Hello, I was wondering if anyone might be able to help me untangle a mystery. I am researching my maternal grandmother's family and I have come to a bit of an issue.
Her father's (Arthur William Oliver Fearon) parents were listed as Christopher S Fearon and Alice Fearon m.s. Oliver, however, it is acknowledged in the family that it was unlikely Christopher S Fearon was his biological father. Indeed, on his birth certificate there is no father mentioned.
In the Census of 1901, Christopher Stephenson Fearon and Hannah Fearon stayed alone at 100 Clifford Street, Byker. They are noted as being married.
AWO Fearon was born in Byker, 1907, with no father named on the certificate. His mother is Alice Oliver.
in the 1911 Census, at 53 Oban Road, Byker, Christopher Stephenson Fearon and Hannah Fearon are marked as having been married for 12 years, with 2 children, neither of whom sadly survived. At this address is also Alice Oliver, aged 24, marked as "niece" and her two children, Arthur William Oliver, and Christopher Stephenson Oliver. They are aged 3 and 2, respectively, and are marked as 'illegitimate'.
However, in the 1921 Census, at 53 Oban Road, we now have Christopher Stephenson Fearon and Alice Fearon as husband and wife, with the children listed as 'son' and a further four children. There is no mention of Hannah.
The GRO records suggest that Alice and Christopher Stephenson Fearon DID get married, in 1939, and I understand that they may have simply stated they were married to avoid any judgement about living together? But I cannot find what happened to Hannah, and I am confused to the relationship between Alice and Christopher Stephenson Fearon. My supposition is that perhaps Alice was Hannah's niece, and that Hannah passed away sometime between the two censuses (1911 and 1921) but I cannot find enough information to say either way.
I would be mega grateful if anyone could help!
