Hi - can anyone help me find my great grandfather's brother?

[fulhamfanrob]

Hi

I am just starting to look into my family tree, and was wondering if anyone can help me to find out what happened to my great grandfather's family after he was separated from them....?

My great grandfather, Charles Edward Richardson (b 1891 West Ham) was effectively orphaned at a young age. His mother died when he was about 10, and his father left shortly afterwards. Charles also had a brother (or half brother??) William J., who is thought to have been killed in WW1.

I have found the family listed on the 1901 census, living in West Ham.....
Adam Richardson (Head), Aged 42 (1859) b. Terling, Essex
Sophia " " (Wife), Aged 48 (1853) b Terling, Essex
William " " (son), aged 13 (1888) b Romford, Essex
Charles " " (son), aged 9 (1892) b West Ham, Canning Town

....and again on the 1891 Census living in Terling, Essex
Adam Richardson (head) aged 32 (1859) b Terling, Essex
Sophia " " (Wife) aged 38 (1853) b Terling, Essex
William J "  " (son), aged 3 (1888) b Romford, Essex

I have managed to trace Adam's family right back to the first available Census (1841), however I am hoping to find out what happened to him, and to William, after his Sophia's death.

I have looked for William on the CWGC website, however this is a little tricky as I am not sure what his surname was!
I have not yet found William's birth certificate, so am relying on the census entries. The 1891 and 1901 census returns show William to be a Richardson....however my great uncle (Charles' son) believes that he was a Wager, and that Charles and William were half brothers, with Sophia having been married twice, first to a Wager and then to a Richardson. This seems to be backed up by my Charles' birth certificate. Which gives his father as Adam Richardson, and his mother as "Sophia Richardson, late Wager formerly Martchell".

I unfortunately don't have much to go on. Charles understandably didn't talk about his childhood much, but I suppose it is likely he wouldn't have known very much about his background anyway?

Any advice on how to find Adam or William after 1901 would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Rob

[c-side]

Hi Rob

There is a marriage listed in freebmd for Sophia Wager and Adam Richardson - Sept quarter 1886, Fulham

Christine

[Carmela]

Hi Rob,
Sophia's first marriage from FreeBMD:

John Wager
Sophia Marschall     Mar. Quarter  1872
                              Kensington  Vol.1a  page 43

Carmela

[c-side]

Me again

If William was just 3 in 1891 then he was born after the Wager/Richardson marriage so his surname would be Richardson.  There is a likely candidate in Islington in June quarter 1888 - William James Richardson.  Unfortunately there are a lot of William Richardsons around!  The only suitable William Wager is in Poplar in June 1886 - William Joseph, making him a bit older than 3 in 1891.

I've also looked for a marraige between Martchell and Wager but haven't found one.

Christine

[c-side]

Well spotted, Carmela!

I even had phonetic surname search on and it didn't find it for me 

Christine

[mosiefish]

This is the marriage:

8th August, 1886
St Andrews, Fulham

Adam Richardson, 26, Bachelor, Labourer, 71 An?ill Street, Father William Richardson deceased Labourer
Sophia Wager, 32, Widow, 41 Averill Street, father James Martchall (could be Marschall) deceased Labourer
Adam made his mark and Sophia signed.
Witnesses were H G Young and J Timberlake

Regards,
Mo

[c-side]

Sophia and John are still together in 1881 living as grandson and grand daughter to Jemima Joice.  They do not appear to have any children.

Possible death for John in Shoreditch Dec. 1885.  The age is 5 years out but the date would tie in with a re-marriage in 1886

Christine

[fulhamfanrob]

Wow! Brilliant. Thanks!

Christine - The marriage between Sophia Wager and Adam Richardson looks very promising! Wonder what they would have been doing in Fulham though? It's a long way from East London/Essex! I had assumed the marriage would have been quite local. Was it normal to travel a little? I can't imagine they had much money!

Carmela - The marriage between John Wager and Sophia Marschall looks right too! I tried just about every different spelling of Martchell I could think of but couldn't find anything! Again a bit concerned about the distance from Essex though!

Thank you very much both of you! Will have to get onto ordering these certificates!

Rob

[rotosis]

Hi

Well i have some of the dame information that has already been listed so i wont put that in again.

For deaths i found
Sophia Richardson d. March Quarter in 1902 aged 48yrs West Ham District
Adam Richardson d. March Quarter of 1913 aged 52yrs (a little out in age) West ham District.

For the CWGC  there is a W J Wager who died on 10.12.1917.  Service No.6691 it was a London Regiment and he was buried at POELCAPELLE BRITISH CEMETERY.  No age or parents mentioned........

There is a William Joseph b. June Quarter of 1886 in Poplar District?  Also two William James Richardson b. 1886 and 1887 both in Esses one in Romford District

Good luck

Claire