Whitefoot

[Tippin]

Hi,

After a succesfull thread about my Florence ancesters yesterday, that has given me hope I may be on the right track, but means that I will need to do a bit more digging before I can break down that wall, I have decided to look at another, hopefully easier, wall to break down.

I am looking for information on Mary Whitefoot, born about 1856, in Shropshire. I have the following information for her, but have not been able to trace her back before 1881.

1881 Census - In Birmingham, and is a visitor. She says her place of birth is Hordeley, Shropshire.
RG number: RG11 Piece: 2994 Folio: 88 Page: 32

1891 Census - Living in Aston, with her children, and her employer?? She is a Housekeeper, and says that her place of birth is Hordley, Shropshire. She is also a spinster. Her children are George Henry Whitefoot, and Ethel Mary Whitefoot.
RG number: RG12 Piece: 2407 Folio: 104 Page: 24

1901 Census - Living in Aston, with her children, and with William Jones and his children. Her place of birth is down as Huidley, Shropshire. She now says she is a widow, but I know she is lying.
RG number: RG13 Piece: 2867 Folio: 10 Page: 12

1911 Census - Living with her two children, and William Jones again. Her place of birth is given as Hordley. The form was filled in by William Jones.

I also have the birth certificate of her daughter, Ethel Mary, which says she was a housekeeper, and no father is listed. I also have Mary's death certificate in 1914, which says she was the widow of George Henry Whitefoot.

I have not been able to find a Mary that matches with the place of birth on an earlier census, and can not find any information that could lead me to Ethel Mary's father, although she was born at Gem Cottages, where the family were still living in 1891, so perhaps Charles Jesson was her father. No proof though.

Thanks for any help,
Tippin

[hughar]

Mary Whitefoot birth registered Oct-Dec qtr 1855, Clun registration district (includes Horderley Hall), Shropshire, Vol.6a, page 463.

[Granny Lynne]

I found that one too, so it looks like she was never married to George.

[Tippin]

Hi,

Thanks for the sugestions. I did now about the entry on the GRO, but was trying to find out who her parents were via other sources so that I could get the certificate knowing it's the right one. I don't want to spend £7 on yet another wrong certificate.

I guess its back to the drawing board with this one as well.

Thanks again,
Tippin

[hughar]

The 1871 census lists William Whitefoot, 12, and Lewis Whitefoot, 11, both born Horderly, as paupers in the Workhouse at Bishops Castle. Since they are listed as born Horderly, might they be Mary's brothers?

Going back to the 1861 census, William and Lewis Whitefoot are now listed as born Winstantow. In the same household are their mother Rebecka (listed as Retecka), Head, married, 26, Ag. Lab's wife; another son George, 7, and a daughter Mary, 5. Rebecka, George and Mary are all listed as born Lydbury North.

Horderly is about 3 1/2 miles from Lydbury North, and about 1 1/2 miles from Winstantow.

I suggest you should take a close look at this Mary.

[Tippin]

Hi Haughar,

Thanks for having a look for me. I did know about the 1861 census entry - but did not think it was right as it says she came from Lydbury North. But it does look possible now that you were able to track down William & Lewis is 1871. I wonder if it was the workhouse that made her think she came from Hordererley??

Thanks again,
Tippin

[hughar]

I'm inclined to believe the 1861 census entries, as the information will have been provided by the children's mother. Entries in later years either depend on the young children's memory, or on what someone else was told or told them. It seems likely that the family moved from Lydbury North to Winstantow some time between 1856 and 1858, possibly via Horderley.

Rebecca died age 36 in September qtr 1870, Clun, Vol.6a, page 433. By then George and Mary were probably old enough to avoid going in the Workhouse, which is why we find just William and Lewis there in 1871.

George seems to have been old enough to know where he was born, as he says Lydbury North in 1871 and Lydbury in 1881. Mary says Bishops Castle in 1871, and Horderley thereafter. William says Lydbury North in 1881. Didn't manage to find Lewis that year. So, apart from George, the recollections of the other children don't seem to be very consistent.

Have you seen the entries for this family in the public Rogers Family Tree on Ancestry?