Sheleen
30-04-2005, 04:49 AM
This isn't so much as what I found in the census... more than what I DIDN'T find...
I was totally confused at not finding my great-great-grandfather on the 1881 census... he was on the 1871 census, and again on the 1891 census too. But nothing could be found of one whole generation in 1881.
So I began to dig...
In 1871, Elisha (as my grandfather was named) was living with his brother and sisters and his mum, in Milton Street (Brixham, Devon). This was the home of his mother's parents.
Elisha's father had died in Sierra Leone... he had caught a fever on board ship whilst serving in the Merchant Navy, and had died. How sad that Elisha's poor mother was a widow in her early 30's.
In 1871, Elisha was just 9 years old. In two years time he would be an orphan. His mother died in 1873, leaving her five children alone.
Elisha was sent off to live in a Naval orphanage in Devon.
Death had not yet finished with Elisha, and he would know more sorrow in his young life...
In 1883, Elisha married a woman named Eliza. They had a daughter in 1884, and named her Beatrice. Rumour within the family states that Eliza died in childbirth and Elisha, stricken with grief, abandoned his baby daughter. This isn’t true at all – although Eliza did die in childbirth… Late in 1888, Eliza gave birth to a son – John. Her death is registered not long before the death of her little boy. Elisha lost his wife, and then sadly lost his son as well. John's death was registered early in 1889… his age is listed as ‘0’.
In 1890, Elisha remarried. His new wife was named Rosa. Together they had three children: Winifred May (born 1892), Frederick Charles (born 1894) and Estelle Irene (born 1897).
In 1901, the census clearly shows the family living in Brixham, Devon (except for Winifred, who was visiting her Aunt Blanche, Rosa’s sister)… but this would all soon be changing…
During his time at the orphanage, Elisha had learned the basic skills he would need to become a fisherman, and so earn a living – he had obtained his Masters certificate that would enable him to Captain his own boat. Elisha had even bought his own fishing boat and called her “The Fairy” – this was a large deep sea trawler, which he operated in Icelandic waters. Working on board boats was in his blood – his own father had been in the Merchant Navy, and was listed as a ropemaker and Master at Arms.
Elisha felt that he owed the orphanage a great deal… and to partly repay that debt, he often took young lads from the orphanage out to sea with him as cabin boys, teaching them the skills he had learned from his own time at the orphanage. It seemed such an idyllic lifestyle… until tragedy once again struck Elisha’tered not long before the death of her little boy. Elisha lost his wife, and then sadly lost his son as well. John's death was registered early in 1889… his age is listed as ‘0’.
In 1890, Elisha remarried. His new wife was named Rosa. Together they had three children: Winifred May (born 1892), Frederick Charles (born 1894) and Estelle Irene (born 1897).
In 1901, the census clearly shows the family living in Brixham, Devon (except for Winifred, who was visiting her Aunt Blanche, Rosa’s sister)… but this would all soon be changing…
During his time at the orphanage, Elisha had learned the basic skills he would need to become a fisherman, and so earn a living – he had obtained his Masters certificate that would enable him to Captain his own boat. Elisha had even bought his own fishing boat and called her “The Fairy” – this was a large deep sea trawler, which he operated in Icelandic waters. Working on board boats was in his blood – his own father had been in the Merchant Navy, and was listed as a ropemaker and Master at Arms.
Elisha felt that he owed the orphanage a great deal… and to partly repay that debt, he often took young lads from the orphanage out to sea with him as cabin boys, teaching them the skills he had learned from his own time at the orphanage. It seemed such an idyllic lifestyle… until tragedy once again struck Elisha’s life…
Elisha was at sea – either in a fishing vessel, or with the merchant fleet - exact details are unclear, when one of the boys (who, according to the orphanage records was ‘slightly retarded’) fell overboard. The lad was lost at sea, his body never found. Elisha was heartbroken… and decided there and then to move away from Devon and start life anew somewhere else.
Elisha, Rosa and their three children moved to Southampton. They found a home in Foundry Lane, Shirley… and Elisha named their house ‘Rose Villa’ – a testament of his love for his wife, Rosa. He bought a chip-shop and named it the ‘Torbay Fish Supper Bar’ – this was all before the First World War, and there is a rumour that says Rosa used to overcharge the foreign soldiers and sailors. Frederick (Elisha and Rosa’s son) took over the shop when Elisha retired, and then sold the shop in 1938.
