Help needed finding Ruth Ann Wells on 1851 & 1861 census

[Bev Nicholes]

Hi Everyone, hope someone can help as I'm totally stuck.....

My 2 x Great Grandmother Ruth Ann WELLS was born 18th May 1845 in Sheffield Yorkshire. I have just ordered her birth certificate which gives her parents as Charles WELLS Tailor and Ann FROST

On her marriage certificate in 1867 it confirms her father as Charles WELLS, now an Upholsterer

but I can't find any of them on the 1851 or 1861 census, she only appears in the 1871 census onwards after her marriage.

I've tried searching for the marriage of Charles WELLS & Ann FROST but no luck so far either :(

I would really appreciate any help or suggestions

Thanks, Bev

[maudarby]

Hi Bev
Can you give us the addresses from her birth & marriage certificates. Also the names of marriage witnesses which may help.
Moggie

[Christine in Herts]

Do you know if she had any siblings to help narrow things down?

They really are a bit elusive, aren't they! I've tried a number of my less-is-more tricks in 1851 without success so far.

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

Of course - 1861 is the census with quite a number of pieces missing as a result of damage. Have you checked in the Wiki to see if there are pieces missing for areas where you'd expect them to be?

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

I suspect that Ruth may have been named for an earlier sister who didn't survive... Have you looked at the WELLS family here:
1841 HO107/1337/5 fo 15 p 25

Christine

[Breckland Jane]

Possible for 1851 - HO107; Piece: 2340; Folio: 60; Page: 19

Ann is a widow and daughter Ann could be Ruth Ann.

Jane

[Christine in Herts]

I found one of their 1841 neighbours in the same street in 1851 and looked until Arundel Lane ran out before & afterwards, but couldn't spot your family anywhere.

Christine

[maudarby]

I suspect that Ruth may have been named for an earlier sister who didn't survive

Hi Christine
I think you are right about the above Ruth.
There was a Ruth buried on 16th Sep 1841 no age given at Sheffield St Paul & this looks like the father Charles.
Charles Wells buried on 5th Dec 1847 age 32 at Sheffield St Paul.
Moggie

[Christine in Herts]

Just had a connection drop out just before posting a detailed reply - GRRR!

Your 1851 set looks right. In 1841 there's
Sarah Ann 5 to match the 1851 "Sarah A" 18
and
Priscilla 4 to match the 1851 "Pricilla" 14

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

Priscilla appears to have married Edward PRICE in 1854q4 and appears in 1861 here:
RG9/3488 fo 68 p 9

Christine

[Breckland Jane]

Quite possibly Ann remarried before the 1861 census and they are all under another name.

However, there are quite a lot of Ann Wells marrying in Sheffield between 1851 and 1861.

Jane

[maudarby]

Charles & Ann were quite likely married pre registration. I can't find a marriage in the IGI for them but I did find this SUBMITTED record.
Charles Wells Birth 1815 at Sheffield, Yorkshire. Death 5th Dec 1847.
Parents James Wells & Mrs Sarah Wells.
Moggie

[Bev Nicholes]

Wow,Christine, Moggie & Jane can't thank you enough for all your help and suggestions.

to answer some of your questions, the address on her birth certificate was Arundel Lane, she married at St Mary's Church and her address was Bramall Lane on her Marriage record. ( Can't find the marriage details at the moment, so will check on the witness names)

The death of Charles would explain why I haven't found him, but I don't remember seeing her father deceased on her marriage record, do they always add that?

I checked the missing areas on Ancestry for 1851 & 1861 Sheffield but it wasn't one of them, so hoped it might be a mispelt surname.

I haven't found details of any siblings, none crop up in later census returns after her marriage.

Off to check the records you have found so far, but a huge thank you for now ;D

[maudarby]

Hi
Marriage certs don't always record if a father was deceased or not. Depends what questions were asked at the time.
Moggie

[Christine in Herts]

her address was Bramall Lane on her Marriage record

You could do with someone who has this address for someone in their tree for 1861 or 1871, to give you a clue as to where you can find it without having to trawl through the District descriptions (in case they were living there at the time of the 1861 census)... Perhaps I'll see if FMP is any help?

ANSWER: Possibly - having a look now!

Christine

[Christine in Herts]

Was she at 13 Bramall Lane for her marriage?

That's where Edward & Priscilla PRICE were living in 1861. That's her sister & BiL.

I'll carry on looking, just in case...

I think I've looked at all of Bramall Lane, Sheffield - including some properties where that street name isn't explicit - but without seeing anyone relevant, other than Priscilla.

Christine

[Bev Nicholes]

Thanks again, it doesn't give a house number on her marriage record but I think its amazing you've found her sister Priscilla

[Christine in Herts]

Update - that might have been No 6 Bramall Lane by the time of the marriage. Here is the PRICE family in 1871:
RG10/4672 fo 29 p 11

Christine

Priscilla is an unusual name - but open to mistranscription, and to mis-entering in the first place. I've taken to entering just "Pri*a"!

[zan]

They may have been out off the country or in another part of the uk