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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Norfolk => Topic started by: alstark on Thursday 27 March 25 16:05 GMT (UK)
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I'm trying to trace more detailed records regarding my GGF Peter Walker b abt 1860 - in particular relating to his apprehension in a case of deserting his wife and children, and his subsequent transfer to Dundee where he was convicted of Bigamy. I'm trying to find if there are any clues relating to his parentage - and where he went following his discharge from prison at Dundee. I have details of his arrest warrant and also the record of his imprisonment in Dundee. Various other official documents I have relate to him being a resident of Lowestoft - proven - (from where he deserted his family) and also him being a native of Pwllheli yet the certificate of his marriage to my GGM states he was from Liverpool. I've not been able to validate any of the potential birth records for him, and have also been unable to establish a death date. One of his sons who was married in 1915 stated that his father was deceased - however a younger son's marriage certificate in 1921 fails to indicate he was deceased.
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Any address on a marriage cert is just where he was living at the time of marriage - not an indication he was from Liverpool
Who did he marry & where? Do you have a copy of that marriage cert showing his fathers name?
Did he marry bigamously in Scotland? If so - have you downloaded a copy of the Scottish marriage cert (if available) as Scottish certs contain both parents names & mothers maiden name. But that does assume he didn’t lie about his parentage as well as his previous marriage ::)
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I have all of those documents - The Scottish record gives his father as John Walker (deceased) - a seaman. His mother is named Helen ( also dec) - but no maiden surname. His first marriage at Lowestoft in 1882 to my GGM just gives his father's name as John Walker - a Sailor. 1881 Census record places Peter on board a fishing vessel at Lowestoft - his place of birth is given as Liverpool. I'm pretty certain that it is the correct Peter, as one of his crew mates was one of the witnesses at his wedding. I also have a record of Peter being indentured as an apprentice for 3.5 years on board a fishing vessel at Lowestoft in 1877 - age 17 ( ties in with his age at marriage and 1881 census). The indenture gives his place of birth a Pwllheli. This ties in with his arrest warrant that also indicates he was from Pwllheli. I've been unable to locate the birth of a Peter Walker in Pwllheli or the surrounding area within 10 years of his given birth date, or any likely looking Walkers in the 1861 Census records. None of the Liverpool area births had parents named John & Helen - and none of the 'Johns' were apparently sailors. Desperately trying to break through this brick wall. Other distant relatives (in the USA) are also trying to solve the puzzle - and have posted their assumptions on the various LDS sites - however all I've been able to do is disprove or add significant question marks against them. Nothing seems to tie up.
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Fathers on marriage certificates weren’t always noted as deceased.
Often just the fathers name was given so the fact a son in 1921 didn’t say father deceased doesn’t mean he wasn’t.
Have you checked out Scottish births for him. Why would he be sent to Dundee?
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Are you descended from one of his children?
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Yes - a direct descendant. My GM was his daughter - Rhoda Gertrude Walker. I am also in contact with two distant cousins in the USA one of whom is descended from my Grandmother's elder brother - and the other from one of her younger brothers! I only started on my research some years after my father and his siblings had died - so have no one to ask regarding any memories they may have or stories they'd been told.
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Fathers on marriage certificates weren’t always noted as deceased.
Often just the fathers name was given so the fact a son in 1921 didn’t say father deceased doesn’t mean he wasn’t.
Have you checked out Scottish births for him. Why would he be sent to Dundee?
Checked Scottish Births and deaths with no success. He was arrested in Dundee and sent to Norwich to face the desertion charge brought by his legal wife - my GGM Florence Gertrude Swan - he was then sent back to Dundee to face the bigamy charge for which he was subsequently imprisoned for 30 days at Dundee.
I've been unable to trace him following his release from prison.
1911 welsh census has a Peter boarding in house as a deep sea fisher man - status married. POB Liverpool. There is a discrepancy over his DOB from Marriage Record, Census returns and Prison record. There is nothing to confirm that this is 'our' Peter, however the census indicates that Peter spoke English and Welsh - which gives some credence to him actually having possibly been brought up in Wales rather than Liverpool. One of my cousins in the US spoke to one of Peter's grandsons before he died, and he recollected that he was told his grandfather was Welsh but had never met him as his parents emigrated to Canada, and he was born in Canada.
1924 register of electors a Peter is listed at John Cory Sailor's Rest and Bethel, Charles St, Milford Haven - he would have been around 65 years old at the time
1926 register of electors a Peter Walker at 15 Marblehall Terrace, Milford Haven - renting one furnished room - this would have made him around 67 years old.
I've not been able to find any death record in Wales for a Peter of anything like the correct age.
My father was born in 1920 and the only thing I recollect him saying was that his mother had told him that her father - Peter Walker - was 'a wrong un'
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Maybe a complete red herring, but one to rule out, there maybe others, not checked.
Looking at the Caernarvonshire census for a Peter (no surname) there is a Peter Evans with likely grandparents due to their age.
