I’m looking for evidence of Emma Shamwell Pontin, b.1843 in Kintbury, Berkshire, the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Pontin. On the birth certificate it specifies they were living at “Clapton, Kintbury”.
On the 1851 census for Newtown, Hungerford [ie “Hungerford Newtown”], there is a 7 year old Emma Pontin listed as a niece in the household of William Pontin (age 75, from Chilton, Wilts, a widower [formerly married to Martha Elton]), John age 45 (Wm’s son) Ann age 30 (Wm’s daughter). Also “Mary A” age 3 from Kintbury listed as 'daughter'. Given the ages of these people, my reading of this is Emma was William’s grand-daughter and the niece of John and Ann. William and Martha did have a daughter, Betsey Pontin, b.1814 in Soley, in the parish of Chilton Foliat, and I’m speculating that this Betsey is Elizabeth Pontin, mother of Emma Shamwell Pontin. On the 1841 census, William and Martha have a Mary Pontin age 5 living with them, and there is a 1835 christening entry for a Mary Pontin, illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Pontin, in Hungerford registration district, so my theory is Elizabeth had two daughters out of wedlock, both of whom lived with their grandparents William and Martha when very young.
It could be that Emma Shamwell Pontin is the same Emma Ponin who married my 2x great grandfather George Plank, b.1844 in Marden Wilts. George and Emma had children together and appear on the 1871 census in Clewer, near Eton, Berks, where George was a corn miller, then from 1875 they are at Cutt Mill near Chalgrove, Oxon., where Emma Plank dies in 1883. George remarries, etc. I cannot find Emma (wife of George) before the birth of their first child, Annie Mary Plank, in 1870 in Clewer. No marriage to George, no previous census returns. On the two censuses that do record Emma with George Plank, in 1871 her place of birth looks like “Newtown, Berks” and in 1881 “Clapham, Berks”. In either case, Berks could be Bucks, it’s not clear, and Clapham is a best guess as the text has a thick black line struck across it. I’m wondering if this is Hungerford Newtown and Clapton, Kintbury, where Emma Shamwell was born. I can’t find any other candidates for place of birth in Berks or Bucks where there are a Newtown and Clapham (or similar) near to each other. In 1871 Emma Plank (Pontin) is reported to be 27 years old [born c.1843] and in 1881 she is 32 years old [born c.1849]. Her age given at death in 1883 is 39 years old [born c.1844]. I have the birth certificates for all her children and her maiden name is almost always spelled “Pontin”.
So Emma Shamwell Pontin is possibly Emma who married George Plank, but I’d like to find her in the records between 1851 when she is living with grandfather William Pontin, and 1870 when she is recorded as the mother of Annie Mary Plank in Eton, Bucks.
I'm grateful for any help or insights. Thank you.
