George Alexander Wilson, born 1842

[Macbev]

I didn't stretch to the report of the chap who walked into Bethnal Green Police Station and confessed to the murder of one George Wilson many years previously when working with him in the gold fields of Australia.

Vera

The account of that murder 1857/8 can be read here:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/104086773?searchTerm=George%20Alexander%20Wilson%20murder%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits=

However, a witness stated he thought Wilson was a man in his thirties...your G.A.W would have been abt 16 yrs in 1858

[Karamazov]

The account of that murder 1857/8 can be read here:

https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/104086773?searchTerm=George%20Alexander%20Wilson%20murder%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&searchLimits=

However, a witness stated he thought Wilson was a man in his thirties...your G.A.W would have been abt 16 yrs in 1858

Thanks for posting the link. Thankfully, as you say, not my GAW.

Funnily enough though, the name of the alleged murderer, George Dyer, is the name of another person in my tree, who I am nearly certain was my 2g grandfather's brother - I just haven't been able to prove it conclusively. My George Dyer (if he was indeed mine) has a good alibi though - not sure what he was up to in 1858, but by 1870, he was selling fancy birds, ferrets, etc from a shop on Academy Street, Belfast so not confessing to a murder 12 years later in London. Still gave me a bit of a shock though when his name was highlighted in the article!

Christine.

[Karamazov]

I've had another pointer behind the scenes from Caroline (Frazzled) who says:

There is a marriage 1873 Q1 1c 393 Bethnal Green, the people getting married are George Edward Clark, George Wilson, Amelia Sophia Lavender and Rebecca Poulter. George E Clark definitely married Amelia as I have found them in subsequent censuses. Therefore George Wilson married Rebecca Poulter. I cannot find them on any census returns. I also can't find any Wilson children with MMN Poulter with the right first names for the parents.

Can anyone find out anything more about this 1873 marriage or anything further on this George and Rebecca after 1873 to confirm whether it may be my GAW?

Thanks,
Christine

[Karamazov]

I've had another pointer behind the scenes from Caroline (Frazzled) who says:

There is a marriage 1873 Q1 1c 393 Bethnal Green, the people getting married are George Edward Clark, George Wilson, Amelia Sophia Lavender and Rebecca Poulter. George E Clark definitely married Amelia as I have found them in subsequent censuses. Therefore George Wilson married Rebecca Poulter. I cannot find them on any census returns. I also can't find any Wilson children with MMN Poulter with the right first names for the parents.

Can anyone find out anything more about this 1873 marriage or anything further on this George and Rebecca after 1873 to confirm whether it may be my GAW?

Thanks,
Christine

PS I've just noticed this 1873 marriage reg is as George WILLSON.

[vera2013]

Could be calling him self Joseph

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=LMAmarriages&h=5627541&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=8913

Ancestry
London England C/E Marriages and Banns

09/02/1873

St James the Great Bethnal Green

Joseph Willson signs George, Full Age, Bachelor, ? Farrier, Abode Bethnal Green, Father John George Wilson dec

Rebecca Poulter, Full Age, Spinster, Abode Bethnal Green Father William Dec

Witnesses William and Sarah Dennis

Vera

[Karamazov]

Could be calling him self Joseph

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=LMAmarriages&h=5627541&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=8913

Ancestry
London England C/E Marriages and Banns

09/02/1873

St James the Great Bethnal Green

Joseph Willson signs George, Full Age, Bachelor, ? Farrier, Abode Bethnal Green, Father John George Wilson dec

Rebecca Poulter, Full Age, Spinster, Abode Bethnal Green Father William Dec

Witnesses William and Sarah Dennis

Vera

Thanks for looking Vera but I don't think this is him - no Joseph's in the family, father was always just plain John Wilson, the LL in surname, plus witnesses' names not familiar.
All out of ideas now...
Christine

[Mary from Italy]

I would have thought the one Vera found was a good bet, as the signature certainly looks like George. Maybe the name Joseph was the vicar's mistake?

[Karamazov]

I would have thought the one Vera found was a good bet, as the signature certainly looks like George. Maybe the name Joseph was the vicar's mistake?

I had a look at the original image when I was at the library yesterday (I don't have an active Ancestry sub). Yes, perhaps vicar's mistake recording him as Joseph when he clearly signs as George WILLSON. My gut feeling is still that this isn't my man but I can't find anything further on this couple to rule them in or out, as mentioned in yellow section of post 24.

Christine