Hi all, I am currently trying to research my 2nd great-grandfather, William Louis/Lewis Biggs and his direct family. He's the father of my great-grandfather Leonard Edgar Biggs. Leonard was born 30 Nov 1878 in Uxbridge and his mother was Amelia Biggs nee Groves.
I've found a multitude of records on Ancestry from various census information etc, but due to the large size of the family, births not being registered, names changing etc I'm having a bit of trouble trying to connect this all together. My worry is that there are other people of the same name in the area at the time, and I'm not sure this is all correct..
I was hoping someone more used to researching would be able to help me line this up.. I will post everything I currently have access to.
I'll start with Leonard Edgar Biggs, as some information can be verified with his birth/marriage certificate.
Leonard Edgar Biggs - Birth Certificate
Born 30 Nov 1878 in Penfields, Uxbridge. Father: William Biggs (Painter), Mother: Amelia Biggs formerly Groves
Leonard Edgar Biggs - Marriage Certificate
Married 13 Sep 1901 in Kensington, age 21. Father is William Louis/Lewis Biggs (House Painter). Residence: 69 St Katherines Road, Kensington.
Wife is Evelyn Maude Birch, age 20.
These match up with the 1901 Census, same names, occupations and address:
1901 - Address: 69 St Katherines Road, Kensington
William L Biggs - Head - M - 72 - Painter - Hayes
Amelia - Wife - M - 49 - - Uxbridge
Walter A - Son - S - 26 - Shop asst. - Hounslow
Oliver A - Son - S - 21 - Railway porter - Uxbridge
Leonard E - Son - S - 20 - Painter - Uxbridge
Matilda - Dau - S - 18 - Dom. servant - Uxbridge
Lillian - Dau - S - 16 - - Uxbridge
The 1891 census has this listing which is close. Williams age is a bit off and Amelia (wife) is called Matilda.
1891 - 18 Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge
William L Biggs - Head - M - 56 - Painter - Acton
Matilda - Wife - M - 38 - - Uxbridge
Edgar - Son - S - 18 - Painter - Hounslow
Walter - Son - S - 17 - Grocers asst. - Hounslow
Sidrick - Son - S - 16 - - Denham
Albert - Son - - 14 - Bakers asst. - Farnham Bucks
Oliver - Son - - 13 - - Uxbridge
Leonard - Son - - 10 - - Uxbridge
Matilda - Dau - - 9 - - Uxbridge
Lily - Dau - - 5 - - Uxbridge
And then 1881 census is similar again, with a few additional names
1881 - Bakers Yard, Uxbridge
William L Biggs - Head - M - 49 - Painter - Acton
Amelia - Wife - M - 30 - - Uxbridge
Ellen - Dau - - 16 - - Ealing
Fredrick - Son - - 14 - - Ealing
Edgar - Son - - 10 - - Hounslow
Walter - Son - - 8 - - Hounslow
Sidrick - Son - - 6 - - Denham Bucks
Albert - Son - - 5 - - Farnham Bucks
Oliver - Son - - 4 - - Uxbridge
Leonard - Son - - 2 - - Uxbridge
Amelia - Dau - - 6m - - Uxbridge
Thomas - Son - - 12 - - Acton
Back to 1871 census and there are more potential children. William has a different occupation and the daughter born in Ireland is quite odd (Rose?).
1871 - Bath Road, Hounslow
William L Biggs - Head - 37 - Gardener - Acton
Amelia - Wife - 24 - - Uxbridge
Rose? - Dau - 14 - - Ireland
Selina - Dau - 12 - - Uxbridge
Ellen - Dau - 5 - - Brentford
Frederick - Son - 3.5- - Brentford
Thomas - Son - 2 - - Acton
Lewis - Son - 5m - - Hounslow
Fast forward to 1911 Census, this record is found. William is again a Gardener. Unsure who's children Minnie and Eva are. Amelia is listed here as having 11 children, 8 alive and 3 deceased. She also has 43 years of marriage, which would put her marrying William abt 1868, after the birth of some children in the 1871 census.
1911 - Chiltern View, Uxbridge
William Louis/Lewis Biggs - Head - M - 78 - Gardener - Uxbridge
Amelia - Wife - M - 60 - - Uxbridge
Matilda - Dau - S - 28 - Servant - Uxbridge
Lilian - Dau - M - 26 - - Uxbridge
Minnie - G-Dau- - 9 - - Uxbridge
Eva - G-Dau- - 14 - - Uxbridge
Thomas - Son - S - 38 - Gen labourer - Uxbridge
Assuming this is the same family throughout, I'm trying to figure out who is who and find their birth/death details. I only have a sub to Ancestry, so some other systems may offer new clues.
Searching GRO Births for Biggs (maiden Groves) I found:
BIGGS, OLIVER ABRAHAM - GRO Reference: 1877 M Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 31
BIGGS, LEONARD EDGAR - GRO Reference: 1879 M Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 35
BIGGS, AMELIA MATILDA - GRO Reference: 1880 D Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 32
BIGGS, ALICE - GRO Reference: 1883 M Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 34
BIGGS, LYDIA - GRO Reference: 1884 S Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 33
I've found a multitude of records on Ancestry from various census information etc, but due to the large size of the family, births not being registered, names changing etc I'm having a bit of trouble trying to connect this all together. My worry is that there are other people of the same name in the area at the time, and I'm not sure this is all correct..
