Can anyone help solve a difficult mystery please?

[Chrissie Smiff]

I can't find my Gt Grandmother in 1851, or her birth, or the birth of 2 children who may or may not be hers in (found on 1871)

Millicent Heaps - various years and places of birth given - father William (various years and places of birth). No idea of mother as I can't find them in 1851.

In 1871 (RG10 - Piece 3606 - Folio 23 - Pge 39 - GSU 839780) she is living in Clay Cross, Derbyshire (age 23 born Yorks Laughton) with William Bonsall (40), who she married in June 1873. He died very shortly afterwards and she married my Gt grandfather in June 1874. Also living there are William Heaps (60) born Selston Notts, who I assume to be Millicents father? - Agnes Vita Heaps (4) born Clay Cross - Hannah Heaps aged 11 months. Who are these children? I can't find births for them and in 1861 William heaps is a widower!!

In 1861 (Class: RG9; Piece: 2436; Folio: 67; Page: 21; GSU roll: 542970) - Millicent is mistranscribed as Heafes born 1846 (age 15) in Croftwill Derbyshire - William aged 56 born Crich Derbyshire is also mistranscribed. However - Eliza (20) born Cronwill Derbyshire and George (20) born Collingham Lincolnshire and William (17) born Leighton Yorkshire are all correctly inscribed (I assume) as Heaps.

Can anyone make any sense of this please as my heads in a spin.

I can't find a birth for Millicent or find her in 1851 and I can't find births for Agnes Vita or Hannah and I can't find them after 1871. What happened to them and whose children are they. And most of all exactly WHO is my Gt Grandmother

[fiona c]

Wonder if this is Hannah Heaps as Hannah Bonsall in the workhouse with Ann Whetton in 1881??

RG11; Piece: 3433; Folio: 131; Page: 9

[Chrissie Smiff]

Oh of course, thank you Fiona. Ann is my grandmother and I had forgotten that there seemed to be an older girl that I hadn't seen before.

Have to serve lunch now but will come back later to look further into that one.

[Joan of Archives]

Hi Chrissie

Do you have Millicent's marriage cert to confirm her father was William & his occupation?

[Chrissie Smiff]

Hi Jo
Yes, I have her 2nd marriage to my grandfather. It says father William Heaps - Labourer.

I think I have now found a birth and marriage for Hannah (b 1870), and a birth for the one that says Agnes Vita Heaps on 1871 - she seems to have been named Lignum V Bonsall in June 1866 !! LIGNUM!!

I still can't find any sign of Millicent earlier than 1861 though

[maudarby]

Hi Chrissie
I have found in the 1881 census a Ligmun ? Vita Bonsall age 14 servant born Clay Cross.
Ref RG11; Piece: 3320; Folio: 83; Page: 38. I have looked at the image and I can't honestly say that Ligmun looks like Agnes, perhaps somebody else can have a look. Other than that all the details point to her being Agnes.
Moggie

I hadn't read the above post when I posted this.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Oh thank you - that will be her

[fiona c]

I wonder???

There's a baptism on the igi for a George Heaps, 3 May 1840, Corringham, Lincolnshire. Parents William Heaps and mother has been transcribed as LIGNAVITG.

Just wondering about this one now you think Agnes might be Ligmun Vita sound similar.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Oh wow Fiona - that's brilliant. Is the LIGNAVITG her Christian name or surname before marriage do you think?

Is that on the Family Search site? I wonder if I can find Millicent that way.

[maudarby]

Another baptism in the IGI
Eliza Heaps on 14th Apr 1850 at Whitwell Derby
Parents William Heaps & Lignum Vitoe.
Do you think Vitoe is her surname?
Moggie