The mysterious Jane CARVER

[janan]

Hi
I've been puzzling over Jane for some while- these are the facts

Jane CARVER was baptised in Wrestlingworth 17 Jun 1835 daughter of Young and Mercy - given their laisse faire attitude to baptising their children this is not necessarily a close indication of her age

Jane is not with Young and Mercy or anywhere else I can see in 41/51

In 1861 Jane Carver Serv unm 28 Cook born Wrestlingworth is in Bedford

1871 she is a Servant in Wrestlingworth age 38 living with brother Alfred and widowed mother Mercy

1874 Jane Carver Grocer of Wrestlingworth was guilty of having off-balance scales

1881 is a Grocer in Wrestlingworth age 48 with brother Alfred


Jane CARVER singlewoman age 73 died of Apoplexy Wrestlingworth July 25th 1890 an inquest was held

Did she just look 16 years older at death? Or was she actually older than the age she gave on censuses? If she was only 8 in 1841 where on earth was she - no sign of her anywhere?

Now in 1820, 2 years before Young and Mercy married there is a bastardy recognisance but no subsequent child - maybe Mercy miscarried or could Jane be this child?

In 1851 there is a 24 year old Rosa Carver bound server to a Grocer in Houghton Regis - Rosa gives a birthplace as Luton, I have not found her on any other census, could she be Jane?

And in 1841 in Newport Pagnell there is a 20 year old Jane BIRD (Mercy's maidenname) servant to a Grocer - again I can't find her on other censuses. Could she be my Jane?

Any thoughts?

Cheers
Jan

[lizdb]

This is a real mystery. I have been trying to do some detective work, but have got no where! But I will run through what I have done, to avoid duplication!

The census entries are consistant - age 28,38,48 and living with family members, so I think it is likely those three 'jane Carvers' are all the same person, and that they are the same one as was born to Young and Mercy - the census ages would make her born about 1833, so could easily be about 2 @ christeneing.

so that only leaves the following 'rogue' facts:

where is she in 1841/51?

Is the 1890 death her.

I pottered around on BMD indexes etc, and what struck me was just how many Carvers there were in this area. So - it is quite possible there were several Jane Carvers around of similar age.
I found Young Carver's death in A/M/J 1867 (bn 1795)
i found Mercy Carver's death in j/F/M 1873 (bn 1801)
HAve you got their'death certs? Be interesting to see who registered them, especially Mercy's - could well be daughter, which would confirm (or not) that she was still single at that date.

there is a marriage of a Jane Carver in 1860 - ('your' Jane would be 27) to either Isaac Darts or Joseph Gyeu. Unlikely to be 'yours' as you have her as still single and with Mum in 1871. But goes to show there is another one around.
Tried to see which chap she married by looking on 1881 census. No Jane Gyeu,
One Jane Darts, but she was yuonger born 1856ish, husband John, and going back to marriages it looks like she was jane Mussey -but still born Wrestlingworth.
So no nearer finding who the Jane Carver married.

So - basically I am of NO help!

Did Jane have any siblings? Following tham may give a clue.

Grocers usually appear in Directories - so you may get some more info no where she was when from them.

she seemed to rise from a servant to a grocer after her parents died -  were they grocers and she took over the business from them? I would look for Wills for Young and Mercy (what brilliant names!)  - they could well clarify a bit more about Jane.

sorry about ramblings - just typing as my thoughts go round in my head!

[janan]

Hi Liz
Thank you for your thoughts, much appreciated

Young (and his brothers George and William) was a wheelwright , his sons James (my gg grandfather) and Alfred carried on the business after his death. The only directory mention of grocers is 1876 when James is said to be shopkeeper as well as wheelwright, although it appears Jane actually ran the shop. It would seem possible Mercy ran the grocers before this date - the previous directory entry I have is 1862, so quite a gap- but she is listed as Pauper in 1871 when living with Jane and Alfred.

I do have Young's death certificate but not Mercy's on which Jane may well have been informant - however since she is definitely still single and living with brother Alfred in 81 sadly I don't think that would add anything much.

The Jane Carver who married Joseph Gyeu is daughter of Young's brother William she was born in Arrington, Cambs c 1836 - have her accounted for on censuses, baptism etc.

Young did have a sister Jane born c1799 but I cannot see her as Carver on any census, although haven't traced a marriage or death for her either, but she would have been 91 by 1890 - possible to be recorded as 73 but if she did remain  single she is missing 1841-81.


So I think the 1890 death is most likely to be Jane baptised 1835, if Alfred had been the informant that would have added weight, sadly it was the Coroner - Maybe a local paper report on her death I suppose 

A will for Young/Mercy (yes delightful names  ) would be worth pursuing.

Regards
Jan

[janan]

Just an update - Young's sister Jane born c 1799 can be ruled out as the Jane Carver who died in 1890 as she married a William Betts in Woodford Northants on 25 Feb 1827.

Jan

[Easby Carver]

I found a web-page a while back about Jane Carver - the page seems to have gone but I copied it:

Name Jane CARVER
Birth 1789, Wrestlingworth, Beds
Death 1879 Age: 90
Burial 22 Feb 1879, Woodford, Northants
 
Spouses
1 William BETTS
Birth 1802
Death 1864 Age: 62
Burial 11 Jan 1864, Woodford, Northants
Occupation Labourer
Father James BETTS (1760-1806)
Mother Mary WARNER
 
Marriage 25 Feb 1827, Woodford, Northants
 
Children Thomas (1827-)
 Josiah (1827-)
 Selina Elizabeth (1829-)
 Harriett (1832-)
 Sarah Anne (1836-)
 Hannah (1839-)
 Edmund (1841-1878)
 Mary (1843-?1844)
 
Notes for Jane CARVER
1851 Census
Woodford Lodge, Woodford. Jane aged 52 with Edmund 9.
Where is William and other children.
Thomas married 1849. ? Mary died 1844. Where are Hannah, aged 12 and Sarah 15 (?away as servants)

1861 Census ? Pages torn on Woodford census

1871 Census Church St, Woodford. Widowed aged 77, with son Edmund 30, unmarried, shoemaker
 
Last Modified 27 Aug 1956

You know I stared at that name "Gyeu" for ages on the entry and could not work out what it was.  My guess was "Syew" - do we know where it comes from?

Neil.

[janan]

Hi Neil

Yes I found that web-page and through it was able to establish what happened to Young's sister Jane.

Gyeu is a very odd name - no idea where it comes from, there must be alternative spellings as put it in Family Search IGI and nothing pops up!

Jan

[MaggieLou915]

I know I am a "little late", but I have found the following spellings for Gyew.....Gue, used on the 1861 census.....Guye used in the death register for Joseph Guye, Gyue on the 1871 census and Gyew used on the marriage register for Joseph Gyew and Jane Carver in 1847

Marg

[janan]

Hi Marg

Thanks for your input. Very strange you should suddenly reply - I was relooking at this thread yesterday   I failed to come up with anymore on my mysterious Jane, but at least the other two are firmly accounted for.

Jan

[janan]

An update on Jane Carver who died 1890 age 73, I have just found a newspaper report of her inquest which mentions her brother Alfred so she is definitely the Jane  baptised 1835.

Jan