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
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
Comment