The world-famous SNOOKs of Lymington

[Little Nell]

Hi B.E.,

Emma has done a lot of work there for you.

One extra thing, Elizabeth Broomfield was Elizabeth Jane Snook before her marriage in 1879 (Mar qtr Lymington 2b 769).  Obviously a relation, but not sure whose sister she is!

Henry's wife Charlotte must have died sometime in 1870 or early 1871 unless he was married twice. 

Can you confirm Walter's father's name and occupation from the marriage certificate?

Nell

[B.E.]

Emma and Nell,
Thanks very much for your replies - you've managed to confirm much of what I'd guessed and given me a whole lot more besides.

What I love about this is the speculation (well, mine, anyway!). So what really is the story of the Charlotte Snook who was born in 1870, 5 years after Henry's wife (Charlotte) died? If Henry really did remarry, I'd have thought it asking for trouble to name the new daughter after his first wife! Or was his second wife called Charlotte too? Or was the little girl not really a daughter but a dodgy granddaughter? Either way, there's no mention of a Mrs Henry Snook in the 1881 Census... Nor, for that matter, can I find Elizabeth Snook (b.1848) or Charlotte Snook (b.1870). Any thoughts?

The other interesting feature of the Henry Snook household in 1881 is the presence of William Thomas (son-in-law). I wonder to whom he was married, since none of the daughters have the same surname? To Elizabeth, maybe, who just happened to have popped down to the pub when the census man came round? Or who had died and he, for some reason, was continuing to live with his father-in-law? Can you see any marriages between Thomas and Snook in Lymington between 1871 and 1881?

There's a bit of mystery about that seafaring rogue Walter Charles Snook too. We knew he'd married twice, but conventional wisdom in the family is that the mother of Walter Martell was called Bessie Evans. Can you find any trace of an Elizabeth Evans sneaking into the family at any time?

And we'd really, really, like to discover more about Walter Martell's first wife (this is the official family skeleton in the cupboard, since he purportedly married Gladys Maude Green in 1925 without telling her he's been married previously - she found out when she saw "widower" on the certificate!) My mother-in-law has deep-seated suspicions about a lady called Ruth Hawkins. Any evidence you can find?

Finally, can you tell what happened to William Henry George Snook? He was clearly still alive in 1925, but my mother-in-law (b.1926) has no recollection of him whatsoever.
Cheers,
Brian

[Emsworthy]

Hi Brian,

Snook, Elizabeth
Thomas, William
Marriages
Q Sept 1874
Lymington
Hampshire
Vol2b
Pg 971

Regards, Emma

[Emsworthy]

Also found this possible for Daughter/Granddaughter Charlotte E Snook

Snook, Charlotte E
Death
Age 30
Q June 1902
South Stoneham
Hampshire
Vol 2c
Page 45

Will have a look on the 1891...

Regards, Emma

[Little Nell]

Hi Brian,

Looks at all the information carefully.

There is a Charlotte Snook daughter of Henry and Charlotte born in 1850 or so (see 1851 census info).  However, she is not present in 1861.

There is a Charlotte Snook daughter of Henry & Charlotte Snook born 1870 or so (see 1871 census info).  However she is not present in 1881.  ( I note she was Charlotte Elizabeth.  A Charlotte E Snook died in South Stoneham RD in 1902 aged 30. - ah, I see Emma has found that too.)

Charlotte Snook, wife of Henry, mother perhaps of both Charlottes?, must have died 1870 - 1871.  (Alive when daughter born, dead by March/April 1871 when census taken).

The death index records of Charlotte Snook in 1851 and 1865 do not give an age.  The one in 1851 could be the daughter born in 1850.  It is not necessarily the mother.  Also there are an awful lot of Snooks about in Hampshire!  You cannot be sure unless you get the certificate

You are also quite correct - "daughter" Charlotte in 1871 could really be granddaughter.  But that would be difficult if the enumerator knew the family.

There comes a point - and you are very close to it - when you have to obtain verification.  Otherwise, you may find yourself creating a few myths and skeletons yourself!  

Nell

[Emsworthy]

Have found this...just to add to the confusion! 

1891

1 Townell? Street, Widnes

Thos Wilkinson, Head, 24, ?? Labourer, Widnes
Martha Wilkinson, Wife, 23, Willaston Cheshire
Louis Thomas, Boarder, 25, M, France
Charlotte Thomas, Boarder, 20, M, Lymington Hants

RG12/3011 Pg52



Thomas, Louis
Snook, Charlotte
Marriage
Q Sept 1890
Llanelly
Carmarthenshire Glamorgan
Vol 11a
Page 13


Which conflicts with Charlotte Snook dying in 1902...unless she changed her name back again?  Or there's more than one....

Regards, Emma

[B.E.]

Emma & Nell,
Thanks again for your searching on my behalf - it's cracking stuff! I take Nell's advice on board about the verification, but half the fun of this is the invention of the skeletons. We've debunked several family illusions already, but made sure we've replaced them with other mini-scandals!!

I'm liking the look of Elizabeth's 1874 marriage to William Thomas, but it would be nice to know where she was in 1881. No death to report?

Given that the recorded deaths of the two Charlottes in 1851 (baby) and 1865 (mother) are indeed our people, then I'm not sure where Nell's still coming from with her idea that Charlotte Snr was the mother of the third Charlotte (b.1870). Am I missing something?

Emma's tale of Louis and Charlotte in Widnes is fascinating, however difficult it is to authenticate. Charlotte Thomas (nee Snook) ties in neatly with the third Charlotte in the Bath Rd household, but was she really marrying a Thomas in Llanelli (albeit Louis was born in France), when she used to live in Lymington with a William Thomas (born in Pembury, Llanelli)? If she was indeed William & Elizabeth Thomas' daughter, did she end up marrying her half-brother or uncle or cousin? The woman who died in South Stoneham in 1902 may, I guess, have reverted to her maiden name after hubby's death/divorce/disappearance, but you're right: there were a dickens of a lot of Snooks around in those days!

Any clues to Henry Snook's parentage from the 1841 census?
Cheers,
Brian

[Lesanne]

Didn't we "do" this family in one of the monthly challenges.
    I've been searching for it on site    perhaps not.  But the names are so familiar.
                                       

[Lesanne]

  Found it.  July one  with the BALCH family.   
        Snook family was elusive then, if I remember rightly.