I was hoping someone more used to researching would be able to help me line this up.. I will post everything I currently have access to.
I'll start with Leonard Edgar Biggs, as some information can be verified with his birth/marriage certificate.
Leonard Edgar Biggs - Birth Certificate
Born 30 Nov 1878 in Penfields, Uxbridge. Father: William Biggs (Painter), Mother: Amelia Biggs formerly Groves
Leonard Edgar Biggs - Marriage Certificate
Married 13 Sep 1901 in Kensington, age 21. Father is William Louis/Lewis Biggs (House Painter). Residence: 69 St Katherines Road, Kensington.
Wife is Evelyn Maude Birch, age 20.
These match up with the 1901 Census, same names, occupations and address:
1901 - Address: 69 St Katherines Road, Kensington
William L Biggs - Head - M - 72 - Painter - Hayes
Amelia - Wife - M - 49 - - Uxbridge
Walter A - Son - S - 26 - Shop asst. - Hounslow
Oliver A - Son - S - 21 - Railway porter - Uxbridge
Leonard E - Son - S - 20 - Painter - Uxbridge
Matilda - Dau - S - 18 - Dom. servant - Uxbridge
Lillian - Dau - S - 16 - - Uxbridge
The 1891 census has this listing which is close. Williams age is a bit off and Amelia (wife) is called Matilda.
1891 - 18 Cowley Mill Road, Uxbridge
William L Biggs - Head - M - 56 - Painter - Acton
Matilda - Wife - M - 38 - - Uxbridge
Edgar - Son - S - 18 - Painter - Hounslow
Walter - Son - S - 17 - Grocers asst. - Hounslow
Sidrick - Son - S - 16 - - Denham
Albert - Son - - 14 - Bakers asst. - Farnham Bucks
Oliver - Son - - 13 - - Uxbridge
Leonard - Son - - 10 - - Uxbridge
Matilda - Dau - - 9 - - Uxbridge
Lily - Dau - - 5 - - Uxbridge
And then 1881 census is similar again, with a few additional names
1881 - Bakers Yard, Uxbridge
William L Biggs - Head - M - 49 - Painter - Acton
Amelia - Wife - M - 30 - - Uxbridge
Ellen - Dau - - 16 - - Ealing
Fredrick - Son - - 14 - - Ealing
Edgar - Son - - 10 - - Hounslow
Walter - Son - - 8 - - Hounslow
Sidrick - Son - - 6 - - Denham Bucks
Albert - Son - - 5 - - Farnham Bucks
Oliver - Son - - 4 - - Uxbridge
Leonard - Son - - 2 - - Uxbridge
Amelia - Dau - - 6m - - Uxbridge
Thomas - Son - - 12 - - Acton
Back to 1871 census and there are more potential children. William has a different occupation and the daughter born in Ireland is quite odd (Rose?).
1871 - Bath Road, Hounslow
William L Biggs - Head - 37 - Gardener - Acton
Amelia - Wife - 24 - - Uxbridge
Rose? - Dau - 14 - - Ireland
Selina - Dau - 12 - - Uxbridge
Ellen - Dau - 5 - - Brentford
Frederick - Son - 3.5- - Brentford
Thomas - Son - 2 - - Acton
Lewis - Son - 5m - - Hounslow
Fast forward to 1911 Census, this record is found. William is again a Gardener. Unsure who's children Minnie and Eva are. Amelia is listed here as having 11 children, 8 alive and 3 deceased. She also has 43 years of marriage, which would put her marrying William abt 1868, after the birth of some children in the 1871 census.
1911 - Chiltern View, Uxbridge
William Louis/Lewis Biggs - Head - M - 78 - Gardener - Uxbridge
Amelia - Wife - M - 60 - - Uxbridge
Matilda - Dau - S - 28 - Servant - Uxbridge
Lilian - Dau - M - 26 - - Uxbridge
Minnie - G-Dau- - 9 - - Uxbridge
Eva - G-Dau- - 14 - - Uxbridge
Thomas - Son - S - 38 - Gen labourer - Uxbridge
Assuming this is the same family throughout, I'm trying to figure out who is who and find their birth/death details. I only have a sub to Ancestry, so some other systems may offer new clues.
Searching GRO Births for Biggs (maiden Groves) I found:
BIGGS, OLIVER ABRAHAM - GRO Reference: 1877 M Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 31
BIGGS, LEONARD EDGAR - GRO Reference: 1879 M Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 35
BIGGS, AMELIA MATILDA - GRO Reference: 1880 D Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 32
BIGGS, ALICE - GRO Reference: 1883 M Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 34
BIGGS, LYDIA - GRO Reference: 1884 S Quarter in UXBRIDGE Volume 03A Page 33
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