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  • Brainstorming....

    I've been going round in circles for the last couple of years trying to find the whereabouts of my great x 3 grandmother Harriet Cousins, born 1817, Kettleburgh, Suffolk.

    In 1861, she was living with her husband and family at St Margaret's Court, Southwark, but after that she literally disappears. In 1871, her youngest, Louisa, is living at St Margaret's Court with another family and described as a nurse child. I think I've found the death of her husband in 1865 and ordered the certificate, which should arrive in the next few days, but cannot find a death of Harriet.

    Now, I've been brainstorming the scenerios; if she was widowed, why did she have her daughter adopted? Either she got remarried and her new husband didn't want her children, although I cannot find a marriage. Or perhaps after her husband died she ended up in the workhouse or even a mental asylum, although I can find her in neither.

    And then there's the mystery why my great grandmother's two eldest sisters born 1882 and 1883 were baptised in Rickmansworth when the family were living in Battersea at the time and their parents had no relatives there? Even though I haven't found the baptism of my great grandmother (born 1885) and her brother's (born 1888), I know that these didn't take place in Rickmansworth. So if they went to Rickmansworth because someone 'special' was there ie my great x2 grandmother's mother, Harriet, did she die around 1884, although, again, I haven't found a death!

    Also I've cross referenced all Harriet's living in Rickmansworth at the time of the 1881 census with the marriage indexes and can find no possibles.

    Which leaves me with one last scenerio; perhaps Harriet was in the mental asylum at Leavesden, north of Watford and she was given day release to attend her granddaughter's baptisms, and by 1885 she had either died (although no record found), or was too ill to attend my great grandmother's baptism in 1885 and my great x2 uncle's in 1888. Although wouldn't the church at Watford been nearer?

    I've asked for help searching for Harriet a year or so ago on this board and no one else could find her either!

    What my question is (if you've got this far) is whether it's possible that someone could have been given day release from an asylum to attend their granddaughter's baptisms?

    Also, can anyone think of any other possible scenerios which I haven't thought of....

    Many thanks


  • #2
    Louisa being a nurse child would imply that her mother was either dead, or off working somewhere where children weren't wanted. I would guess she would have had to work after the death of her husband, unless she remarried.

    Off to take a look see.
    ~ with love from Little Nell~
    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

    Comment


    • #3
      Yes, Helen that's a possible isn't it. I cannot find either Harriet or her daughter Hannah (my great x2 grandmother) born 1853 Salford, Manchester, on the 1871 census. I have wondered if the were both working as servants somewhere and their names and details where recorded incorrectly. I did find a Hannah Cousins born 1853 Yorkshire working as a servant in Bovingdon near Hemel Hempstead, but I've since established that it's not her.

      Trying to get in her head again... if I was a widow living in Victorian times, apart from finding work, I would also be looking for a husband...

      I just need to find the marriage and her new surname!!

      Comment


      • #4
        Have you tried checking the Leavesden records - is there anyone in the census who looks like she might be your gt gt gt gran?

        I would have thought that most asylums would have a place of worship on site.
        It's perhaps possible that Rickmansworth was chosen for another reason.
        ~ with love from Little Nell~
        Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

        Comment


        • #5
          Maybe the godparents lived in Rickmansworth or they knew the vicar, or there was some connection with the church there. What time of year were the christenings?
          ~ with love from Little Nell~
          Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

          Comment


          • #6
            I suppose you've discounted this:

            Harriett Cousins Age at Death: 53 (Estimated Birth Year: abt 1817)
            Year of Registration: 1870 Oct-Nov-Dec
            Midhurst (Hampshire, Sussex)
            Volume: 2b Page: 217
            ~ with love from Little Nell~
            Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

            Comment


            • #7
              Thanks Helen, I've been looking too trying all variations and still can't find them.

              I couldn't find her on the 1881 census at Leavesden - there's only one Cousins, Abraham, and several Harriets although I crossed referenced them with previous census returns and they're not her. Although she could well have gone there after the census was taken, or this avenue is probably a total red herring!!

              Oh well, thanks for looking anyway. Writing it down has helped actually. Let's hope that this death cert is the correct one, I've um'd and ah'd whether to order it for a while, as I've already got an incorrect one.

              I'm also having problems finding her parents who disappear after the 1841 - it must run in the family :D

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              • #8
                Did you see the death ref I posted?
                ~ with love from Little Nell~
                Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

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                • #9
                  I probably did see it when I searched but considered it unlikely because of the area. Cross referencing with the 1861 - there is a Harriet Cousens living in Alverstoke Hampshire with her husband John, BUT she is still alive in 1871.

                  So, you might be on to something here Helen

                  I'll give the local registry office a call tomorrow morning and see if they can give me some more info before I go ahead and order this one...

                  PS - Sorry Helen, I did, just writing (and thinking) slowly today!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Rachel

                    No problem. Hope I have been able to help - do let me know if its her (hope the death cert has something on it - should have her husband's name!)
                    ~ with love from Little Nell~
                    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Yes I was thinking that and hopefully have an informant too, which could well be her daughter Hannah. Hopefully her husband's death cert should have her name on it too as informant. The last one I ordered, thinking it was him, was a bit of a mystery man who no one knew his correct age or occupation, and died of syphillis and gangrene at Guy's Hospital, London

                      He was a hat finisher, so I would like my suspicions of him dying of mad hatters disease to be confirmed!

                      I'll let you know how I get on this week.
                      Last edited by Velma Dinkley; 06-07-08, 14:40.

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                      • #12
                        Well, the 1865 death certicate of my great x3 grandfather arrived this morning and I think that it is probably him

                        His age (49) and occupation (hatter) are correct, although he died at Guy's Hospital and a Martha Akroyd was in attendance. She was described as a sister at the hospital on the 1871 census.

                        He died of 'contracted mitral valve pulmonary apoplexy', so not a mad hatter after all :D

                        Midhurst Register Office asked me to write to them with the details so that they could look up the certificate there, so I should hopefully get an email/phone call from them shortly.

                        Fingers-crossed

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                        • #13
                          I'm not too fond of the surname Cousins. I have (at least) three branches in the family: Cossens, Couzens etc (and of course, Cofsins in one index!)

                          Have you looked for women with the right christian name & age born Suffolk? As you say, she may well been forced into service or another marriage (or worse) just to make ends meet.
                          Phoenix - with charred feathers
                          Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

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                          • #14
                            I've tried all that I'm afraid Phoenix with no success :(

                            I agree though that it is a difficult surname with loads of variations. On closely examining my great grandmother's birth certificate I see that her mother's maiden name was actually recorded as 'Couserns' which suggested an accent, which further doesn't help the search!

                            Even when it is spelt correctly, I've had trouble finding the family as it has been transcribed incorrectly... 'Corisens' springs to mind :D

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                            • #15
                              Like my Bouritons and Pueddens!
                              Phoenix - with charred feathers
                              Researching Skillings from Norfolk, Sworn from Salisbury and Adams in Malborough, Devon.

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