Please can anyone help me to find what happened to James Pearce born 1853 who "disappears" after the 1911 census. I have been researching him for some years and would love to know what became of him.
It is an interesting story I think. When I first began my family tree in 2014 my cousin Brian asked me where the middle family name of "Pearce" originates from, his father was William Arthur Pearce Leake. The middle name of Pearce has been passed to Brian's children and grandchildren.
I found that Brian's grandmother Emma Amelia Leake nee Harris (1871 - 1935) was deserted by her husband James Henry Leake (1866 - 1952). He appears on the 1911 census at Emma's home, but it seems she gave this false information, I expect, to look respectable. James Henry Leake was in fact living in Staveley, Derbyshire and is on the 1901 and 1911 census there, he remarried presumably bigamously in 1916 and died in Derbyshire.
In 1901 Emma is a lodger at the home of James Pearce, and in 1911 he is listed as her boarder - living at 35 Bournville Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham.
In the absence of her husband James Henry Leake, it is clear that James Pearce was the father of Emma's two children Lily Evelyn Pearce Leake born 1900 and William Arthur Pearce Leake born 1903. Brian's father was William.
If I have found the correct records, James Pearce was born 1 August 1853 in Swansea and was baptised 5 June 1863 in Bridgwater, Somerset along with his older siblings. Parents were William and Mary Pearce.
The 1901 census shows James Pearce born in Bridgwater, Somerset but according to the 1861 census (where he is listed at his grandparents home) he was born in Swansea.
The 1871 census lists James Pearce living with his parents William and Mary in Bridgwater, Somerset. I have been unable to find him on the 1881 or 1891 census.
My cousin Brian found it hilarious that the name Pearce originates from who we call "Roger the Lodger"! It would be great to find out what happened to James "Roger the Lodger" Pearce after 1911, I've been unable to discover a possible death for him.
With many thanks for your very kind help with this long standing mystery, I very much look forward to hearing from anyone who can help.
