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Why would someone be missing for most of the UK Censuses?

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  • Why would someone be missing for most of the UK Censuses?

    I have spent more time than I would like to admit to trawling the UK Censuses for my late Grandfather, William James Wilson (1860 - 1937).

    I can understand someone being missing if they are in the Services/Travelling/Working Abroad/In Prison, - etc...

    But then surely they would appear on the earlier Censuses, when they must have been with a Parent or Guardian?

    I have tried to apply lateral thinking to this, and have searched with every name variation that I can think of, - but have still drawn a blank. I am completely unable to find a definate Birth, or to find him at all prior to his Marriage in Swansea in June 1893. He then appears on the 1901 and 1911 Censuses, and all of his children are Registered.

    And so why is he missing before 1893? I am totally stumped by this...

    What am I doing wrong?

    Holly.

  • #2
    Do you have his marriage certificate which would show the name and occupation of his father ?
    Elaine







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    • #3
      On the 1901 and 1911 census records, where does he say he was born?

      STG
      Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

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      • #4
        Hi Holly
        I had a similar experience, but I am not saying this is your problem, my relative was brought up by another family after his father had died, he was down as there surname, it was only looking at school records that I discovered him because they had him down as the Guardians name and his own, and then when he married he was always under his birth name.

        Do you know who his parents are and have you found them in the Census.

        Robert

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        • #5
          Sometimes if the father dies and the mother remarries the children take the new father's surname.
          Uncle John - Passed away March 2020

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          • #6
            Many thanks for the replies.

            My problem with this side of the family is that my father, (son of William James Wilson) Died when I was 5, and was 30yrs older than my Mother. Ergo, - anyone who might have been able to tell me more is long dead:-(WmJamesWilsonMarrCert1893.jpg

            I am attaching his Marriage Cert. On both the 1901 and 1911 Censuses for Swansea, William James Wilson gives 'Manchester, Lancs' as his Place of Birth. I have been unable to find a Birth or Baptismal entry for him in Manchester, and I can't find him with a father, 'William Wilson, Occupation: Mason'.

            I have a theory that his mother's name was Alice, but have no definate proof of this...

            His son's names were: William Havelock, born 1894
            Evan Douglas, born 1896
            Ernest Rencella, born 1897
            George Felix, born 1900
            Richard, born 1902
            Archibald, born 1903.

            Some of the names sound vaguely Scottish, and so I've looked there, - but no matches.

            Any ideas welcomed!
            Holly.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Uncle John View Post
              Sometimes if the father dies and the mother remarries the children take the new father's surname.
              Yes, I have wondered about this... But how could I search for that possibility? (When I don't know the name:-(
              Holly.

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              • #8
                Might there be any mileage in tracing the rest of the siblings?

                Reason I ask is that I've just been talking to a distant relative and because her mother was the youngest in the family and, therefore, the last one to leave home, her mother had all the paperwork from the family home including original marriage and death certificates, which they have now passed down to her. Worth a try?

                STG
                Always looking for Goodwins in Berkshire.

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                • #9
                  So this is them on the 1901 Wales census

                  Last edited by Sammy794; 08-11-14, 13:32.

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                  • #10
                    Holly

                    You already have quite a few threads on this subject. To save everyone else going over old ground yet again, can I suggest you do a detailed post showing who has already been investigated and discarded and then we can try to think of new directions for you to follow.

                    OC

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by SmallTownGirl View Post
                      Might there be any mileage in tracing the rest of the siblings?

                      Reason I ask is that I've just been talking to a distant relative and because her mother was the youngest in the family and, therefore, the last one to leave home, her mother had all the paperwork from the family home including original marriage and death certificates, which they have now passed down to her. Worth a try?

                      STG
                      Yes, I did this about 10yrs ago now. The last of the Wilson brothers died in 1974. Only three of them Married and had children. By a rather tortuous process, - involving purchasing lots of BMD's and Electoral Roll Look-ups, I managed to trace and contact all 5 Wilson first cousins. None of them knew that my sisters and I existed, and none of them knew anything about our Wilson Grandparents! The only thing that I gained was a photo of my Wilson Grandparents with their 2 eldest sons! (Attached).Grandparents+2boys mono.jpg

                      Sammy, - yes, that is my late Father, - mistranscribed as Evan W. Wilson. (He was Evan Douglas Wilson).

