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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: sophiamarina on Saturday 02 September 23 19:40 BST (UK)
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Hello,
I'm a bit stuck working backwards from this one. I believe he was born on 20/01/1890 (from later naval records), and appears as a 1 year old in the 1891 census:
Hampshire/Portsea/Kingston/District 49
RG12/860
on the fourth row down, below mum and older sister.
Dad is not on the census, and I don't know his name. I also don't have any details about his parents' marriage or the birth of his older sister Ethel. The census gives his mum's first name as Eliza and a place of birth of Battersea, but I can't find her on any earlier documents.
It's a while since I last looked at this one properly, but I remember various false starts where I found similar couples but then there would always be some inconsistency. If anyone is willing to lend a fresh pair of eyes to it, I'd be glad of a fresh perspective!
Many thanks.
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p18 of the census, to add to the references already given. Let me know if you need more details.
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https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/Login.asp
Births Mar 1890
JORDAN, WILLIAM THOMAS ARTHUR mothers maiden name KING
GRO Reference: 1890 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 526
Possible marriage
Marriages Dec 1886
Jordan Edward Alfred St. Olave 1d 568
KING Elizabeth Jane St Olave 1d 568
Have you looked for the 1901 entry?
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Baptised Portsea 5/2/90, born 20/01/90, father William Thomas(?) stoker R.N. The writing is bad in the register, but mother could be Eliza Ruth.
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Births Mar 1869
KING Eliza Ruth Portsea 2b 482
Full 1891 entry
Eliza Jordan 22 wife b Battersea
Ethel B 2 b Battersea
William T A 1 b Portsmouth
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There is no Jordan/King marriage. Given Ethel was b Battersea - no birth reg under Jordan or King
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Just as a side note and question. Came across this entry here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1948_Birthday_Honours
1948 Birthday Honours
Military List
Royal Navy
Engineer Captain William Thomas Arthur Jordan OBE, (Retired).
Is this connected to your searches?
Monica
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William's death registration in 1976 confirms the date of birth you have for him:
1st Qrt 1976
WILLIAM THOMAS A JORDAN
20JA1890
HASTINGS
Ref 18/1457
A probate entry following his death gives his address as 137 Marina, St Leonards on Sea.
Monica
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baptism to go with the Eliza Ruth King birth in Portsea
St Barnabas
21 August 1879 Eliza Ruth born 14 Dec 1868 daughter of John, baker, & Ann King Holloway street
also Naomi born 14 Jan 1871 & Elizabeth Ann 28 Dec 1867
1871 census John's place of birth is Battersea RG10/1140 folio 70 pg 20
1881 with a different wife https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q274-FN3D
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marriages
Eliza Ruth King june qtr 1885 Portsea vol 2b pg 776 to either Thomas Adams or Josiah Paul Millett
then a divorce from Josiah Paul Millett in 1889 - reason Eliza's adultery with William Jordan
and remarriage
Eliza Millett march qtr 1890 Portsea vol 2b pg 544 with William Jordan on the same page
but also
Eliza Ruth Millett sept qtr 1894 vol 2b pg 959 to William Martin or Frederick John Cosgrave
birth reg
Ethel Jordan Millett june qtr 1888 Poplar mmn King
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Great finds, osprey :)
The Eliza King, daughter of John and Ann, is not the right one unfortunately. She shows in her father's household in 1891 in Portsea, already married to a Henry Blower:
John King 52 b. Battersea
Henry Blower 32 son in law
Elizabeth King/Blower 24 daughter
Naomi King 20 daughter
Monica
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From your marriage details, osprey, Eliza looks to have married William Martin. 1901 census for them in Sheppey, Kent:
William Martin 44 b. Shepton Mallet, Somerset
Eliza Martin 30 Wife b. Battersea
Ethel Martin 12 b. Bromley by Bow, London
William T Martin 11 b. Portsmouth
Albert J Martin 5 b. Portsmouth
Added: There is a note on the census transcript that someone has added for youngest Albert:
Albert John Martin, son of Eliza Ruth Martin, of 36 Devonshire Ave, Southsea, Portsmouth, and the late Lieut William Martin (RN). Musician Royal Marine Band (RMB/1741). Killed, aged 21, after HMS Vanguard was destroyed by an internal explosion at Scapa Flow 09/07/1917. Commemorated on Chatham Naval Memorial. Source: CWGC Casaualty Details data base.
