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William Louis/Lewis Biggs and family

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  • William Louis/Lewis Biggs and family

    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

  • #2
    Wen I see a marriage after the birth of some children, it always makes me think that the man had been married before, and that the children are from that first marriage.

    If Rose is his daughter and was born in Ireland, could William have been in the British Army and stationed in Ireland when he married the first time?
    My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

    Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

    Comment


    • #3
      Potentially Sylvia, I haven't really explored the Ireland connection much.

      There's an 1861 England Census record that has a William Biggs (27 born Acton) living with wife Susanna Biggs, and children Charles, Arthur, Rosa and Ellenor, but I'm not sure if this is the same person/family.

      Comment


      • #4
        I don't mind having a search around, but a bit busy on and off this week.

        thought it worth highlighting that you have another thread https://www.familytreeforum.com/show...rd-Edgar-Biggs

        as there are links on there.

        I am learning all the time on here, and have noticed that those families in the Kensington area are often ex army as they leave the Chelsea Barracks, and see Leonard joined the army also. So following Sylvias observation too, worth pursuing any Ancestry records on this.
        Carolyn
        Family Tree site

        Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
        Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

        Comment


        • #5
          Sorry meant to say like Sylvia said the early children must be from earlier marriage as Amelia too young.

          Can see maiden name Aldrige, is for 3 children on FMP
          Biggs Ellen 1865 Brentford
          Biggs Selina 1861 Uxbridge
          Biggs William Leurs 1864 Croydon
          you should be able to find them on GRO

          possibly all good destinations for barracks
          Last edited by cbcarolyn; 29-01-20, 09:52.
          Carolyn
          Family Tree site

          Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
          Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
            Sorry meant to say like Sylvia said the early children must be from earlier marriage as Amelia too young.

            Can see maiden name Aldrige, is for 3 children on FMP
            Biggs Ellen 1865 Brentford
            Biggs Selina 1861 Uxbridge
            Biggs William Leurs 1864 Croydon
            you should be able to find them on GRO

            possibly all good destinations for barracks
            I haven't seen anything so far that links him to the military, but it may be there somewhere.

            There's a William Lewis Biggs marrying Louisa Aldred in 1851 in Bucks.

            GRO also has both these children with mothers name Aldred.
            Biggs Frederick 1867 Brentford
            Biggs Thomas Clent 1868 Brentford

            I wonder if Aldred and Aldridge are the same lady? It's hard to determine if this is all the same family without more evidence of them living together.

            Some of Amelia Groves' children seem to be registered with her maiden name as Grove.

            Comment


            • #7
              The 1851 marriage to Louisa lists Joseph Biggs as the father, whilst the marriage between a William Biggs and Susanna Ellis (who's in the 1861 census) lists the father as John Biggs. So at least these two are different William Biggs.

              I can't find any record on Ancestry of William marrying Amelia Groves, nor can I find them in the 1861 census so far.. so I'm thinking that since the Rosa child was born in Ireland, maybe they were actually living there/got married there at the time?

              At this point I think Susanna Ellis/Biggs is a red herring, but can't totally discount it yet I guess.

              Comment


              • #8
                I am wondering if the susanna biggs in 1861 is your family and the enumerator was having problems.



                Susanna is in fact Louisa, and the rest of the children fit with alred/aldridge/aldredge, I am sure Charles is 4 on there and not 7 as transribed by Ancestry, he has been written out of age order. Then Rose in Ireland is a complete red herring from 1851, and she is from Hayes as this. Louisa is from Hillingdon, maybe on this census?

                the children on this census do not tie up with Ellis maiden name, and the marriage is 1868 for Susannah Elis

                I think all the children can be found on GRO except Rose.
                Last edited by cbcarolyn; 30-01-20, 08:54.
                Carolyn
                Family Tree site

                Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                Comment


                • #9
                  Louisa's father is James on the transcription on Ancestry for the Marriage that I found, and there is this baptism


                  Williams father is down as Joseph
                  Last edited by cbcarolyn; 30-01-20, 09:11.
                  Carolyn
                  Family Tree site

                  Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                  Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I hadn't even considered Louisa and Susanna were the same person! Not sure how that name could be there instead. Nothing mentioned on her baptism record so assume it's not a second name.

                    You're right though, there's a charles and an arthur that fit the timeline with the surname Aldred. Not sure how I missed that before.

                    I assume there's no other records from that time (other than census) that might show them living together?

                    Originally posted by cbcarolyn View Post
                    I am wondering if the susanna biggs in 1861 is your family and the enumerator was having problems.



                    Susanna is in fact Louisa, and the rest of the children fit with alred/aldridge/aldredge, I am sure Charles is 4 on there and not 7 as transribed by Ancestry, he has been written out of age order. Then Rose in Ireland is a complete red herring from 1851, and she is from Hayes as this. Louisa is from Hillingdon, maybe on this census?

                    the children on this census do not tie up with Ellis maiden name, and the marriage is 1868 for Susannah Elis

                    I think all the children can be found on GRO except Rose.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by pearlyred View Post
                      I hadn't even considered Louisa and Susanna were the same person! Not sure how that name could be there instead. Nothing mentioned on her baptism record so assume it's not a second name.

                      You're right though, there's a charles and an arthur that fit the timeline with the surname Aldred. Not sure how I missed that before.

                      I assume there's no other records from that time (other than census) that might show them living together?

