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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Jilly-Bean on Sunday 03 November 24 04:09 GMT (UK)
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(Hi! I'm new to Roots Chat so I hope this get to the right posting site!)
I have a large family of Brooks, and they have an adopted son, Thomas ESPLEY, who first appeared in the 1911 Wales Census, aged 12. The family is headed by John William Parkhouse BROOKS and his wife Mary Louisa, nee TOBY, and they live in Shotton, Flintshire. with 3 of their 8 (natural) children and Thomas, who is listed as "adopted son".
John and Mary say they had 9 children in all, 5 of whom are still living in 1911. From first to last, 8 of the (natural) children's birth dates are 1869 to 1892, with Thomas born in 1898. I asumed that they included Thomas as their son when counting their children, because I have been unable to find any other children for them.
I found a Birth record for Thomas for Q2 1898 at Birkenhead, Ches and a Death record for Q4 1927 at Hawarden, Flintshire. The only other mention I can find for Thomas is that 1911 Census.
Is there anyone who can shed a bit more light on Thomas? I suspect he may have been the illegitimate son of a male Brooks and female Espley, but other than that I am at a loss, so any help would be appreciated!
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Hi there,
On the GRO index, Thomas' mother's maiden name is listed as TAYLOR
There is a possible younger sister, Ellen, born 1900 Birkenhead, but died the same year.
Possibly parents' marriage? https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CX94-BSMM
In 1901 he is living with his mother's brother James:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSX9-54T
His father may be this man listed as widowed:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XS6Y-WR8
I think Wilhelmina might have died in 1900, but her death is indexed as ASPLEY rather than Espley.
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There is a possible younger sister, Ellen, born 1900 Birkenhead, but died the same year.
There is a news article on an inquiry into the death of baby Ellen posted in the 25 Apr 1900 edition of the Birkenhead News.
It states the father was Thomas Espley, a coachman, which matches the occupation of the potential widowed father Jorose posted above.
Thomas Espley's address was given as 30, Fairfax-Road, Higher, Tranmere. Addresses can come in handy!
Baby Ellen died of pleurisy and pneumonia.
We can't discuss the 1921 census for copyright reasons, but I can mention that the adopted Thomas was listed under his adopted surname of Brooks.
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Thank you, both Jorose and bbart! A great help off the starting blocks! I'm still a tad baffled why John and Mary Brooks adopted him. There has to be some connexion there! I'll keep looking!
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In many cases fostering/adoption would have happened without any specific link. The uncle who he was living with in 1901 also lived in Hawarden and his son was born in Shotton, so it's possible the families knew each other socially / attended the same church.
However, it's also possible that the Taylors simply weren't able to care for him long-term and a foster placement was organised by local authorities.
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Thomas Espley married Wilhelmina T Taylor in 1897 @ Our Lady & St Nicholas Liverpool
www.lancashirebmd.org.uk
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Thomas appears to have remarried on 24.12.1905 at St Nicholas to Mary Taylor - widow
Thomas was 32 - widower - occ coachman - father Richard - occ coachman
Mary was 38 - widow - father William Plimley/Plemley?? occ coachman
Witnesses Charles & Ada Vickers
Baptism for Thomas 7.3.1875 St James Birkenhead parents Richard & Mary
Thomas died 1935 Birkenhead
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I found a Birth record for Thomas for Q2 1898 at Birkenhead, Ches and a Death record for Q4 1927 at Hawarden, Flintshire. The only other mention I can find for Thomas is that 1911 Census.
You may already know this digital images are available for his death and birth but just in case you don't.......
A digital image is Digital Image (JPEG)
Cost £3.00.
Image available to view once payment is complete and a link to the image is provided on the order confirmation screen
ESPLEY, THOMAS 28
GRO Reference: 1927 D Quarter in HAWARDEN Volume 11B Page 261
Not sure if this is the same Thomas Espley father Thomas
Custom House Lane Board (Infants) School, Connah's Quay
National School Admission Registers & Log-Books 1870-1914 image on F M P
Admission date 1893 yob 1898 ???
Have added a snippet as it’s been altered
Welcome to Rootshcat :)
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Thomas Espley married Wilhelmina T Taylor in 1897 @ Our Lady & St Nicholas Liverpool
www.lancashirebmd.org.uk
Married Wilhelmina Taylor on 11 Jul 1897, his res. 1 Spellow Place, age 23, occ coachman, single,
father Richard, coachman - image available to view on F M P
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Can't find a death for Wilhelmina prior to 1905 but Thomas shows himself as a widower on that second marriage cert - see Edit below
Wilhelmina Theodora Taylor was b Sept qtr 1879 West Derby
Baptised St Peters Liverpool - birthdate 28.6.1879 bap 20.8.1879. Parents Thomas & Margaretta Theodora
EDIT - DEATH TRANSCRIBED AS ASPLEY
Wilhelmina aged 27 Dec qtr 1900 Birkenhead 8a 316
Not a mistranscription as it is Aspley on the full GRO index
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Thanks everyone for your input(s). I now have a 'proper' family to attach poor little Thomas to! I should have realised that there would not be any formal adoption for Thomas because adoptions in the UK weren't formalised until 1925 - I know this from my own Mother who had been fostered but never formally adopted. So I am pleased to see that the Brooks family were as welcoming to Thomas as our 'Nainie' was to my Mother.
I noted that Thomas Sr is living in the 1911 Census with his new wife, Mary, but only her children, as they are all surnamed Taylors. On their marriage record, both Thomas and Mary are listed as 'widowed', so these would have been Mary's children from her previous marriage.
Once again, thanks everyone for your help. I can't help myself, I hate to leave poor 'orphan' children with no-one to attach them to!
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The Taylor children births show her maiden name as Plimley. Given her age there wouldn't be any children from the 1905 marriage. She was a lot older than Thomas. If you look at the 1891/1901 entries - she had around 10 children with husband George Henry Taylor - marriage was 1877
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Thanks, CaroleW! I wondered about the 9 children on the 1911 Census. I wondered if the 'one had died' might have been Ellen. I also couldn't find any Espley children from their marriage, but given she was 38 when they married, she was probably quite 'old' for child-bearing by then.
BTW, I found a birth record for Wilhelmia at Birkenhead in Q1 1873 (Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, Volume 8a, Page 500) which tied in with her age (24) at marriage and death (27) in 1900, The baptism for this Wilhelmina was at Holy Trinity, Birkenhead and her parents were William and Sarah Taylor. Again, her Father is listed as William on the marriage record.
It's been an amazing journey finding so much for 'Tom Jr' (as I call him to differentiate from his Father, Tom Sr!) and I'm grateful to everyone who pointed me in the right direction!
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She was nearer to 50 when they married. She married George Taylor 1877 & was born in the mid 1850's
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Yes, I did wonder about her age because it said on the marriage record that she was 38 (and it looked quite clear) but then on the 1911 Census, she's listed as 55?! Someone was telling porkies then! Still we mustn't mock a lady for keeping her age quiet, must we! ::) :D
I shall stick with the 55, and stop looking for more little Espleys!!