1871 Bangor
Henry Evans 69 Head
Jane Evans 69 Wife
Peter Evans 10 Son Liverpool
1861 has Poter Evans age 11mths born Birkenhead, with a Henry & Jane. Not sure same family as different address. Possible registration Jun Q 1860 Wirral. No mother maiden so illegitimate.
There is also a John & Ellen/Eleanor living Pwllheli in 1871 with a son Peter b 1859 but surname is Lewis.
In my experience if no records show, there has been a truth stretched. Peter may likely be illegitimate and parents unmarried.
Could have easily travelled or lived at Pwllheli after 1871
Genuki - Pwllheli was a sub-port of Beaumaris between 1840 and 1844 and a sub-port of Caernarfon after 1844. The ports were responsible to the Crown for the registration of shipping and the collection of duties on imports; their shipping registers record details of vessels including the owner, the master, changes of owner, and the eventual fate of the vessel...."
Cas
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This Peter Walker is the right age - death Mar 1929 West Derby Lancs age 68
Maybe he could be ruled out just in case
When do you last have your Peter alive for definite? Not in 1921 anywhere?
Can the Charles St or Marblehall Terrace addresses be found to see if he was at either :-\
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Maybe a complete red herring, but one to rule out, there maybe others, not checked.
Looking at the Caernarvonshire census for a Peter (no surname) there is a Peter Evans with likely grandparents due to their age.
1871 Bangor
Henry Evans 69 Head
Jane Evans 69 Wife
Peter Evans 10 Son Liverpool
1861 has Poter Evans age 11mths born Birkenhead, with a Henry & Jane. Not sure same family as different address. Possible registration Jun Q 1860 Wirral. No mother maiden so illegitimate.
There is also a John & Ellen/Eleanor living Pwllheli in 1871 with a son Peter b 1859 but surname is Lewis.
In my experience if no records show, there has been a truth stretched. Peter may likely be illegitimate and parents unmarried.
Could have easily travelled or lived at Pwllheli after 1871
Genuki - Pwllheli was a sub-port of Beaumaris between 1840 and 1844 and a sub-port of Caernarfon after 1844. The ports were responsible to the Crown for the registration of shipping and the collection of duties on imports; their shipping registers record details of vessels including the owner, the master, changes of owner, and the eventual fate of the vessel...."
Cas
The Lewis name may may be a line worth following. Peter and Florence's 10th child was Alfred Lewis Walker. Peter and Florence's 9th child was Peter Robert Walker who emigrated to Canada - and his 5th Child was Donald Lewis Walker. There was certainly no Lewis ancestor on the Swann side of the family - so it seems odd that the Lewis name crops up twice in Peter's family.
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Oddity re the children all registered Mutford
Alfred William John Walker 1882 mother's maiden name - Swann (he died 1885)
William George Walker 1884 mother's maiden name Swann
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Alfred Hunn Walker 1886 mother's maiden name Britton (he dies 1892)
Sidney Owen Walker 1888 mother's maiden name Britton
Rhoda Gertrude Walker 1890 mother's maiden name Britteon
Peter Robert Walker 1892 mother's maiden name Brittain
Alfred Lewis Walker 1894 mother's maiden name Brittain
Richard Victor Hue 1895 mother's maiden name Britteon
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Baptism at St Margaret's Lowestoft
Parents as Peter and Florence Gertrude Walker
Alfred William John bap 6 August 1882 - born 25 June 1882
William George bap. 3 August 1884 - born 3 July 1884
Gertrude Rhoda bap 16 April 1890
Peter Robert bap 17 June 1892
Richard Hugh bap 3 November 1895
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I found eight children (so far) you have stated there are ten children, six have a different mother's maiden name per GRO Index.
So what was Florence Gertrude's maiden name? Why does it change to Britton(various) after 1884.
Norwich Mercury 3 June 1882.
On 30th Ult at St Margaret's Church, Lowestoft, Peter Walker to Florence Gertrude Swann.
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Notes they maried 30 May 1882 first child born 25 June 1882
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I think I have it.
Florence Gertrude Swan 1858 is the illegitimate daughter of Mary Ann Swan who married John Britton 1859.
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This Peter Walker is the right age - death Mar 1929 West Derby Lancs age 68
Maybe he could be ruled out just in case
When do you last have your Peter alive for definite? Not in 1921 anywhere?
Can the Charles St or Marblehall Terrace addresses be found to see if he was at either :-\
Last definite date for Peter alive is his release from Prison in March 1902.
It's prompted me to search the marriage certificates for two of his other children who were married between 1908 and 1913 children
There is a census record for a Peter Walker lodging at Milford Haven in 1911 - but the fact that he was a trawl fisherman POB Liverpool is possibly just a coincidence.
His Son's marriage record from 1915 indicates Father deceased.
My grandmother's marriage record from 1916 also notes Father deceased
The Milford Haven register of electors from 1915 and into the 1920's has a Peter Walker at the various addresses. He doesn't appear in the 1921 census - but he may possibly have been at sea. I've not been able to track down that section of the 1921 census.