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post
                        Holly

                        You already have quite a few threads on this subject. To save everyone else going over old ground yet again, can I suggest you do a detailed post showing who has already been investigated and discarded and then we can try to think of new directions for you to follow.

                        OC
                        How do I do this please?

                        I certainly don't want people to go over old ground, - I've dug and sieved it very finely myself over the last 40yrs now! (I just don't understand why someone wouldn't appear on any of the other Censuses, - when they're on the last 2 available).

                        Holly.

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                        • #13
                          This is not what you asked for but you may not have seen this old blog about Ernest Rencella Wilson:

                          Auxiliary Division Royal Irish Constabulary (ADRIC) Christmas card sent at Christmas 1921 by splendidly named Ernest Rencella Wilson intrigued by this item


                          As to combining your posts I think you will have to look at all the threads you have about this family (search this site top of the page, dark blue bar) and make a completely fresh post with all the information and conclusions on it.

                          OC

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                          • #14
                            Yes thanks OC.

                            I've been in touch with Tim Walls and have sent him the rest of the research that I did on Ernest. (My late Uncle). I was able to find his CRS10 (Merchant Navy) Records at The National Archives; which covered the period after Q Division of the ADRIC was disbanded in 1921, up to 1955. (He died in 1957).

                            Ernest was Registered at Birth as 'Alice Rencella Wilson', ammended at 3 months as a 'Clerical Error' and changed to 'Ernest Rencella Wilson'. (I believe that Rencella is a Dutch female name).

                            Holly.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post

                              As to combining your posts I think you will have to look at all the threads you have about this family (search this site top of the page, dark blue bar) and make a completely fresh post with all the information and conclusions on it.

                              OC
                              OMG, - that'll take years to do!!

                              (I will make a start though... No one can say I haven't tried to find him, can they?)
                              Holly

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                              • #16
                                Well, it will take a while, yes, but it is amazing how doing this sort of tidy up exercise can help you concentrate your thoughts and efforts!

                                In the meantime, have you tried searching 1881, putting in just William J born c 1860, Manchester, painter? (No surname). Then do the same for 1871, leaving out painter of course. Really tedious but you never know what might crop up.

                                OC

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                                • #17
                                  Yes, - I've tried this, and variations for all of the Censuses. I then cross reference to 1901, and see where they are then. (I know that my Grandfather is in Swansea on the 1901 and 1911 Censuses).

                                  I've particularly been seeing if any of the names that he gave his sons match up at all. (I know which names come from the Rees side of the family).
                                  Holly.

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                                  • #18
                                    Possibly he just changed his name when he married my Grandmother?

                                    Would any proof of identity have been needed before marrying in 1893?

                                    Holly.
                                    Last edited by Holly; 08-11-14, 15:46. Reason: Duplication

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                                    • #19
                                      No, no proof of identity needed, anyone can call themselves by any name they choose, provided it is not done to fraudulently impersonate.

                                      This is a really, really long shot. If he was an apprentice-served painter then he WOULD have had to prove both his age and his identity. However, I've no idea where you would look for apprenticeship records for painters and decorators at that time and I've never had any success at this myself.

                                      My own experience of adult name changes are almost all because the person was born illegitimate, but knew who their birth father was, and when the father died, they started to use his surname. A few others changed their surnames in adulthood in order to lose the association with bankruptcy (and these were Manchester painters and decorators, haha!)

                                      OC

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                                      • #20
                                        Thanks for the imput, OC. Very interesting...

                                        Perhaps someone on here will know where apprenticeship records for House Painters can be accessed?

                                        I have found an entry for 'Letters of Administration', (First stage in Bankruptcy Proceedings) against William James Wilson. See:

                                        https://www.london-gazette.co.uk/iss...203/pages/3875 (top entry)

                                        After this he dropped the Drapery business, but kept 'Wilson & Co' and avoided Bankruptcy.
                                        There must have been some family involvement with Drapers though, I think...

                                        William James Wilson patented his Invention, 'The Wilson Air Purifier' in 1896.

                                        I will upload the Patent here: WJWilsonPatent.pdf (178.76 KB)

                                        Not that finding it has got me any further!!

                                        Holly.

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