Looking for a Kent radical and his family

[Dane Falconer]

I've hit a real stumbling block on one branch of my family tree.  I'm trying to trace the parents of one John Edwin Jacob Miller, a brickmaker from West Malling (possibly the village of Burham) and the surname of John's wife Harriet
who is called Harriet Smith in one family source and Harriet Langridge in another!  Obviously I'm hoping that the less common name is the right one.
They emigrated to New Zealand in 1874 with the help of the Kent Union.  Basically unless I can find out any more information on John Miller's family and his wife's real name I'm stuck.  John was born circa 1844 possibly into a brickmaking family . Harriet's parents might have been called James and Mary.
Any help would be great!

[Elleray Girl]

Hello Dane,

Welcome to Rootschat 

I've looked at the Parish Registers for Burham from 1840 to 1850 and there are no entries for "Miller", however, I did find this possible marriage on Free BMD:

John Miller
Harriet Langridge
Dec Qtr 1869
Malling Vol 2a Page 720

There are 2 others on the same page - Mary Elizabeth Edwards and Charles Terry, but it's a possibility that these are your folks.

There were no results for a John Milller and Harriet Smith in Kent.

The marriage certificate would give you their ages, occupations and fathers names and occupations.....

Hope this helps a little 

Karen

[bearkat]

There is only one John MILLER married to Harriott in the 1871 census living in Kent.
Living at 28 Waterside, Dartford
RG10/885 Folio 28 Page 5
John MILLER aged 26,a labourer ina gunpowder mills, born Dartford
wife Harriott aged 25, working in a paper factory born Dartford
daughter ELiza Ellen aged 1, born Dartford
Ann DAVIS, wife's sister, aged 13, born Dartford

also in the same dwelling but a separate household are

James SMITH aged 30, a waterman, born London
his wife Sophia aged 24, born Christchurch, Surrey
sons George 3 & Thomas 1, born Dartford

John's wife, Harriott, should have the maiden name of DAVIS if this is the correct family.

[bearkat]

John Miller
Harriet Langridge
Dec Qtr 1869
Malling Vol 2a Page 720

I can't find a better match for the marriage.

[casalguidi]

Little Eliza Ellen (1871 census) was baptised Holy Trinity, Dartford 12 Sep 1869 dau of John & Harriet MILLER labourer of Fulwich? Road ..................... no middle names there for John

Dane, from which source(s) have you found John with the middle names of Edwin Jacob?

Casalguidi

[ShaunJ]

Just wondering about this possibility in q/e Sep 1869 in Marylebone:

Vol 1A Page 840
 
LANGRIDGE  Harriet    
MIDDLEBROOK  Charles    
SMITH  Frances      
SMITH  John      

Charles Middlebrook is in the 1871 census in Marylebone with wife Fanny. So it looks like Harriet Langridge married John Smith. Of course it might not be the same Harriet Langridge but given the known Smith connection this looks like more than coincidence.

[Barry1936]

I'm sorry I cannot help you with your query but you may be able to help me?  You mention the Kent Union that helped someone to emigrate.  Can you tell me more about it and where any records may be kept?  I have an orphaned ancestor who emigrated to NZ at a young age but I cannot find any trace of him since the 1871 census age 10 and wonder if he was helped on his way by some organisation.  Many thanks.  Barry

[casalguidi]

Hi Barry

It wouldn't have actually been the Kent Union but rather one of a number of Unions that Dane is referring to.  The Union workhouse system was set up in 1837 along with local registration districts as used by the registration of births, marriages, deaths.  There was a local union (workhouse) to each registration district.  The following is a great site for workhouse/union history.

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~peter/workhouse/

You will see a section about emigration.

Casalguidi

[Dane Falconer]

Thanks to all those who replied .  I really appreciate the effort and interest that's been shown.  My feeling at the moment is that the James and Harriet from the Malling marriage entry are  the ones  I'm looking for  as it fits in geographically and timewise with the little information we already have.  With regards to the request for information about an ancestor who might have been helped to emigrate to New Zealand I'd like to recommend a book on that  very subject available free online.  Type in The New Zealand Electronic Text Centre.  The title of the book is "The Farthest Promised Land" by Rollo D. Arnold and the text documents the fascinating background of en masse emigration from places like Kent in the !870's.  Hope this is of help.