Seeking my grandfather, John Antonio Favard

[Greenbank]

I have been trying without success to trace my maternal grandfather called John or Antonio Favard who I believe lived in Joppa, Midlothian around 1895.  I understand he was married with two daughters and subsequently divorced. He fathered a child, Janet Favard Roxburgh (d.o.b 10 April 1895), my mother, by Agnes McKay Roxburgh (1871-1901) although he never married Agnes.  Subsequently Agnes Roxburgh married a William Templeton by whom she had a son who died age 6 weeks.

I have been told that John or Antonio's mother was Spanish.  On my mother's death certicificate Antonio's occupation was given as 'clerk'.  Any information would be much appreciated.

[Doddie]

Hi Greenbank, I will be visiting the GRO in Edinburgh tomorrow. Will see what I can find out.

Regards

Doddie

[MonicaL]

Some details here on the potential divorce (later dates that I thought from the initial dates you mentioned) www.nas.gov.uk/onlineCatalogue - just put in FAVARD in the 'search for' box. Both entries seem relevant.

Monica

PS: Just a rethink, years/dates on the NAS entry are too late if John/Antonio was having children around the late 1890s. Odd probably on that NAS entry and maybe just a co-incidence on unusual names perhaps 

[Gali]

Do you have access to the English birth, marriage, death records on Ancestry?  This might be a red herring but I think I'd be looking into it if it was my tree given the coincidence with the distinctive name:   

There is an 1864 birth for a Annet Antonio Favard in Southwark (mother Emma, father also Annet, 'stationer/tobaccionist' on this birth cert ... 'foreign language teacher, deceased' on his daughter, Lida's 1886 marriage certificate, Lida was born in Rome)
1891 married Lizzie Mary Horscroft, Hastings, E Sussex (a tree on Ancestry has her emigrating to South Africa)
1893 birth of first son, Annet Antonio Thompson Favard, Tonbridge, Kent (he is on 1901 census with grandparents in Hastings).  Father's occupation - commercial traveller ... reason to travel to Edinburgh? 
1896 divorce in English courts - wife's petition
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=7&CATID=-3077108
1898 birth of daughter, Annette Patricia M T Favard, Fulham, London
1900 birth of second son, Antonio Thompson Favard, Paddington, London
1901 census, Annet, Annette, Antonio and a 'wife' Lillian in Paddington
1900s - further births with surname 'Favard' recorded in names of Gwendolen A M T Favard, Pamela Enid M T Favard, Eugenie Ida M T Favard, Ruth Dorothea M T Favard but can't access their parents details on my Ancestry subscription ...

If you type surname 'Favard' into Immigration records of http://www.findmypast.co.uk/welcome.jsp you will see a trip to Valparaiso, Chile in 1908 by this family.  I suspect this was just a stopping off point and that the family ended up in South Africa ... lots of other trips to/from here listed. 

Might be worth trying to learn some more about genealogical records in South Africa?  And trying to get hold of a copy of the English 1896 divorce petition? 

I wonder if the 'Anthony T Favard' found by Monica is connected to the two sons named above both named 'Antonio Thompson Favard'?

A tangled web and as I said, maybe a red herring of course ...

[Doddie]

Visited Edinburgh GRO today. In the light of all the information Gali has posted it indeed seems quite likely that John/Antonio Favard was only visiting Scotland on business. Had a look at the birth certificate for Janet Favard Roxburgh. She was born in the canongate area of Edinburgh (old town) in 1895. Mr Favard's time in the Midlothian area must have been brief and/or erratic. I found no census entry for any relevant year. The name Favard does not appear at all for Midlothian (or for the whole of Scotland for that matter). Mind you if he was only in Scotland for a short period between censuses that isn't all that surprising. 

Regards

Doddie

[MonicaL]

Good to have it confirmed nevertheless Doddie 

I think you have found the trail Gali! There is a shipping manifest for an arrival to New York in 1939 by likely one of the sons you mention. An Anthony Thomson Favard, a warehouseman by occupation born in London c. 1900 and his wife Katherine Dickson Favard (featuring in the divorce proceedings on NAS some years later). Passports issued in Edinburgh (wife looks to have been born in the Midlothian area). They show as having been resident in Chuquicamata (Chile).

Monica

[Gali]

Nice one Monica, where did you find that info? is it available on the more expensive Ancestry subscription?

Death record for Catherine Dickson Finlayson/Favard on SP, died Edinburgh in 1982 aged 77. 

Found Annet Antonio Thompson Favard, with a Governor's Commission in the South Rhodesian army:
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37529/supplements/1842/page.pdf

[MonicaL]

Gali, this is all great info and lots of lead for Greenbank to follow up on 

Because of the detail of Scottish marriage certs, I checked for a possible marriage between Annet Antonio Jnr. and C/Katherine Dickson Finlayson but can't really see a marriage in Scotland on Scotlands People for them.

From the details you have found in the general London area and just additonal of what you have to date,

Annet Antonio Favard, father to Janet was born on 27 December 1863 and christened on 13 March 1864 at St George the Martyr in Southwark. Parents as you mentioned were Annet and Emma.

There is an 1871 census entry showing a 9 yr old Lydia and a 7yr old Antonio down as scholars at a school in Kingston, Surrey (RG10/860/97/2). Can't make out the place of birth which is given for Lydia in Italy on this entry  great that you have it as Rome, Gali!

Emma Favard shows as a widow in 1881. Aged 39 and working as a dressmaker and boarding at 1 Pheonix Place, Lewisham, Kent. Her place of birth is given as Oxford. Can't see her in 1871  nor can I find a death for father Annet Antonio...

From this info, Greenback, likely that it was Annet Antonio's father that was foreign born (Italy rather than Spain?) and mother was English born.

Monica

[Gali]

1881 Lida M A Favard, b. Rome, Lady Help at house of man she eventually marries, in Beverley, Yorks
1891 Lida Favard, b. Rome, Governess in Deptford
1901 and 1911 Lida Ridgeway, living Sculcoates, Yorks

1871 Emma Favaro (on Ancestry but original looks like Favard), born Middx (?not Oxfordshire), c. 1839, dressmaker and in Kingston, same location as school which her children attend
Can't find  her on 1891, 1901 or 1911 census but there is a death record on Ancestry for an Emma Favard, in Kingston, Surrey, in 1924, aged 87, so born c.1837 - might be worth looking at this to find her maiden name?