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What was she up to!?

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  • What was she up to!?

    Hi,

    I wonder if anyone can help me with a little trouble I'm having tracing my family tree. I posted a while back and everyone was really nice, and helped me find quite a few details on a slightly different side of my tree. I am hoping I can trouble you kind folks again for some fresh eyes on this one....

    Going back through my family, through certificates I have purchased, I am pretty sure this person is significant in my family but I can't for the life of me work out her movements. If anyone can help, I'd be really grateful! Here's what I know about her:

    Emily RAWLINS, born approx 1834, either Hampshire or Chichester, Sussex. Parents Cornelius Rawlins, born Portsmouth 1792-1795 and Elizabeth Rawlins -born 1797-1799. Sister Jane Rawlins, born approx 1817.

    In 1841, she was living at home at Bevois Street, St Mary, Southampton with her parents and sister.

    In 1851, she was an Upholstress and still living at home with her parents, but they had moved to 20, Houndwell Garden, St Mary's, Southampton. Sister Jane was not living there at this time.

    I have her marriage certificate to William HARDING, on 21 Feb 1853, in the Register Office in the District of Southampton. It says she was 19 years old. His residence was Chapel Cottage, hers was Chapel House. He was a Cordwainer (which I have discovered is a shoe/bootmaker). His father is listed as David Harding and hers as Cornelius Rawlins.

    I can't find her after this at all, until.....

    I am fairly sure I find her again in January 1861, on the birth certificate. She is listed as Emily Selwyn, formerly Rawlins. The father on the birth certificate (presumably her boyfriend or spouse) is Alfred John Selwyn. These two had 2 more children together in 1862 and 1872, her name stays the same but his changes to Alfred Selwyn then Alfred Henry Selwyn. (This man later died as 'Henry Cresswell Selwyn'!)

    In trying to find out what happened to Emily between her marriage to William Harding in 1853 and the birth of a son with Alfred Selwyn in 1861, I am stuck. I wondered if William had died, there is an entry in Q3 1856 for a William David Harding of Southampton. I've not ordered the certificate but I may do. However, the 1871 census shows a William Harding, a shoemaker, with the right birth details, as a lodger in St Marys, Southampton. So maybe he didn't die. Maybe they got a divorce? Did that happen back then?!

    I can't find Emily, William or Alfred in 1861. I hate the 1861 census, I can never find anyone I want on it. I think half of the country must have been in a secret, invisible underground bunker somewhere that night lol.

    Any help or illumination on any part of this, Emily or William, however small, would be wonderful. I'm starting to feel really alone in the world and that none of my ancestors want to be found (that might sound silly, but this is such an emotive subject don't you think?)

    Thank you for reading and for any help you can give me!

    Regards
    Rachel
    Last edited by Rachandgarry; 07-12-09, 16:47.

  • #2
    it might be that she left William for some reason and shacked up with alfred 'pretending' to be married, as divorce was expensive then and it wasnt something that happened with any regularity. Try looking for a marriage later on, it might be that she waited until she knew William was dead then married if you see what I mean.
    Julie
    They're coming to take me away haha hee hee..........

    .......I find dead people

    Comment


    • #3
      Is the William Harding you found in 1871 married?
      Did Emily and William have any children? (That could help identify her if she was living with someone else and had taken his name before she took up with Mr Selwyn).

      Comment


      • #4
        I hate the 1861 census, I can never find anyone I want on it. I think half of the country must have been in a secret, invisible underground bunker somewhere that night lol.
        You do know that there are a lot of missing pieces for the 1861 census?

        Have a look in the Wiki - I think there's a list of the gaps.

        Christine
        Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

        Comment


        • #5
          I have her marriage certificate to William HARDING, on 21 Feb 1853, in the Register Office in the District of Southampton. It says she was 19 years old. His residence was Chapel Cottage, hers was Chapel House. He was a Cordwainer (which I have discovered is a shoe/bootmaker). His father is listed as David Harding and hers as Cornelius Rawlins.
          I do realise that this isn't what you're asking, but...
          Here's a resonant record from the Knightroots (Hants OPC) site...
          SOUTHAMPTON ST MARY
          Baptisms

          Year Forename Surname s/d Father Mother
          1825 David Harding s David Ann Chapel Street - Labourer
          1828 Charles Harding s David Mary Chapel - Labourer
          1830 James Harding s David Mary Ann Chapel - Labourer
          1833 William Harding s David Mary Ann Chapel - Labourer
          1835 Elizabeth Harding d David Mary Ann Chapel - Labourer
          1837 Emma Harding d David Mary Ann Chapel - Labourer

          Christine
          Last edited by Christine in Herts; 07-12-09, 22:59.
          Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Lindsay View Post
            Is the William Harding you found in 1871 married?
            Did Emily and William have any children? (That could help identify her if she was living with someone else and had taken his name before she took up with Mr Selwyn).
            Hiya Lindsay,

            Thanks for reading my post... He isn't showing as married in 1871, he was just a lodger. By 1881 he seems to be married and they have a son (William, aged 6).

            I have no idea if William and Emily had any children, I can't find any records that indicate they did or didn't. :(

            Hiya Christine,

            "You do know that there are a lot of missing pieces for the 1861 census?"

            Yeah, what a shame. The areas I am looking at seem to be covered in full with no gaps so it is just these people that seem to be so elusive! :F

            Re the entry from Knightroots, is that saying that the parents are David and Mary Ann? I have no idea if this could be right or not, because on the 1851 census there is no wife/mother showing on the census, and David is listed as a widow. By 1861 there is an Elizabeth showing as wife, I had assumed this was William's mum but perhaps not; in fact now you've pointed that entry out it seems quite unlikely. Doh! Any way I can find out more on that Knightroots entry?

            Thanks everyone, your ideas are much appreciated!

            Rachel
            Last edited by Rachandgarry; 08-12-09, 10:55.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re the entry from Knightroots, is that saying that the parents are David and Mary Ann? ... <snip> ... Any way I can find out more on that Knightroots entry?
              Yes, the parents are recorded as David and Mary Ann.

              The Knightroots entry is a transcription of the baptism register for St Mary's, Southampton. I haven't got the link for the Knightroots site here (in lunchbreak at work) but it would probably come up if you googled it... or there's probably a link in the Hampshire section of the Wiki.

              There may be someone who's going to a relevant records office who could get you a copy of the entry, if you can't get there for yourself. Have a look at the Offers threads, and see; or there may be a record of offerers in the Hampshire section of the Wiki. The marriage may be in the same area - but I hadn't picked up on it. Have you tried the IGI at all?

              Christine
              Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

              Comment


              • #8
                This looks like the HARDING family in 1841:

                Class: HO107/417/7 Folio 38; Page 31

                The address is "Chapel", St Mary's, Southampton.

                Christine
                Researching: BENNETT (Leics/Birmingham-ish) - incl. Leonard BENNETT in Detroit & Florida ; WARR/WOR, STRATFORD & GARDNER/GARNAR (Oxon); CHRISTMAS, RUSSELL, PAFOOT/PAFFORD (Hants); BIGWOOD, HAYLER/HAILOR (Sussex); LANCASTER (Beds, Berks, Wilts) - plus - COCKS (Spitalfields, Liverpool, Plymouth); RUSE/ROWSE, TREMEER, WADLIN(G)/WADLETON (Devonport, E Cornwall); GOULD (S Devon); CHAPMAN, HALL/HOLE, HORN (N Devon); BARRON, SCANTLEBURY (Mevagissey)...

                Comment

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