Early life of William AMES

[MarkKelly333]

hello
I have hit a wall for my great grandfather William AMES.

He also (in his later life) called himself Obadiah William AMES (using 'OW Ames' on letterhead when he ran a cinema in the 1930s and 40's.)
I am not sure if Obadiah was a family name or (if I could find his birth cert) may be his 'real' name.

I have his pre and post WW1 Army records (he joined the militia in 1902 stated as aged 17). Later in the WW1 records he states he was born on 22 Oct 1885 and he gave his birthplace as Lincoln.

But.. even having this info , I can't find him on the 1891, the 1901 censuses or indeed his birth certificate. I have allowed for him changing his age slightly (to appear older for the militia?) but still have not found him.

I know his father was a William also and a Music Artiste (cited on his marriage cert in 1905) but I do not know his mother's name (family stories say she was a singer/artiste also called Grace Rawlings or Rollins (can't find her either!)

I am stumped on the first 17 years of his life and have been for months on this one |banghead|

I will post this on the Music / Artists forum also?

any help very (very) gratefully received , cheers

[Waitabit]

Could this be your chap?

Obediah William Ames b.22 Oct.1885 -Lincoln
D.11 Aug.1950-Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire
parents William Ames & Harriett Ann Howe


P. Message coming.

cheers wendy

[MarkKelly333]

hi Wendy
thanks for the PM.. yes, this is my relative (the information is from my Tree elsewhere).. as you saw I have quite a bit of info after aged 17 but just can't find him before that, either living with a father called William or on his own.
They may have traveled a lot if the family were entertainers?
It is the biggest wall I have found over the last couple of years.
Thanks for looking
Mark

[Jan1954]

I will post this on the Music / Artists forum also?

Best to just keep it here, Mark. That way, it avoids confusion and duplication of work. ;)

[hamsie]

Mark

Found this on 1891 Census - Derby

Obadiah W Ames 48 Lodger Professional Singer born Budapest Hungary
Elizabeth Ames 49 Lger Profesional Singer born Ohio America

Must be a connection..what do you think?

Cheers
John

[MarkKelly333]

hi John

I think it could well be and I have been trying to piece these two people together with what I know of my OWA's childhood (which is not much)..

Actually, I found some old notes I had made a couple of years ago and there was reference to this chap and his singer wife (the Father's exact name and profession are just too close for a coincidence I would think)
- thanks for looking into it and posting John

cheers
Mark

[Geoffers]

Mark
Found this on 1891 Census - Derby
Obadiah W Ames 48 Lodger Professional Singer born Budapest Hungary
Elizabeth Ames 49 Lger Profesional Singer born Ohio America

Bearing in mind this entry and Derbyshire, I just wonder if the entry you want is at RG12/2757 f93 p30, Clay Cross in Derbyshire. It seems a bit out of place, but you never know. The person in this entry is recorded as Obediah AIMES, aged 6 and born Staffordshire.

The other thought is that in the above entry found by John, the mother is shown as born in America. Could the birthplace of the child in 1885 actually be one of the Lincolns in North America?

[hamsie]

Mark,

some more cnsus info

1851 Birmingham

Obadiah Ames 25 Gun Barrel maker born Birm
Ann 28 (found marriage maiden name Smith 1844)
James 4
Obediah 2 Born Hungary ****************
Mary Ann 1 month


1881 London Tower Hamlets

Obediah Ames 33 born Hungary************
Emma 23 .. Birm
Enoch 13 ..
Emma 12 ..

[MarkKelly333]

Thank you Geoffers
I'll look at the Clay Cross point now, thanks

I looked again at the militia 1902 record and it has him as Lincoln, Lincolnshire so I think he was UK.
However, I spoke to my dad last night and it jogged his memory about an American connection (he thought it might have been a grandparent but it could well have been OWA's mother). He had forgotten that - I think that happens doesn't it? e.g You raise a possible fact and it jogs older family memories?


Thanks also again Hamsie, I'll try to piece together the midlands (and tower hamlets?) link and the Hungary Obadiah this evening

much appreciated :)