins etc.

I can’t see one in 1891 though.

[curtainhooks]

Just to clarify, do you think William Mee either was convicted of assault/deserted Hannah, and then Hannah AND Alfred both died so the Aunt looked after the children? Or was it only Hannah who died and then Alfred possibly went to a Workhouse or left the children aswell?
Just wondering why, if they both died, the aunt would change their names to Mee if William Mee deserted them/was convicted of something.
(thank you Heywood for the Workhouse information!)

[brigidmac]

There is no evidence that the aunt looked after the children she enrolled 3 of the boys at the workhouse school

..they were with their parents for the 1881 census mistranscribed as Weird

Maybe she thought their legal name was MEE if she knew.  Correction Hannah (not Sophie) and Alfred hadnt married

Need to  find eldest son Edward Alf  or Rebecca in 1891  .


Where did you see Rebecca with mother's maiden name as MEE ?
That would be incorrect if Sophie was her mother .

[curtainhooks]

Rebecca's mmn was listed as ''MEE'' on her birth record, i'm not sure why as all her siblings were down as Wadhams. (just checking, do you mean ''Hannah'' where you've written ''Sophie''?)

Is there anywhere else I can try and find Edward or Rebecca's whereabouts in 1891 (or between 1881-1891) if I can't on a census? I can't seem to find them anywhere!

[heywood]

It is so frustrating with the two of them not being found.
Perhaps the aunt was very proper and as Hannah would be legally Mee, she named the children thus.
The trouble is we will never know.
You would need Rebecca’s birth certificate to see who registered her and how Hannah’s names were worded with regard to Mee on there.
According to his marriage, Edward had been married before. Has anyone found that marriage?
His occupation was a Stoker then - what kind - railway/vessel/factory?
I have tried searching by name and occupation on FindMyPast indexes but nothing!

[brigidmac]

Sorry about that I was mixing up with another post

I had a thought , in 1871 Hannah Mee was recorded as a nurse
Is there a chance that Rebecca MEE was actually child of a relative ?
Have you looked for her with first name as Becky ?

Might be worth getting Hannah's death certificate that would show if Alfred WARD was around to sign death certificate and if she died at 8 sidwell

[curtainhooks]

I didn't know Edward had had a previous marriage, I've looked but haven't found any record of it.

I suppose Rebecca could have been a relatives daughter. Would Hannah and Alfred have registered Rebecca's birth if she was a relatives daughter, or would the relative have registered her birth?

Edit: yes i checked under Becky, and also her middle names Louisa and Eliza