Genealogy Chat

Rose
Thank you for your help yesterday. I've been thinking about this overnight. If William had been adopted, then how would I find out?
In the 1911 census, Alice shows as a widow, and said she had 1 child born and still living. Presumably she could say what she wanted if William had been adopted. However, it still doesn't explain why Elsie was shown as a daughter in the 1891 census.

Sue

Rose
Sorry I couldn't get back to you earlier. Teenagers/competers! No, I hadn't seen that thread, and I'm just trying to work it out. Will get back to you shortly
Sue

Have you seen this thread?

http://www.genesreunited.co.za/boards.asp?wci=thread&tk=853517

Rose

Sue,

I'm wondering if Willie might be adopted. Alice and William married in 1876 and yet William was born c1887 and was an only child.

Rose

Hi
Yes, the 1891 census does seem a little strange. Willie is the son of Alice, although shown as boarder - (the entry a couple of lines further up the page also shows a boy as a boarder) I don't know if he had a sister - my mother said he'd never mentioned one, and I'm now wondering if the enumerator misheard the relationship!
I don't have Willie's birth certificate - I couldn't find his entry either.

Thank you for looking.
Sue

Do you have Willie's birth cert? I can't find his birth.

Rose

Willie is listed as boarder in 1891 and Elsie is listed as daughter.

Rose

The relationships shown in 1891 are strange.

ARE they brother and sister..?

Gwyn

Thank you very much for your help Paula.

There's an Elsie Lingham, born 1890 in Catford, in the 1901 census, but no relation to my family. However, I can't find her, or her family, in the 1891 census, and it's a bit of a very longshot, but perhaps she was staying at my family's house for some reason, and her name was recorded incorrectly, as was her relationship. And perhaps, there was no sister at all. Which would certainly explain all the missing records!

Thanks again, it's certainly got me thinking, even if not in the direction I was expecting to go.

Paula
It's possible her name was registered incorrectly at birth, but doesn't explain why there appear to be no further records for her.
Also, I've looked at the 1911 census, and her mother, Alice, states that she's only had one child, who was still alive - I've assumed that to be Alice's son William who was still living with her at the time. It just doesn't make sense to me somewhere.

Sorry Paula, I meant apparently he had a sister, as we knew nothing about her previously. I have looked at the 1891 census, and although she's listed on a different page to the rest of the family, she is there.

Have you seen the 1891 census as you say "apparently listed" on the 1891

Just wondering if the name has been mistranscribed

Births Dec 1889 (>99%)
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Lingham Elsie Gwendoline L Lewisham 1d 1139

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My gggrandfather had a sister apparently, listed on the 1891 census as Elsie Lampkin, born 1890 in Sydenham. I can't find any other records for her at all. I've looked for a birth, she's not in the 1901 census (although my gggfather and his widowed mother are), I can't find a record of her death, and she doesn't appear to have married. Where can I try next please?