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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Essex => England => Essex Lookup Requests => Topic started by: PhiltheBear on Friday 14 December 12 18:31 GMT (UK)
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I have a bit of a mystery with Lavinia Ballard.
She appears on the 1871 census as 'Loreiner' the Granddaughter, aged 7, birth year 1864, of Thomas Ballard (aged 54) but it would appear that the only possibility in the family of being her father would be Thomas Ballard (aged 23) and that seems unlikely. There doesn't appear to be a daughter who could have been her mother.
On the 1881 census she has joined the household of Henry Eyre, the Vicar, aged 16, birth year 1865. It would seem a bit unlikely that he'd take in a servant who was born out of wedlock. However, I'd be fairly certain that she would have been baptised.
Could any kind person with access to church records for Great Totham see if any of the following events occurred:
a) Lavinia's baptism c1864/5
b) Any marriage with a male Ballard shortly before 1865
c) Any death of a male Ballard between 1864 and 1871
I would be truly grateful, she is my great grandmother, and trying to find her parents is driving me nuts!
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Hi and welcome
If you follow the Ballard family backwards to 1851 - they had a daughter called Sarah who was then 6yrs old. I suspect Lavinia is her illegitimate daughter
They are indexed as Ballad in 1851 HO107 Piece 1778 Folio 602 Page 19
1871 for Sarah
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VBX6-F64
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Freebmd has a marriage in December qtr 1873 Sarah Ann Ballard to Edward Holmes in the Maldon registration district which covered Gt Totham
Here is the 1881 entry - Sarah's birthyear is 1845 and all are b Gt Totham
Edward Holmes 38 farm labourer
Sarah 36
George E 6
Charles 4
Edith May 1
RG11 Piece 1777 Folio 44 Page 3
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Carole, you are a star!! It was the indexing of Ballard as Ballad that stumped me. It would seem that Sarah would indeed be the likeliest candidate. I owe you one!
(I'm not sure about the Family Search record though - there is a Sarah Ann of the same age as Sarah, but she was born in Burnham)
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Unfortunately there is nothing online on the usual websites to check the 1873 marriage to see if Sarah's father was Thomas
Nothing online for Lavinia's baptism either
There may be local transcriptions so fingers crossed