The waite family in Spilsby

[waitehoskerlewis]

Some of my family history is a complete mystery, apparently my Grandpas mother Marion Waite who was married to Henry Alexander Bowman had my Grandpa in Warrington and left him with a family called Bracegirdle to bring him up.

Marion Waite lived in Spilsby in Lincolnshire and apparently her father owned a couple of shops, it could be that one sold riding gear for rich people, apart from this I haven't been able to find out anything, can anyone help?

Also there is a mysterious figure called "The honourable Aubrey Francis" (presumably a false name) that figures in all this but I'm not sure exactly how or where.

[AMBLY]

Hi  waitehoskerlewis

Welcome to Rootschat!

What are the time frames here?

Have you got a marriage record for Henry & Marion?

Cheers
AMBLY

[charlotteCH]

Welcome to rootschat.

As Ambly says, may we have some time frame for your people please.
 
Also,  do you know about the site  freebmd  on which  you can lookup post 1837 b, m, d events and from there order certificates ?  This site is a great starting point if the time frame is applicable.

charlotte

[jorose]

Have a look at
http://www.1911census.co.uk/

in 1911 there is, in Spilsby:
Thomas Waite, b. 1846
and Emma Waite, b. 1849
who apparently in the same house as:
Marie Bowman, b. 1884
and Thomas D Bowman, b. 1903

In 1901 I find them as Waites:
Thomas Waites, 55, b. Ingoldmells, Grocer + Wine Merchant, Shopkeeper
Emma, 52, b. Lincoln
Henry C, 27, b. Spilsby
Marie, 17, b. Spilsby

Marie/Marian's marriage is shown at freebmd.rootsweb.com:
Marion Waite to Harry Alexander Bowman, Sep 1902 quarter, Boston district, Volume 7a page 885

The marriage certificate would probably be a good next bet - should confirm census details and some information about Harry/Henry that will help you figure out where he's disappeared to in 1911.

[waitehoskerlewis]

Thank you very much and WOW that was a quick reply!  It seems the info you've given me is really helpful and I think slots in.  My Grandpa was given the name Bowman and he was born in 1905 so Marion/Marie must have been born around 1884, she'd have been 21 when she had him wouldn't she?

Fascinating, thank you.

[lizdb]

Have you got your grandads birth cert?
Does that name her husband as father?

What (other than family hearsay, usually unreliable!) makes you think he wasnt? assuming that is what you are thinknig and I havent read too much into this. 

[waitehoskerlewis]

He was given the name Bowman but Henry Alexander Bowman wasn't his natural father apparently, she'd had an affair with who my Grandpa was told was "The hon. Aubrey Francis" which I still find rather far fetched and I wonder if that name was used as a cover up and the "Hon." bit was lied about to make the scandal seem less scandalous!

He was brought up by a family called Bracegirdle who lived in Warrington but they were apparently very wealthy and owned property which makes me think perhaps Marion Waite's family were wealthy as they must have had some connection with the Bracegirdles (cousin of a cousin or friend of a friend perhaps) - I'm a beginner at this, I don't really know what they would have done in those days to try and cover up scandals

[jorose]

Have you paid to see the full image of the 1911 census? There may be other people living in the house, and you can also see what it says about Marion's marital status and how many children she had (or it was just Thomas).

Secondly, I was looking for his birth and the closest two I can find are:
Thomas Dickinson Bowman, b. Dec quarter 1902 in Leeds.
OR
Thomas Henry Waite, b. Sep quarter 1902 in Spilsby (I think this is a different Thomas, I can also see him on the 1911 census)

If he is Thomas Dickinson Bowman, his grandfather may be Henry Dickinson Bowman who was in the army.  Henry Dickinson Bowman was from the Spilsby area and is there in 1911 but seems to have moved around some (he was in London when he married and in Suffolk in 1881).

This also shows that there is cause to suspect a wee bit of a scandal - Marion was definitely pregnant before she was married!  This may be the reason why the marriage was in Boston rather than Spilsby and the birth was in Yorkshire-- they could just about, if they fudged about with exactly when the couple were married and when the baby was born, make it work.

The marriage certificate and the birth certificate could show other leads - particularly from looking at the addresses and the witnesses on the marriage certificate etc.

[waitehoskerlewis]

No, I've not yet paid for the full certificate, I haven't yet got a bank card but they're also listed on the 1891 census for Spilsby Parish:

Thomas Waite -head - married - age 44 Grocer Born Ingoldmells
Emma Waite - wife - married - age 42 - born Lincoln
Ada E Waite - daughter - single 18 - born Spilsby
Harry Waite - son - single - 17 - Grocer's Assistant - Spilsby
Marie Waite - daughter - single - 7 - scholar - born Spilsby
Mary A Smith - sister in law - single - 52 - Lincoln
Mary Simpson  - servant - single - 18 - general domestic servant - born South Ormsby
Jane Sleight - servant - single - 20 - general servant - born Martin
Walter Hail - servant - single - 20 - general assistant
Thomas Hicks - servant - single - 25 - grocer's assistant - born Suffolk, Clare

There's also a reference to Thomas Waite in Queen Street who might be the father of Thomas Waite above:

Queen Street
Thomas Waite - head - age 75 - living on his own means - born Ingoldmells
Millicent Waite - wife - married - 78 - born Bilsby

If anyone can supply any more info, I will find it interesting