What’s the law of probability in ancestry?

[CaroleW]

I'm going on a hunch that this is him in 1861 in Hertfordshire.   

You will be particularly interested in the 1871 entry a daughter called Angelina - too coincidental I think!!

1861

Robert Andrews 38 watch & clock maker b Waterbeach Cambs
Catherine A   37 b Middlesex
Robert L   14 b Cambs
Henry W 10     ditto
Albert A  7        ditto
Charles E 5 b Hitchin Herts
Clara E   2        ditto
RG9 Piece 819 Folio 5 Page 3

1871 for Hitchin

Robert Andrews 48 watch & clock maker b Waterbeach Cambs
Catherine Ann 47 b London
Albert Alexander 17 b Cambs
Charles Edward  15 b Hitchin
Clara Emma 12 b Hitchin
Angelina A  9 b Hitchin
Mary Laxton 73 aunt b Cambs
RG10; Piece: 1368; Folio: 22; Page: 36

[Silent Whale]

Thanks all for your input. The law of probability formula was more clutching at straws as I have others in my tree which have taken the name of a 'father' five years later! This one just so close to call that I was hoping somebody would just say - that's a logical assumption; which of course opens up a direct line on an otherwise dead end! Let's face it - archaeologists make greater leaps with just a piece of stone.

So in reviewing this latest I have this update:

Marriage cert ordered - estimated dispatch date 28 October - must have caught up with the panic March buying backlog!

Toni - have looked through pages of stuff in the vicinity of where Caroline senior was living at the time of birth looking for a likely candidate - nothing found.

What I mis-stated was that when I said I had no census records for Robert Andrews - I meant from 1871 back - with 1871 being the key one. Yes, the census is a snapshot but in this case, due the proximity of the birth, I feel, it would be a vital aid.

Re-tracing my searching I know find I have note of a Robert LAXTON Andrews b. Q1 1847 in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.

Carole - thanks for finding the 1861 and 1871 info. I do think this may be coming together now as we can see in 1871 that Aunt Mary LAXTON was living with the Andrews.

And yes; Angelina another clue.

I don't have access to the 1911 census details but my cousin has literally just emailed me to say that both Caroline and Robert where in Colchester Union Workhouse - it was described on the census as The Royal Eastern Counties Institution for idiots imbiciles and the feeble minded!

Neil

[Silent Whale]

Marriage cert arrived today.

No father given for CAR Flectcher. 

Witnesses were Bessie Gant (Groom's sister) and CAR Fletcher's half/full brother - Harry Andrews.

[vabbott]

Hi
The asylum you mentioned was indeed for imbeciles and was a very severe looking building next to Colchester North Station
It was the first building you saw when you got off the trains

There is a listing on ancestry of a tree which has a caroline angelina rebecca fletch / andrews  daughter of Robert and caroline  even has a phot of her
Any relation or is it your tree  If not I guess you will need to sign on

Ronnie

[vabbott]

hi again

on the 1851 census he is listed as at 27 gold street cambridge  parish of st andrew the less

robert andrews  28  clockmaker from cambridge shire
catherine andrews 29  from shorefitch london
Robert L Andrews  4  fom cambridge
ronnie

[Silent Whale]

Hi Ronnie

That'll be my cousin 'Boxted Boy'. He posted on this forum as well about the workhouse: http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=491595.0 - not that I understood that topic; was too 'local' for me!

He has since explained and there were (I think) four buildings and only one was for 'imbeciles' - turns out our pair were in the workhouse section.

I have an account on ancestry as well but it is 'private' - I let Boxted Boy get all the grief!

I just realised after posting above that I don't have a 'Harry Andrews', could have sworn he is a (half) brother. I know I have a Henry but thought I had a Harry too! Better sort that mess out!

Neil

PS just saw the 1851 info - cheers - had found that anyway - thanks for the effort though.

[ROMARIN]

Dear Neil
Re Whats' the probablilty? I have a Robert Andrews, a Merchant's Clerk who married an Elizabeth Frohock on 23rd Sept in 1819 in Waterbeach (IGI) their children were Robert Andrews born around June 1822 , John Frohock Andrews, born 1820 and Jane Andrews born 1825, all Waterbeach, Robert Andrews married Catharine Ann White in Milton next Gravesend in 13th May 1846, their children were Clara Emma, Albert Alexander, Henry William, Angelina Peg/Marguarite, Charles Edward, moved to Hitchin in Herts sometime after 1853...are these linked to your family because there was a son, a robert l andrews born 1838 in Waterbeach, but out of wedlock was much rarer then, may be just a co-incidence, but a hell of a one...

[ROMARIN]

I'm going on a hunch that this is him in 1861 in Hertfordshire.   

You will be particularly interested in the 1871 entry a daughter called Angelina - too coincidental I think!!

1861

Robert Andrews 38 watch & clock maker b Waterbeach Cambs
Catherine A   37 b Middlesex
Robert L   14 b Cambs
Henry W 10     ditto
Albert A  7        ditto
Charles E 5 b Hitchin Herts
Clara E   2        ditto
RG9 Piece 819 Folio 5 Page 3

1871 for Hitchin

Robert Andrews 48 watch & clock maker b Waterbeach Cambs
Catherine Ann 47 b London
Albert Alexander 17 b Cambs
Charles Edward  15 b Hitchin
Clara Emma 12 b Hitchin
Angelina A  9 b Hitchin
Mary Laxton 73 aunt b Cambs
RG10; Piece: 1368; Folio: 22; Page: 36

[ROMARIN]

Hi Carole

This is my family, Albert Alexander, 7 years in 1861 is my great grandfather, where is the laxton connection? Catharine A is Catharine Ann White from St Pauls,Shadwell, Tower Hamlets, born 1818, to george and ann white...