Deciphering help please (residence name and wife's birth place)

[John-Nihon]

Source info kindly provided by Elaine ..Spain.

1891 Census
RG12; Piece: 3521; Folio 124; Page 5
transcribed as Wilson (but should be Nelson)

1) Would you say the residence is 'Railway Cottages'?

2) What do you think the birth place is for Elizabeth (wife)?

[Elaine ..Spain]

Yes - definitely Railway Cottages

Place of birth - Evenwood, Durham ?? (no idea if such as place exists!)

Update - just checked Multimap and Evenwood does exist.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I see wife on 1901 - also Elizabeth - gives place of birth as Spring Gardens, Yks. Also 9 year age difference between 1891 and 1901 census.
Could it be 2nd marriage?

[Margaret in Burton]

Hi John

Yes to Railway Cottages

Place of birth is Evenwood, Durham. Its near Bishop Auckland (google maps)

[John-Nihon]

Thanks Elaine, Thanks Margaret,

After looking at the birth place again it does look like Durham, Evenwood.

Well spotted Elaine, that puts a little spanner in the works. I've only just started researching this line properly now but I do have a marriage certificate:

Nelson Francis, m1881, 34, Labourer, Ripon, father: Joseph Nelson, Labourer
+
Ainsworth Elizabeth Jane Johnson,, 18, Servant, Ripon, father: James Ainsworth, Labourer

This roughly fits in ok with the 1891 census. Francis being 45 and Elizabeth J being 29 on the census.

Though in the 1901 census, Francis is 50 and Elizabeth is 48. Both the ages don't appear to be quite right.

Ideally Francis should be 54/5ish (4/5 years out) and Elizabeth should be 38/9ish (9/10 years out) in 1901.

I wonder, do you think it is possible that the ages may have been recorded incorrectly in 1901?

Though saying that the birth places for Elizabeth definitely appear to be different:

Evenwood, Durham according to the 1891 census
and
Spring Gardens, Yorkshire according to the 1901 census.

I've also found a birth for Nelson, Willian Ainsworth, Knaresbro, 1895. He's the second youngest child on the 1901 census. The 'Ainsworth' part fits in with Elizabeth's maiden name, as stated in the mentioned marriage certificate.

I'd better pop off and do some more investigating.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I did have a look for a possible death for the first Elizabeth and a remarriage to a second Elizabeth - but didn't come up with anything.
Also when searching the census for an Elizabeth born in Spring Gardens, it appears that Spring Gardens may have been in Durham, as opposed to Yorkshire as recorded on the 1901 census. However, I couldn't see a Spring Gardens on multimap - was hoping it was a little village near Evenwood! :(

The Ainsworth middle name for one of the children would lead you to believe it was just the one marriage.

[kylejustin]

dont worry about the age gap on the census, my ancestor did the same thing, but the family members are always the same.

in 1841 my ancestor was born in- 1820.
in 1851- 1816
in 1861- 1818
in 1871- 1814
in 1881- 1819
in 1891-1818
andin 1901, he was born in 1818.

thats a 6 year gap in one place, but it sounds like you have the right fella.
as for the wife's birthplace, she may not have known. what did she put down on the other censuses?

[John-Nihon]

Elaine, I've found the following:

Spring Gardens
West Auckland, Bishop Auckland, Durham DL14, UK

on Google Maps and it is very close to Evenwood.

At the moment, I am inclined to think that Spring Gardens and Evenwood are basically the same place (area) even though the birth place is recorded slightly differently in the 1891 and 1901 census and also taking into consideration that one census says Durham and the other Yorkshire.

The age differences may have been recorded incorrectly in the 1901 census for some reason. Very strange!!

I would also lean towards what you say with regard to the Ainsworth middle name. Although saying that William could have been named in memory of his mother or Francis's first wife, if indeed there were two wifes.

I'll stick with the one wife at the moment unless I can dig anything further up.

[Elaine ..Spain]

I'd agree with that John!

[John-Nihon]

Hi Kylejustin

I think I would agree with you that the ages are probably incorrect.

What has further added to the concern about there possibly being two wifes is that Francis's wife is down on the 1891 census (aged 29) as born in Evenwood, Durham. She is then down on the 1901 census (aged 48) and as being born in Spring Gardens, Yorkshire

It however does appear that there is a Spring Gardens near Evenwood, Durham.

I still think it strange that Francis's age is out by 4/5 years between the two census and Elizabeth's age is out 9/10 years between the two census.

I guess that is life and until I can prove anything different I'll stick with what I have/think (ie. one wife). :D:D

[John-Nihon]

Many thanks for all your help yet again Elaine. :D:D

Many thanks to you too Kylejustin for your input and interest. :D:D