William HARRIS - Sheerness, Kent

[birdie345]

Hi,
Looking for any information on the Harris family, originally travellers I believe but settled in Sheerness at the end of the 1800's.  My great grandfather, William Harris (1881 to 1958) ran the donkey rides at Sheerness sea front, he was married to Harriet Baker (married Milton, Sittingbourne) I can go back 1 more generation to William Harris (born around 1853) married Elizabeth Rossiter but no further accurately.  If anyone else has any information that might help I would be really grateful 
Would love to more about my Dads family, we were always told there was a gypsy line in the family.
Many thanks

[maddys52]

William HARRIS (20) who married Elizabeth ROSSITER (21) 5 Jan 1874 at Sittingbourne - his father Daniel HARRIS, her's Thomas ROSSITER
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NX2Y-DM8

Will see if I can find some more info ...

[maddys52]

you may have this info already, but to help others who may be looking:

The 1881 census in a caravan at Thomas Rd, Sittingbourne:

William Harris       28   (not known) General Dealer
Elizabeth Harris    28    Sheerness, Kent
George Harris        9     Sheerness
Homey Harris        2      Sittingbourne
RG11/977 pg32

and in 1891 at Ebenezer Place, Sheerness:
William Harris        39    Bishopswood, Essex  (general dealer)
Elizabeth Harris     37   Sheerness
George Harris        18   Ashford
Naomi Harris          12   Sittingbourne
William Harris          9   Sittingbourne
Margaret Harris       5    Sittingbourne
James  Harris          2    Sittingbourne
RG12/721 pg32

In 1901 at Sheerness:
 Elizabeth Harris     42    Sheerness, Kent (widow, licensed hawker)
George Harris         27    Ashford
William Harris         18    Sittingbourne
Amy Harris              23    Sittingbourne
Margaret Harris      15     Sittingbourne
James Harris          12     Sheerness
Lottie Harris            8       Sheerness
John Harris            4       Sheerness
Thomas Harris       3        Sheerness
RG13/815 pg26


I think this is the children's registrations (though I can't easily find John and Thomas?):
Dec qtr 1872   George ROSSITER (West Ashford 2a/669) -no mother's maiden name
Jun qtr 1875   William HARRIS (Canterbury 2a/719) - possibly died Dec qtr 1875 (Milton 2a/478)
Mar qtr 1879   Naomi HARRIS (Milton 2a/836)
Dec qtr 1881  William Daniel HARRIS (Milton 2a/861)
Sep qtr 1885  Margaret HARRIS (Milton 2a/871)
Dec qtr 1888  James HARRIS (Sheppey 2a/875)
Sep qtr 1892   Lottie HARRIS (Sheppey 2a/903)

[birdie345]

Hi Maddys52,
Thanks very much, yes, I can see that Daniel Harris/Harriss is William's father on the marriage banns but I can gather absolutely no information on Daniel which has stopped me in my tracks.  I have been working on it since the beginning of the year on and off.  I joined an ancestry site but simply don't know how relevant some information is on the Harris side.  With the Rossiter side I have found that Thomas Rossiter married Barbara Ellen Lee in Canterbury October 1833 (these were travelling families) but I just can't get anywhere on the Harris side!
Thanks again for your help. 

[suzard]

you may have this info already, but to help others who may be looking:

The 1881 census in a caravan at Thomas Rd, Sittingbourne:

William Harris       28   (not known) General Dealer
Elizabeth Harris    28    Sheerness, Kent
George Harris        9     Sheerness
Homey Harris        2      Sittingbourne/quote]

It looks like "Homey" is a very bad spelling of Naomi??

1881 census William and Elizabeth are in a caravan  and either side of them in tents are Rossiter families -and one of them has a sister in law by the name of Baker!! -they may link up somewhere??

You omitted middle names - so for anyone looking - William Daniel Harris (married Harriet Ann Baker)
was the son of William Harris (married Elizabeth  Rossiter) -onsome trees she is listed as Elizabeth Matilda Rossiter - but this is an error as Elizabeth matilda Rossiters mothers maiden name was Chappell - I think she is the daughter of Richard Rossiter and Mary Ann Chapell - so someone is following the wrong person)
was the son of Daniel Harris according to select marriages

You posted you had the name Daniel from Marriage Banns but parents names don't usually appear on Banns but do appear on Marriage certificates
So if you have the marriage details what was the occupation of Daniel ? and who were witnesses -someties they give further clues if they are family members

Suz

[suzard]

In another of your posts you state that you were told the Harris family were travelling showmen - so far I can only find it was the Rossiter side who were travelling showmen
1861
address In the lanes of Cheriton
Thomas Rossiter Head M 50Fair keeper Canterbury
Barbara wife 50 Eastbourne Sussex
James son 26 Milton Kent
Caroline daughter 23 London
Sally daughter 22 Pluckly Kent
? daughter 18 Epsom Surrey
thomas son 15
Walter son 12
ELIZABETHdaughter Cheriton Kent
Margaret daughter Malling Kent
Jacob Grandson 4 Sheerness
the whole family are described as Fair Keepers
RG9 552 49 29

Suz

[birdie345]

Hi Suz,

Thanks for your response.

Yes, Homey is a bit of an anomaly, I had wondered if this was a spelling/transcription error as he doesn't appear in any later census but is listed as male so not sure about Naomi.

The information which I said was from the marriage banns is because it was listed as Kent marriages and banns so my mistake but the marriage certificate lists the witnesses to William and Elizabeth's marriage as
Joseph Dawson and Margaret Rossister
Daniel's occupation is listed as Hawker.

Yes my great grandparents were William Daniel Harris and Harriet Ann Baker and as I mentioned I have been told that the Harris side may have been showmen/fairground travellers but as I said I have no idea if any of that information is accurate.  As you have found, looks like it was indeed the Rossiter side!

I will look a bit further and see what I can find. 

Many thanks, much appreciated 
Birdie345

[Hbutler]

I believe that my grandads grandad was William Harris