Toronto Kelsalls

[Sparky53]

Does anyone have any Canadian Kelsalls
Josiah Kelsall born 1839 Stoke on Trent ran awayto Canada with a bar maid according to family memories

Has anyone come across evidence for this

Jane

[Josephine]

Jane,

Is he the Josiah Kelsall in the British 1881 census living at 11 Arlington Pl & St in   Stoke Upon Trent - Shelton, Stafford?  He's a Potter's Gilder and his wife is named Mary Ann and their nine children range in ages from 20 down to 1 month.  If this is the right man, then he left after the 1881 census (if he left).

I couldn't find a Josiah Kelsall, born in England, in the Canadian 1881 census index on www.familysearch.org .

Have you checked the 1891 and 1901 British census for him & his family (to narrow down possible date of death or departure)?

Perhaps you could search the Canadian 1901 census here:
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/index.html

FreeBMD has the following deaths:

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/

Josiah Kelsall, 54, Stoke T., March 1892
Josiah Kelsall, 62, Stoke T., Sept. 1897

Have you seen those records to rule out your guy?

Regards,
Josephine

[Sparky53]

Hi Josephine

Josiah is last seen on a British census 1871 Sneyd Croft Burslem
His family are in Aderlaide St in 1881 but he's not there.

Last child born 1878, his occupation brewer's traveller on her birth cert - that's taking the mick

It's possible he changed his name, there are Kelsalls in Canada but no Josiah so far. I've even searched passport lists at national Archive.

THanks for loking
Jane

[Josephine]

Jane,

I feel silly asking, but what does "taking the mick" mean?  (I'm Canadian and we don't use that term.)

Thanks!
Josephine

P.S.  I just read another post in which you mentioned something about the "River Humbe".  There is a Humber River here in Toronto.  Perhaps it would be worthwhile checking out the Toronto Star online archives, in case Josiah and his barmaid came here.  (I think the link is in the Canadian research message.  If not, I could find it for you.)

[J.J.]

Hi Jane,
  Josephine's find of: Josiah Kelsall, 54, Stoke T., March 1892 also matches this birth date on the bmd. 
Births Jun 1838   Kelsall   Josiah    Stoke upon Trent  17 148

Do you have a name for this barmaid, as if he did change his name, then we'd have better luck with her.... was his occupation the same on all the census information you have?  J.J.

[Sparky53]

Hi J.J & Josephine

Thank you for taking an interest

Taking the Mick is cockney rhyming slang - "Micky Bliss"

I was being ironic. Previous to this Josiah's profession had been a potter

Josiah was born 6 July 1839 at Cauldon Place, Shelton, Staffs

Cauldon Place was the site of a pottery so whether his mother gave birth at work I don't know.

My mother's cousin found an old picture of family members and written on the back it said to Dolly ( poss my grandmother ) from River Humbe

In 1871 there are 2 Josiah Kelsalls of around the same age in the census, I can identify the correct one by my Gt Grandmother Sarah Jane Kelsall

by 1881 & 1891 there is only the one.

I may get some marriage certs of his children & see if he appears as a witness

Jane

[J.J.]

well, there is a "Humber" River around Toronto,  I believe ...so maybe put the word Toronto at the top of your page ( behind the lone word Kelsalls on the very first message...hit modify button )  and those in Toronto may be able to help you. There are some good Ontario buffs in here...some specialize in Toronto... Make sure that all your info is on the page, too...to make sure they can wring all they can out of it....it's a toughie!   J.J.

[J.J.]

The only Kelsall in Toronto is Emily (et al) a widow in the 1901 but I may have matched her in the 1881 so that's  probably not the gal...besides, she had 9 children!!!! ( accounting for all the other  Kelsalls on the list!!!! )   J.J.

[Josephine]

Jane,

It sounds like you are being really thorough in your research.  I think the marriage records should also indicate if Josiah was deceased at the time of his children's marriages.

My grandmother was born at a Salvation Army maternity hospital (in the U.S.).  In her paper work, my great-grandmother said her own father had died five years before.  I later learned that she had lied.  My g-g-grandfather lived another 30+ years after that lie.  He had an unusual name (Ozro Riley) and I only found him in the 1920 & 1930 census records (in the U.S.) by going through the city, page by page (he was listed as Oswald one year).  Luckily, I have many relatives who were living in that city at the time, so I happened to be searching for any & all by going through each page (more than once). 

Of course, you might not have the time to go through the Toronto & area census, page by page (assuming you could access the microfilm)!

I hope you find Josiah!

Regards,
Josephine