Elizabeth Plaw

[Ruskie]

Does anyone know how to check who was living at that address in 1881 and 1891, in case it was a family member of Elizabeth? 

In the 1881 census, the occupants of 128 St Ann Street were Peter & Margaret Bickley, and their 3 children.
In 1891 the family at 128 St Anne Street is Rebecca Overington, Widow, of London and her 6 children

Thanks KG. No obvious connection unfortunately. You're doing a great job Kath, but as there's virtually nothing to go on, it's very difficult to locate Elizabeth. I had a look on the 1881 yesterday but came up with nothing concrete. 

[harley08]

Thanks everyone for your posts, it seems like Elizabeth is being almost impossible to find.

I have Charles' marriage and death certificate and has John as his father on both with no mother mentioned on either. His marriage certificate is another mystery. His wife, Annie Feeley, is listed as 27, no occupation, of Maybury Lodge, Queens Park, Chester with William Feeley as her father.  I can find nothing on Annie or her parents, but I will keep on poking about hopefully something will turn up

Jenni

[Ruskie]

Ok, so Charles is obviously illegitimate ... did he know this?. Did he marry as Plaw (rather as Thomas)? Did he say his father was John Thomas, or just John?

How do you know that he went to live with them when he was 5? Where did he spend the first years of his life? 

[harley08]

Charles Plaw Thomas was listed on the 1891 census as a visitor to the household of John and Jane Thomas at age 5 and then on the 1901 census as their son. He used Plaw Thomas his whole life, even on his marriage certificate in 1911 and on the Australian electoral rolls, but if he did know of his origins he never told his children. John Thomas was listed as Charles' father on his marriage and death certificate.

[keyboard86]

Hi Jenni, John and Jane appear to be a very benevolent couple, as I see on the 1901 they have another child Annie Williams aged 5 b Chester, also shown as adopted.

Keyboard86

[kathb]

Hi, Jenni, Given that there is no obvious marriage or death, have you looked to see if you can find Elizabeth on any ships lists emigrating?  The other possibility is that she was already married to someone other than Charles's natural father when he was born.  She is most certainly an elusive character.
I do hope you eventually find her.
Regards
Kathb

[Ruskie]

I did even consider the possibility of Elizabeth using an alias when she had Charles, but Plaw is such an unusual name that that's not a very likely scenario. This shows the distribution of the surname:
http://gbnames.publicprofiler.org/