                      Many people used (probably still do!) names that they were not given at baptism or on registration!

                      I have one friend who was given a different name when she began work as a technician at an English university, purely and simply because the Chief Technician (her boss) didn't want 2 people with the same name, and he already had another girl with friend's given name.

                      She had a lot to do with students, 100s of them over the years, and any from the mid-50s to late 60s know her only by the "false" name ............... except the boys who dated her got to know her real name! It can lead to some interesting conversations of "Do you remember ..........." between people who know or don't know the facts!

                      OH knew but I didn't until a couple of years after we married when we had that conversation
                      Last edited by Sylvia C; 31-01-20, 21:41.
                      My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

                      Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I also found a couple of other children born in the same region that match Biggs/Aldred, both of which seem to have died young, which may explain them not being on the 1861 census. They both died in the same quarter of the same year, so could be interesting to find out why.

                        This is what I potentially have so far:

                        1851 - William Lewis Biggs marries Louisa Aldred - Langley Bucks

                        1852 - Birth of Ann Maria Biggs/Aldred - Uxbridge
                        1853 - Birth of Walter Biggs/Aldridge - Uxbridge
                        1854 - Death of Ann Maria Biggs age 2 - Kensington
                        1854 - Death of Walter Biggs age 1 - Kensington
                        1855 - Birth of Arthur Biggs/Aldred - Kensington
                        1857 - Birth of Charles James Biggs/Aldred - Uxbridge
                        1861 - Birth of Selina Biggs/Aldridge - Uxbridge
                        1864 - Birth of William Lewis Biggs/Aldridge - Croydon?
                        1865 - Birth of Ellen Biggs/Aldridge - Brentford
                        1867 - Birth of Frederick Biggs/Aldred - Brentford
                        1868 - Birth of Thomas Clent Biggs/Aldred - Brentford

                        ???? Rose/Rosa
                        ???? Ellennor

                        This is all prior to him marrying Amelia Groves. Unsure about William Lewis, born in Croydon. Seems a bit odd compared to the others who are pretty consistent in region. He also doesn't appear on the 1871 census with the rest of the family, so he either died or he's not part of this family.

                        Assuming this is on the right track, current questions are:

                        1. Who is Rose/Rosa Biggs? Where/when born..
                        2. Is William Lewis Biggs part of this family? Did he die before the 1871 census?
                        3. Who is Ellennor Biggs in the 1861 census. Is this Selina in later census?
                        4. What happened to Louisa Aldred..why did William remarry?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I can't find Rose birth at all, but will have another look, now that it looks as though on the right track

                          I think this is Louisa burial - Acton is Ealing


                          Will look at q 2 and 4 tomorrow
                          Carolyn
                          Family Tree site

                          Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                          Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Oh good catch Carolyn. That would have her dying shortly after the birth of Thomas Clent Biggs, perhaps from complications? Death is on GRO so will be able to get a cert for it.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Does the age fit?? Brentford is the Registration District that includes Acton and Ealing

                              from GRO

                              BIGGS, LOUISA 38
                              GRO Reference: 1868 D Quarter in BRENTFORD Volume 03A Page 54


                              Sorry, I missed that you already knew the death was on GRO
                              Last edited by Sylvia C; 01-02-20, 03:18.
                              My grandmother, on the beach, South Bay, Scarborough, undated photo (poss. 1929 or 1930)

                              Researching Cadd, Schofield, Cottrell in Lancashire, Buckinghamshire; Taylor, Park in Westmorland; Hayhurst in Yorkshire, Westmorland, Lancashire; Hughes, Roberts in Wales.

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Potentially Syliva. It's not perfect..

                                Her marriage (March 1851) has her age as 19 and puts her DOB around 1832. She was also baptised in 1832.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  I notice that he was soon quick to move in with another, barely a gap in children, I wasn't certain it was her. As he has children with him in census and he remarried (although not found that record), I assumed that she must have died.
                                  Carolyn
                                  Family Tree site

                                  Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                  Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    I am quite fancying this death as one of yours too:


                                    Name: William Lewis Biggs
                                    Age: 18 months
                                    Record Type: Burial
                                    Birth Date: abt 1851
                                    Death Date: abt 1852
                                    Burial Date: 11 Aug 1852
                                    Burial Place: Hayes, Hillingdon, England
                                    Register Type: Parish Register

                                    birth would have been March 1851, which seems not obviously found....same time as marriage.

                                    I feel his first born would have his name.
                                    Carolyn
                                    Family Tree site

                                    Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                    Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Ooh, interesting. I hadn't seen that one, but the dates work well.

                                      Comment


                                      • #20
                                        did have another look for a birth and failed.

                                        I did wonder if this is them in 1851 (a railway porter) https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interacti...69/edit/record

                                        odd to be all the way in Royston, but guess only a train trip away.

                                        that would mean he could have been born there and then they returned straightaway. Only one William Biggs and don't fancy MMN

                                        Do you have 1851 census?

                                        after that he is a gardener, but it could be an acceptable career change. I assume he is working in Cranford House as he put 'Cranford'

                                        Rose is nowhere to be seen.
                                        Carolyn
                                        Family Tree site

                                        Researching: Luggs, Freeman - Cornwall; Dayman, Hobbs, Heard - Devon; Wilson, Miles - Northants; Brett, Everett, Clark, Allum - Herts/Essex
                                        Also interested in Proctor, Woodruff

                                        Comment

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