Hughes - Still can't locate parents!

[littleem1906]

I have a huge puzzle that I'd love to try and solve. I posted a few years ago about an Elizabeth Onions (1847) born in Birmingham. With the help of people on Rootschat I was able to determine her mother was Priscilla Hughes and discovered she had a sibling (Samuel 1850-1850). However, I am yet to find out the parentage of Priscilla Hughes so would appreciate some help.

Here is what I know of her:

Priscilla Hughes was born in 1820/21 in Birmingham (according to census records). She seemed to have been in a common-law relationship with Samuel Onions (1814-1850) because I could find no marriage between them. They had two children - Elizabeth (1847) and Samuel (1850). Both births registered on GRO and mmn is Hughes.

Priscilla and Samuel don't appear in census together because Samuel died in 1850 (Queen's Hospital, Birmingham), the same year their son Samuel also died (aged 7 weeks). I cannot find Priscilla in 1841, but I believe I found Samuel, living as a groom in Shifnal.

Priscilla in 1851 census:
James Richards   54
Ann Richards   45
Priscilla Onions   30   Widow   Lodger  Factory woman
Elizabeth Onions 3  Lodger's daughter

In 1852, Priscilla married a John Richards, who is likely the son of the James Richards above. What is interesting is that she is listed as 'spinster', not 'widow'. This would corroborate my thinking that she never married Samuel Onions. Yet, why call herself Priscilla Onions if she was never married? In addition, she lists her father as Samuel Onions (an ivory twiner). Why did she do this? I know her maiden name was Hughes because of the GRO birth records for her two children.

In 1861, 1871 and 1881 Priscilla is living with John Richards and they went on to have the following children - Priscilla (1853-1866), John James (1855-1857), Seneca (1861-1879) and Albert (1865-?).

Priscilla died in 1881.

I would love to find Priscilla pre-1851. Why did she not marry Samuel Onions but assume his name? Then list him as her father on her marriage certificate when marrying John Richards? Who were her parents?

I can find no baptism for her. There is a Priscilla Hughes baptised in Northfield in 1827. But I believe this person is accounted for in census, married to William Hancox.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[Jomot]

Have you considered that Hughes may also have been a false / former name?

There is a Priscilla Hughes in the 1841 census, aged 20 and with an apparent husband Charles and daughter Catherine. 

The daughter was baptised as Catherine Priscilla Hughes on 19 Jan 1841, with her DoB given as 26 Jul 1840.

I can't find a marriage between Charles and Priscilla, nor can I find a birth for Catherine / Catherine Priscilla Hughes (there is one in 1840 with the mmn Firkin/Firkins, but she belongs to another family).

[littleem1906]

Yes, it's quite a conundrum.

I noticed this 1841 census record but had discounted it as I noticed the Charles Hughes as a husband. However I've looked at it again and it seems very odd.

There seems to only be one child baptised to this couple - Catherine Priscilla Hughes. They then don't appear together again in census and I found a potential death for Charles Hughes as follows:

Charles Hughes
Age - 24
Birth Date - about 1819
Burial Date - 28 Jun 1843
Birmingham, St Martin, Warwickshire, England

I couldn't find a marriage between a Charles Hughes and a Priscilla though so they were likely unmarried. I wonder if my Priscilla had a child with Charles Hughes before meeting Samuel Onions and having children with him from 1847 onwards.

I can't find Catherine post 1841 so maybe this is a route to follow.

If my Priscilla is the same woman living with Charles Hughes and they never married then there's a chance I'll never know what Priscilla's surname was. When she registered her later children on GRO she listed all of them with mmn as Hughes.

[Milliepede]

 

Yet, why call herself Priscilla Onions if she was never married? In addition, she lists her father as Samuel Onions (an ivory twiner). Why did she do this?

For appearance sake and to have the same surname as her child and for her father to have the same name as her (to match her being a spinster) 

[littleem1906]

Yet, why call herself Priscilla Onions if she was never married? In addition, she lists her father as Samuel Onions (an ivory twiner). Why did she do this?

For appearance sake and to have the same surname as her child and for her father to have the same name as her (to match her being a spinster)

Yes, I can understand that. Yet she still registered all of her children with maiden name Hughes. I'm wondering if I'll ever get to know who she was.

[Jomot]

It looks like the Priscilla Hughes who gave birth to Catherine Priscilla went on to marry Thomas Gough in 1843.  She's with him in the 1851 census, along with a daughter Catherine [Gough] aged 10,

From the births of later children her mmn was PALMER and Thomas Gough had previously been married to someone with the surname Pratt

1851: HO107, Piece 2057, Folio 243, Page 27

GOUGH, HIRAM  mmn PRATT  GRO Reference: 1838  M Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 281
GOUGH, MATTHEW mmn PALMER  GRO Reference: 1844  D Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 258

[littleem1906]

It looks like the Priscilla Hughes who gave birth to Catherine Priscilla went on to marry Thomas Gough in 1843.  She's with him in the 1851 census, along with a daughter Catherine [Gough] aged 10,

From the births of later children her mmn was PALMER and Thomas Gough had previously been married to someone with the surname Pratt

1851: HO107, Piece 2057, Folio 243, Page 27

GOUGH, HIRAM  mmn PRATT  GRO Reference: 1838  M Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 281
GOUGH, MATTHEW mmn PALMER  GRO Reference: 1844  D Quarter in BIRMINGHAM  Volume 16  Page 258

Thanks for this. It puts me back to square one but at least rules this out as a possibility. Somewhere there will be a Priscilla Hughes who I'm looking for. I just can't understand why she's totally missing in 1841.

[Talacharn]

1841 Census: Navigation St Birmingham Warwickshire (from Free Cen)
Piece 1146 . Folio 45 . Page 4
Willm Richards . M . 43 .Shop Keeper . Warwickshire
Mary Richards . F .40 . Warwickshire
Sarah Richards . F .7 . Warwickshire
Susana Richards . F . 3 . Warwickshire
Eliza Richards . F . 1 . Warwickshire
Prisc Hughes . F . 20 . Warwickshire

[littleem1906]

1841 Census: Navigation St Birmingham Warwickshire (from Free Cen)
Piece 1146 . Folio 45 . Page 4
Willm Richards . M . 43 .Shop Keeper . Warwickshire
Mary Richards . F .40 . Warwickshire
Sarah Richards . F .7 . Warwickshire
Susana Richards . F . 3 . Warwickshire
Eliza Richards . F . 1 . Warwickshire
Prisc Hughes . F . 20 . Warwickshire

Thank you! Another branch of the Richards family that she was living with in 1851 perhaps?