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Benjamin Miller, my 3xgreat grandad, a farrier, born 1840 Spitalfields. This is him on the 1841 census and 1851 census:
1841 Census: Heneage Street, Christchurch Spitalfields
Thomas Miller, 50, Shoemaker, Not born in County
Elizabeth Miller, 45, Middlesex
Sophia Miller, 20, Middlesex
Thomas Miller, 8, Middlesex
Benjamin Miller, 1, Middlesex
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1851 Census: 8 Heneage Street, Christchurch Spitalfields
Thomas Miller, head, mar. 61, Journeyman Shoemaker, Newington Middlesex
Elizabeth Miller, wife, mar, 59, Pancras Middlesex
Sophia Miller, dau in law, Widow, 27, Charwoman, London Spitalfields
Thomas Miller, son, 17, Porter, London Spitalfelds
Benjamin Miller, son, 10, London Spitalfields
The IGI, shows his christening:
BENJN. MILLER
Birth: 02 JUN 1840
Christening: 26 JUL 1840 Saint Matthew, Bethnal Green, London, England
Father: BENJN. MILLER Family
Mother: SOPHIA
I therefore took it that Sophia was his mother, and he should be grandson on 1851, and that his father Benjamin was a son to Thomas and Elizabeth, who died between 1840-1851.
However I could never find a death cert for him, or marriage for him and Sophia, and I have Thomas and Elizabeths marriage in St Pancras 1816, and the baptisms of eight children to them at Christchurch Spitalfields first the year of their marriage to the youngest Thomas in 1833, who show son the census above. They never had a Benjamin baptised.
Recently I have been in contact with my grandads cousin, the daughter of my late great uncle, and her husband who are also researching the family tree. I was told my late uncle , who has only fairly recently passed away aged 101, knew Benjamin (jr), his grandfather as a child in the first decade of the 1900's. He used to run errands for him, and one day he took his pension book to cash it for him. He noticed his name on there was Benjamin Bacon, and asked his grandad why. He told him because he'd lived with his mothers family as a child and this was their surname.
Now armed with that we finally found a birth reg for him, Benjamin Bacon June Q 1840 Whitechapel Vol 2 Page 520. So seems he was actually registered Bacon too, despite being baptised Miller. Perhaps he therefore had to have his registered name on his pension?
Anyway we came to the conclusion Sophia was probably maiden name Bacon, and unmarried to Ben Miller who is down as the father on baptism.
ok well here goes..Recently here you good sorts were able to help me find Sophias (second?) marriage in 1856 to a John Tedderman, and track her on later censi. I sent off for this hoping it would confirm her maiden name was Bacon and give me her father. I also sent off for Benjamin Miller (jrs) marriage cert to see who he said his father was.
not what I was expecting
"March 31st 1856, John Tedderman, 26, bachelor, Bone Boiler, of 7 Pugh Row Mile End old Town, son of Lewis Tedderman, stone mason, married Sophia Miller, 29, spinster, of 9 Heneage Street, Spitalfields, dau of Thomas Miller, shoe maker"
"October 28th, 1866, Benjamin Bacon Miller, bachelor, 26, farrier, Stepney, son of, Benjamin Bacon, carman, married Catherine Regan, full age, spinster, dau of William Regan, coal whipper"
So according to that, Sophia was Thomas Millers natural daughter, had Benjamin out of wedlock with a Benjamin Bacon, registered him as Bacon, but baptised him with the unmarried couple both using her surname.
But I'm still troubled by a couple of things...Sophia is not among the children baptised to Thomas and Elizabeth Miller at Chirstchurch Spitalfields 1816-1833, so that rings alarm bells for starters, and then why have they described her as daughter in law on the 1851?
Funnily enough one of the two witnesses on Sophia Millers marriage in 1856 has exactly the same name as me! Sent shivers down me that did..I wonder if at some point in the future they invent time travel and I go back to sort this out with g-g-g-g granny for myself....
Until that time though, (pmsl- need to stop watching the sci fi progs I think), I'm really quite stumped!! Would appreciate some advise on how to get any further, or comments on what the possible situations are.
