Good afternoon all,
I have a bit of a conundrum and would like the opinions of a few others.
I have been busy with a family that is being a pain to keep track of. What I have is that there was an Arthur Abbott from Christchurch in Hampshire (now Dorset) who married Sarah Jenkins on 03 January at the Old Church in St Pancras.
An Arthur William Abbott who was baptised in St Pancras, son of Arthur and Sarah, on 05 February 1826 was possibly their son. If he was he is likely the Arthur who was buried at the age of 14 months on 14 March 1827 in St James in Piccadilly.
They definitely had another son Arthur, baptised at the All Saint's Church in Swallowfield in Berkshire on 20 January 1828. I also have found baptisms for William (31 March 1833, St Pancras), Sarah (16 Nov 1834, St Pancras), George (5 Feb 1837, St James, Westminster), Edwin (7 October 1838, St James, Westminster), Alfred (12 July 1840, St James, Westminster) and Priscilla (16 April 1843, St James, Westminster).
I have not been able to find the family in the 1841 census and I think that they may have been missed or part of the census is missing.
Sarah Abbott (born Jenkins) dies at the age of 47 and was buried in 1848. Arthur then marries the Widow Eliza Foreman 11 April 1850.
They appear together in the 1851 census in Westminster along with the children listed above with the right places of births and age, with the exception of the addition of a Charlotte Abbott born around 1830 for whom I have not been able to locate a baptism. Arthur is listed as a master bricklayer born in around 1800 in Christchurch, Hants.
Now in the 1861 census he is living in Lisson Grove Street in Marylebone. Again he is listed as a bricklayer born in around 1800 in Christchurch, Hants.
Now this time around he is living with his sons Edward Abbott (27, so born around 1834), an "out pensioner of Chelsea" George Abbott, a Bricklayer (25), Alfred (22), a bricklayer and his daughter Charlotte (20), his niece, Charlotte Bostock (10) and his daughter in law Harriet (22) [she is the wife of Alfred]
Arthur, Edward and Alfred are listed as married, George and Charlotte as unmarried. Now the question comes around the identity of Edward as he does not appear in the 1851 census, and I also do not have a baptism for him.
Now, his son Edward, who appears in the 1851 census (born around 1839, matches the baptism of 1838), appears to marry Sarah Jane Sorrell on 26 February 1854 in Notting Hill. His father is listed as Arthur, and hers as George. In this record he is listed as 20 years old, which would make his birth around 1834 (which matches Edward's). The couple seem to only have had one son, George Edwin, baptised on 3 September 1854, Edwin's occupation is listed as a French Polisher (this is also the occupation George Edwin lists for his father when he married in 1881). Now in the 1861 census, George Edwin is living with his grandmother Elizabeth Sevoir the remarried widow of George Sorrell. His parents are not with them, I have found no trace of Sarah Jane in 1861. I have also found a service record for an Edwin Abbott (aged 22 years and two months when he enlisted on 13 November 1855), So born around September 1833 (this fits Edward's dates and Edwin's marriage age. Edwin who was baptised in October of 1837 may have also been born around September. This Edwin was deemed unfit for service and discharged due to consumption on 27 November 1860, hence this Edwin would most likely be a Chelsea pensioner in 1861. This Edwin in the record is listed as being born in St Pancras and a labourer by profession.
Am I correct in thinking that Edwin and Edward are likely the same person and that this military record is likely his. I have found no other military record for an Edward or variant that would fit the age of the pensioner in 1861. I cannot explain the confusion in age in different records for Edwin though.
Regards,
Duncan
