Karen Newman
02-02-2008, 04:59 PM
On the 1881 census, William AIKIN is shown as a visitor in the household of John and FRANCES C SNELL - ref RG11; Piece: 1250; Folio: 64; Page: 35
By 1891, Frances is in Basingstoke and William A. is shown as her son. John is in Portsmouth workhouse.
By 1901, William is married. On his marriage cert, he names his father as John Snell. Frances shows herself as a widow on the census but John is back with his mother in Hennock, Devon.
William's place of birth is shown as Seaham on the 1891 and I have traced a baptism there in August 1873 of a WILLIAM AIKIN SNELL, father WILLIAM (a shoemaker) & mother FANNY. I have not traced a registration in that area. The only one elsewhere that seems to fit is in Exeter but I believe that that is the wrong one, though I have not sent for the cert.
So was he the son of John (a shoemaker) and Frances? I have traced a marriage for them in 1867 (Greenwich) and John is in the Royal Artillery. Did the RA go to Seaham around that time? I cannot find him in 1871 but Frances appears to be working in Alton, Hampshire as a housekeeper.
They do not appear to have had any other children, so did they unofficially adopt him? Is that why he is a 'visitor' in 1881? I know John had a brother William but he disappears after 1861. Could he have been William's father?
I cannot bring myself to assume that William A is John's son just because his marriage cert says so, when the baptism does not! And where does the AIKIN come from?
Any suggestions are welcome.
By 1891, Frances is in Basingstoke and William A. is shown as her son. John is in Portsmouth workhouse.
By 1901, William is married. On his marriage cert, he names his father as John Snell. Frances shows herself as a widow on the census but John is back with his mother in Hennock, Devon.
William's place of birth is shown as Seaham on the 1891 and I have traced a baptism there in August 1873 of a WILLIAM AIKIN SNELL, father WILLIAM (a shoemaker) & mother FANNY. I have not traced a registration in that area. The only one elsewhere that seems to fit is in Exeter but I believe that that is the wrong one, though I have not sent for the cert.
So was he the son of John (a shoemaker) and Frances? I have traced a marriage for them in 1867 (Greenwich) and John is in the Royal Artillery. Did the RA go to Seaham around that time? I cannot find him in 1871 but Frances appears to be working in Alton, Hampshire as a housekeeper.
They do not appear to have had any other children, so did they unofficially adopt him? Is that why he is a 'visitor' in 1881? I know John had a brother William but he disappears after 1861. Could he have been William's father?
I cannot bring myself to assume that William A is John's son just because his marriage cert says so, when the baptism does not! And where does the AIKIN come from?
Any suggestions are welcome.