1841 Census: Heneage Street, Christchurch Spitalfields
Thomas Miller, 50, Shoemaker, Not born in County
Elizabeth Miller, 45, Middlesex
Sophia Miller, 20, Middlesex
Thomas Miller, 8, Middlesex
Benjamin Miller, 1, Middlesex
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1851 Census: 8 Heneage Street, Christchurch Spitalfields
Thomas Miller, head, mar. 61, Journeyman Shoemaker, Newington Middlesex
Elizabeth Miller, wife, mar, 59, Pancras Middlesex
Sophia Miller, dau in law, Widow, 27, Charwoman, London Spitalfields
Thomas Miller, son, 17, Porter, London Spitalfelds
Benjamin Miller, son, 10, London Spitalfields
The IGI, shows his christening:
BENJN. MILLER
Birth: 02 JUN 1840
Christening: 26 JUL 1840 Saint Matthew, Bethnal Green, London, England
Father: BENJN. MILLER Family
Mother: SOPHIA
I therefore took it that Sophia was his mother, and he should be grandson on 1851, and that his father Benjamin was a son to Thomas and Elizabeth, who died between 1840-1851.
However I could never find a death cert for him, or marriage for him and Sophia, and I have Thomas and Elizabeths marriage in St Pancras 1816, and the baptisms of eight children to them at Christchurch Spitalfields first the year of their marriage to the youngest Thomas in 1833, who show son the census above. They never had a Benjamin baptised.
Recently I have been in contact with my grandads cousin, the daughter of my late great uncle, and her husband who are also researching the family tree. I was told my late uncle , who has only fairly recently passed away aged 101, knew Benjamin (jr), his grandfather as a child in the first decade of the 1900's. He used to run errands for him, and one day he took his pension book to cash it for him. He noticed his name on there was Benjamin Bacon, and asked his grandad why. He told him because he'd lived with his mothers family as a child and this was their surname.
Now armed with that we finally found a birth reg for him, Benjamin Bacon June Q 1840 Whitechapel Vol 2 Page 520. So seems he was actually registered Bacon too, despite being baptised Miller. Perhaps he therefore had to have his registered name on his pension?
Anyway we came to the conclusion Sophia was probably maiden name Bacon, and unmarried to Ben Miller who is down as the father on baptism.
ok well here goes..Recently here you good sorts were able to help me find Sophias (second?) marriage in 1856 to a John Tedderman, and track her on later censi. I sent off for this hoping it would confirm her maiden name was Bacon and give me her father. I also sent off for Benjamin Miller (jrs) marriage cert to see who he said his father was.
not what I was expecting
"March 31st 1856, John Tedderman, 26, bachelor, Bone Boiler, of 7 Pugh Row Mile End old Town, son of Lewis Tedderman, stone mason, married Sophia Miller, 29, spinster, of 9 Heneage Street, Spitalfields, dau of Thomas Miller, shoe maker"
"October 28th, 1866, Benjamin Bacon Miller, bachelor, 26, farrier, Stepney, son of, Benjamin Bacon, carman, married Catherine Regan, full age, spinster, dau of William Regan, coal whipper"
So according to that, Sophia was Thomas Millers natural daughter, had Benjamin out of wedlock with a Benjamin Bacon, registered him as Bacon, but baptised him with the unmarried couple both using her surname.
But I'm still troubled by a couple of things...Sophia is not among the children baptised to Thomas and Elizabeth Miller at Chirstchurch Spitalfields 1816-1833, so that rings alarm bells for starters, and then why have they described her as daughter in law on the 1851?
Funnily enough one of the two witnesses on Sophia Millers marriage in 1856 has exactly the same name as me! Sent shivers down me that did..I wonder if at some point in the future they invent time travel and I go back to sort this out with g-g-g-g granny for myself....
Until that time though, (pmsl- need to stop watching the sci fi progs I think), I'm really quite stumped!! Would appreciate some advise on how to get any further, or comments on what the possible situations are.
Christening: 25 AUG 1839 Saint Leonards, Shoreditch, London, 
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