Long gap between siblings in CLARKSON family 1911-1925

[Keith Sherwood]

Hi, Everyone,
I've recently come across a strange anomaly in a generation of siblings born into the CLARKSON family of Macclesfield, silk weavers.
A John CLARKSON and an Alice CASEY marry on 4th August 1903 at the Registry Office in Macclesfield.  Thereafter, if you refer to the freeBMD website, the only CLARKSON births are an Annie and William Robert in 1904, a Lewis in 1906, an Alice Violet in 1908, a John in 1910, an Irene M in 1911 (where the mother's maiden name CASEY is given for the first time; a David in 1912 (not the same family, as mother's name given as STUBBS), an Anthony N in 1925 (CASEY), and finally a Patricia (CASEY) in 1927...
So, you see, there's this big gap between 1911 and 1925, which is puzzling.  I realise that the Great War (1914-18) could have been a factor, but has anyone come across similar examples in their own families, or who could indeed make some suggestions as to what might have been the reason for this 14-year gap in this particular CLARKSON generation.
very best wishes, keith

[CaroleW]

Have you confirmed from the 1911 census that the Clarkson births pre-1911 are your ancestors?

My paternal grandfather was born 24yrs after his oldest sibling 1853-1877

I was born 14yrs after my brother.  I'm sure many RC members have similar experiences in their own FH

You have to look at the ages people married at in those days - many women were still having children in their mid-late 40's back then

There may have been stillbirths/miscarriages in between

[carol8353]

Was dad away at war?

[Keith Sherwood]

Yes, CaroleW,
In the 1911 Census, at 43, Higginbotham Street, are the children Annie, aged 7, Lewis aged 5, Alice Violet aged 3, and John, a few months old. 
keith

[greenrig]

By 1925, Annie is 21 - certainly old enough to have children of her own.

I think that "late" children in a family are sometimes actually grandchildren where a daughter has been indiscreet.  Certainly, I have several such cases in my family tree, some I can prove, others I suspect....

No disrespect to your family, but I think this was quite common.

[Keith Sherwood]

Just been out for a while,
Carole8353, I wondered whether the 1914-18 War might have been a factor in all this, yes...
...and Greenrig, it's funny you should mention this as a possibility, but a while ago I discovered that the woman who'd I thought was one of my great-grandmother's eldest sisters turned out to be her mother.  So I suppose that what you suggest is possible, but that would mean it would apply to both Anthony and Patricia...
keith

[dawnsh]

Have you ruled out another Clarkson/Casey marriage which could have resulted in some of the names you list?

Dawn

[CaroleW]

Have you ruled out another Clarkson/Casey marriage which could have resulted in some of the names you list?

All children were born in Macclesfield and there is no other Clarkson/Casey marriage in Cheshire or anywhere else

[mshrmh]

In one of my families there were two children in three years, then a gap of thirteen years and three more children over five years - slightly earlier -I had thought the 1911 may have indicated children in the gap who'd died, but that wasn't so. That side of the family have quite a few branches with gaps of 10+ years in between children.

The baptisms of Annie & Alice Violet are on the new version of FamilySearch as at St Albans RC in Prestbury - parents & children's names "latinised" but recognisable.
https://www.familysearch.org/