1851 Census Lookup please - WILLIAMS Oddington

[Purdie1972]

Hello

I'm trying to trace the family of James WILLIAMS, born Oddington 1807. He was married to Mary, with children Elizabeth, Hannah, Samuel, Joseph, Priscilla and Mark. He was a railway labourer. I'm especially interested in mother Mary's birthplace and the address where they were living as I'm planning a trip to Oddington very soon.

I have a feeling that this is the last time they appear on the census as I have searched for them in subsequent years and have come up with nothing.

I would be very grateful if someone could help.

Many thanks.

Purdie

[rutht22000]

Hi Purdie

They are in Upper Oddington but no definitive address given.  The enumerators handwriting is awful, but there is a house named next door but if anyone else can make out what it is.....

Reference is HO107 1970 180 21

Mary's birth place is given as Oxfordshire (Oxon).  Actual place is also illegible....1861 might help if she lived that long.....Its transcribed as Helsington, but as far as I can see the only Helsington is in the Lake District

[rutht22000]

they are still around in 1861 but both James and Mary seem to have decided to change their birth places to Brighton, Sussex and moved to 21 Burnham Street, Plaistow, London (RG9 1059 38 40)

The children that are still with them all still fit correctly though with the information in 1851...

Samuel, aged 27, Excavator born Oddington
Priscilla, aged 19, born Oddington
Mark, aged 18, Excavator, born Oddington.

Seem to be still around in 1871 too - 21a Little Queen Street, Westminster.  Just James and Mary, both giving Oddington as their birthplace....(RG10 126 74 8 )

[Purdie1972]

Thank you so much for this. It sounds like the enumerator might have written their birthplaces down incorrectly. I had no idea they'd ended up in London - how interesting! I'll have to research that further.
On the Helsington note, I went through all the parishes in Oxfordshire to find one that was similar and found Headington. Luckily I knew that Mary's maiden name was KEEN and that she was born in 1808. Bingo! She was born in Headington on 12th October 1808!
You've made me very happy!
Thank you again.
Purdie 

[rutht22000]

No problem 

Even with the fluctuating birth places I can't find them on the 1881 so you may be looking at deaths between 71 and 81 for them.

[frogspawn4]

Have you seen James & Mary's next door neighbour in 1861. It might be elder daughter Hannah married to a Benjamin Blackwell. Hannah's birthplace is Oddington and the children are Eliza born Oddington 1852 and Mary b 1860 Chiselhurst. I can't find a marriage yet for Hannah and Benjamin, but he comes from  Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire and is an Excavator, the same as James's occupation.

Jay

[Purdie1972]

Thanks, Ruth. I've got (from somewhere, I know not where!) James's death as 1881, so that would tie in, if he died before April 

Thanks, Jay. That is interesting  I've done a search on FreeBMD and there seems to be no marriage for a Benjamin Blackwell in the entire country with a Hannah with any surname on the same page between 1845 and 1855 - which is a bit strange!

Purdie

[keyboard86]

Hi Purdie, maybe Hannah did not approve of marriage, as in 1881 she appears to be married to an Edward Brown aged 58 occ Sawyer b Reedham, Norfolk, with them in the household is Elizabeth Blackwell aged 16 born Deptford, Kent, shown as stepdaughter
Residing at 10, Victoria Place, West Ham, Essex
Census Ref RG11/1711/67/67

Living close by is her married daughter Eliza Blackwell b 1852, she married a Horatio Offord aged 32 occ Carpenter b Lincoln in June or Sept qtr 1873 West Ham 4a 51 on Census Ref for 1881 RG11/1710/115A/54

Elizabeth Blackwell b c 1865 marries a John William Swift in June qtr 1885 West Ham 4a 107 they are in West Ham in 1891 Census Ref RG12/1322/80/49
Keyboard86

[Purdie1972]

Wow, thanks, Keyboard86!
Sounds like she had a complicated life!!! This is a real jigsaw puzzle!
Purdie