Monica
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The family in 1911 with one more child, www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XW3R-24X
Monica
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The Eliza King, daughter of John and Ann, is not the right one unfortunately. She shows in her father's household in 1891 in Portsea, already married to a Henry Blower:
John King 52 b. Battersea
Henry Blower 32 son in law
Elizabeth King/Blower 24 daughter
Naomi King 20 daughter
Too many Eliza/beths ::) John and Ann (Hinton) King did have two daughters with those names:
KING, ELIZA RUTH HINTON
GRO Reference: 1869 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 482
KING, ELIZABETH ANN HINTON
GRO Reference: 1868 M Quarter in PORTSEA ISLAND Volume 02B Page 466
It was Elizabeth Ann who showed in 1891, having married Henry Blower. Elizabeth Ruth's life is clearer now. (Bad me...missed looking at the 1881 link you posted osprey!).
Odd that Eliza Ruth was so specific about being born in Battersea. Her 1911 census entry actually gives York Road in Battersea as her birth place.
Monica
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Wow, thank you, all! Gosh, what a life for young Eliza - such a very young bride and then (looking at newspaper articles about the divorce) immediately left alone for years with husband at sea. Funnily enough, this is the third instance I've come across in family history research (albeit different families) of young naval brides running off with a different sailor! And then a third husband so soon after - I'll have to find out what happened to Mr Jordan in the interim!
Armed with the info you have all kindly given, I will be able to find out more about the families and previous generations. Thank you.
One thing that surprises me is that they could afford a divorce - I would have imagined it might be beyond the reach of people in these kinds of jobs. (Though it seems like the Navy would have been wise to set up a divorce fund, given how often wives ran off!). Am I off base here, or is it indeed unusual? I guess once I learn more about the family, I might find out if there was money somewhere that might have been called in.
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possible birth reg for son Harold
Harold Alfred Martin march qtr 1908 Havant vol 2b pg 382 mmn King
death reg Eliza R Martin 67 march qtr 1936 Portsmouth vol 2b pg 832
parish marriage for sister Elizabeth Ann
St James, Milton, Portsea 2 Feb 1884
Henry Blower 24 bach omnibus driver 6 Bradford Road father Henry Blower fruiterer
Elizabeth Ann King 18 spin 1 Holloway St father John King baker
witnesses William Henry Blake & Elizabeth Blake
parish marriage for Eliza
St James Milton 2 March 1890
William Jordan 34 bach RN HMS Asia father Arthur Jordan dec. pensioner
Eliza Millett 22 spinster 85 Marys? Road father Arthur Millett baker
witnesses Thomas Burnell & Harriett Burnell
Not entirely truthful!
Wonder what happened to William Jordan? There is this census from 1901?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSFQ-SXN
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parish marriage for Eliza
St James Milton 2 March 1890
William Jordan 34 bach RN HMS Asia father Arthur Jordan dec. pensioner
Eliza Millett 22 spinster 85 Marys? Road father Arthur Millett baker
witnesses Thomas Burnell & Harriett Burnell
Not entirely truthful!
Wonder what happened to William Jordan?
There is this census from 1901?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSFQ-SXN
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William Jordan
Birth Date 27 Nov 1854
Birth Place Portsmouth, Hants
First Service Date 4 Nov 1879
First Ship Served On Asia
Last Service Date 31 Mar 1903
Last Ship Served On D of Welln II
Service Number 110718
Could this be the William from 1901 census on 1911c, noted as female on Anc*y
William Jordan age 58
Address 19 Rudmore Road, Landport, Portsmouth
Marital Status Widower
Occupation Naval Pensioner Stoker
Registration District Number 90
Sub-registration district North End and Buckland
Piece 5479
Possible death entry
William Jordan
Death Age 72
Registration Quarter Oct-Nov-Dec 1926
Registration district Portsmouth Hampshire
Volume 2b Page 576
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that could well be him!
This 1861 entry looks a match to detail of father from marriage entry
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWMM-WSW
birth regs
Martha Ann Jordan june qtr 1845 Portsea vol 7 pg 127 mmn Dring
Thomas William Jordan sept qtr 1853 Portsea vol 2b pg 316 mmn Dring - but this doesn't match with a November birth date
marriage reg Arthur Jordan march qtr 1853 Portsea vol 2b pg 550 with Martha Dring on the same page
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death reg Eliza R Martin 67 march qtr 1936 Portsmouth vol 2b pg 832
For info....
1 February 1936 Portsmouth Evening News
Woman’s Death in Commercial Road
A Fareham Pensioner?
A woman collapsed and died in Commercial Road this morning just after 11 o’clock outside the Midland Bank, almost facing the junction of Edinburgh Road. Her name is believed to be Mrs. Eliza Ruth Martin of Highland Road Fareham, a pensioner. Police Ambulance was summoned PC Boyland took woman to Royal Portsmouth Hospital where she was seen by Dr Havard who testified that death had taken place.
3 February 1936 Portsmouth Evening News
Fareham
Woman Identified - The identity of the woman who collapsed and died in Commercial Road on Saturday Morning has been established. She was Mrs. Eliza Ruth Martin living at 29 Highland Road, Fareham. She used to live there alone.