Finding a parcel

[behindthefrogs]

My great uncle William James Passell (although he may have spelt it Parsell or Parcell) was born in Offley in 1889.  He moved with his parents and sibblings to Loughton Bucks before emigrating to the USA where he eventually died in 1975.

He married Anna and had two daughters  Harriett who married Adels and Edna who married Nelson.

I met him when fairly young because I remember being very disappointed that he wasn't wearing a cowboy hat.

Does anyone know how I might find out more?  I have tried the obvious but no solid leads.

David

[alcrighton]

Hi David,

1891 Census, Offley (Ref: RG12/1108 Folio 154  Page 19)

Address: Kingswalden Rd (Cottage)

Harriet PARSELL, Head, Mar, 34, Straw Plaiter?
Clara ", Dau, 8
Annie " , Dau, 6
Emily " , Dau, 4
William James " , Son, 2

Also found them in 1901 - father William present this time.

Will post details shortly.

Regards,

Allan

All born Offrey.

[alcrighton]

Hi Again,

1901 Census, Loughton, Buckinghamshire (Ref: RG13/1359 Folio 84 Page 9)

Address:  The Green, London Road, Loughton

William PARSELL, Head, 45, Shoe Maker*
Harriet ", Wife, 44
Emily, Dau, 14
William, Son, 12
Florie, Dau, 9
May, Dau, 6
George, Son, 3
Dorothy, Dau, 1

Parents & older children (Emily to Florie) born Herts, Offley.  Younger children (May, George, Dorothy) born Loughton

Regards,

Allan

[behindthefrogs]

Thank you for your post.  I am sorry I should have said that I have traced the family in the Uk back to 1748 it's what happened to William in the USA which is my problem.

I am grateful for the 1901 details though as I"did" this bit of the family before that census was available.  Possibly even before the 1891 census as I also hadn't recorded that William was missing.  He was possibly in the process of moving his business to Loughton.  I will have to search there.


thanks again

David

[alcrighton]

You were right about William Sr. in 1891.  He was a lodger with the family of Thomas Parcell (with a c this time) in Stoney Stratford, Hertfordshire.  Let me know if you'd like the details.

Can't help with the US end but did you know that Ancestry.com has just transcribed the US census from 1920?

Regards,

Allan

[behindthefrogs]

Hi Allan.

Yes please to your offer of the 1891 census entry for Thomas Parcell.  I have those for 1881 and 1901.

Thomas is in fact William(snr)'s elder brother.  He ran a shoemaker's shop in Stony Stratford, Bucks and his wife a grocer's shop.  The fact that William went there first is an interesting turn of the wheel.  My mother was William's grand daughter through his daughter Clara and was born in Stony Stratford, both of her parents coming from Loughton and moving for work in the Wolverton Carriage Works.

Many thanks

David

[alcrighton]

Here's the entry for Thomas Parcell from 1891 (Ref: RG12/1190 Folio 31 Page 27):

Address: New St. Gardens, Stony Stratford

Thos PARCELL, Head, 47, Boot & Shoe Maker, b. Herts, Offley
Hannah PARCELL, Wife, 45, Grocer, b. Herts, Offley
Bertha PARCELL, Dau, 12, b. Herts, Offley
Emily PARCELL, Dau, 10, b. Herts, Offley
Percy R PARCELL, Son, 9, b. Herts, Offley
William PARCELL, Lodger, 35, B. Shoe Maker, b. Herts, Offley

Regards,

Allan

[behindthefrogs]

Thanks Allan,

It's interesting how every piece of information raises two more questions.  Thomas's eldest son who in 1901 is a shoemaker in Loughton is missing from this census as is his sister Lizzie.  Both are over 21.

regards

David   

[alcrighton]

I've found Lizzie!

1891 Census, Harpenden, Herts (Ref: RG12/1114 Folio 123 Page 7)

Address: Slaker's Lane (St Ann's)

George DAVIS, Head, M, 63, Farmer, b. Herts, Heyton
Ann DAVIS, Wife, M, 63, None, b. London St Pancras
Emma Maria PRATT, Visitor, S, 53, Living on her own means, b. Middlesex, Poplar

do (Outbuildings to St Ann's)
Lizzie PARCELL, Servant, S, 21, General Domestic Servant, b. Herts, Offley
Frederick OLIVER, Servant, S, 63, Agricultural Labourer, b. Herts, Heyton

One more mystery solved!  What was Thomas's eldest son's name?

Regards,

Allan