During all this time, nothing much is heard within the family of Elisha’s first child, Beatrice. As already noted, rumour within the family told stories of Elisha abandoning this child… but these were stories associated with the other untruth of Eliza (Elisha’s first wife) dying when giving birth to Beatrice. In 1901, Beatrice was a servant in Devon – only a few streets away from where her father was living with his second family. At that time, she was just 17 years old. It is difs life…
Elisha was at sea – either in a fishing vessel, or with the merchant fleet - exact details are unclear, when one of the boys (who, according to the orphanage records was ‘slightly retarded’) fell overboard. The lad was lost at sea, his body never found. Elisha was heartbroken… and decided there and then to move away from Devon and start life anew somewhere else.
Elisha, Rosa and their three children moved to Southampton. They found a home in Foundry Lane, Shirley… and Elisha named their house ‘Rose Villa’ – a testament of his love for his wife, Rosa. He bought a chip-shop and named it the ‘Torbay Fish Supper Bar’ – this was all before the First World War, and there is a rumour that says Rosa used to overcharge the foreign soldiers and sailors. Frederick (Elisha and Rosa’s son) took over the shop when Elisha retired, and then sold the shop in 1938.
During all this time, nothing much is heard within the family of Elisha’s first child, Beatrice. As already noted, rumour within the family told stories of Elisha abandoning this child… but these were stories associated with the other untruth of Eliza (Elisha’s first wife) dying when giving birth to Beatrice. In 1901, Beatrice was a servant in Devon – only a few streets away from where her father was living with his second family. At that time, she was just 17 years old. It is difficult to believe that Elisha, an orphan himself and a man who felt tragedy so terribly, would ignore his own child. Perhaps Elisha didn’t abandon his first child… just because little is known of their relationship, does not mean that there was no relationship at all. A note here though… when Frederick (Elisha’s son) sold the Fish Bar in 1938, it was to one of Beatrice’s daughters.
In 1948, Elisha passed away – leaving his beloved Rosa behind. Rosa became ill with grief, and it was Beatrice who offered to look after her. Six weeks after Elisha’s death, Rosa died. The doctors gave the reason for her death as a ruptured heart – or, as one doctor said… Rosa had actually died of a broken heart.
This entire story started from what couldn't be found in a census report in 1881 - a missing link within a family that made me want to dig to discover the truth. Strangely enough, the story ends with a mystery too:
Elisha and Rosa's death dates were given to me in good faith by a relative (newly found!). I have no reason to doubt his information... and yet there is no trace of death certificates for either Elisha or Rosa...
I was totally confused at not finding my great-great-grandfather on the 1881 census... he was on the 1871 census, and again on the 1891 census too. But nothing could be found of one whole generation in 1881.
So I began to dig...
In 1871, Elisha (as my grandfather was named) was living with his brother and sisters and his mum, in Milton Street (Brixham, Devon). This was the home of his mother's parents.
Elisha's father had died in Sierra Leone... he had caught a fever on board ship whilst serving in the Merchant Navy, and had died. How sad that Elisha's poor mother was a widow in her early 30's.
In 1871, Elisha was just 9 years old. In two years time he would be an orphan. His mother died in 1873, leaving her five children alone.
Elisha was sent off to live in a Naval orphanage in Devon.
Death had not yet finished with Elisha, and he would know more sorrow in his young life...
In 1883, Elisha married a woman named Eliza. They had a daughter in 1884, and named her Beatrice. Rumour within the family states that Eliza died in childbirth and Elisha, stricken with grief, abandoned his baby daughter. This isn’t true at all – although Eliza did die in childbirth… Late in 1888, Eliza gave birth to a son – John. Her death is registered not long before the death of her little boy. Elisha lost his wife, and then sadly lost his son as well. John's death was registered early in 1889… his age is listed as ‘0’.
In 1890, Elisha remarried. His new wife was named Rosa. Together they had three children: Winifred May (born 1892), Frederick Charles (born 1894) and Estelle Irene (born 1897).
In 1901, the census clearly shows the family living in Brixham, Devon (except for Winifred, who was visiting her Aunt Blanche, Rosa’s sister)… but this would all soon be changing…
During his time at the orphanage, Elisha had learned the basic skills he would need to become a fisherman, and so earn a living – he had obtained his Masters certificate that would enable him to Captain his own boat. Elisha had even bought his own fishing boat and called her “The Fairy” – this was a large deep sea trawler, which he operated in Icelandic waters. Working on board boats was in his blood – his own father had been in the Merchant Navy, and was listed as a ropemaker and Master at Arms.
Elisha felt that he owed the orphanage a great deal… and to partly repay that debt, he often took young lads from the orphanage out to sea with him as cabin boys, teaching them the skills he had learned from his own time at the orphanage. It seemed such an idyllic lifestyle… until tragedy once again struck Elisha’tered not long before the death of her little boy. Elisha lost his wife, and then sadly lost his son as well. John's death was registered early in 1889… his age is listed as ‘0’.
In 1890, Elisha remarried. His new wife was named Rosa. Together they had three children: Winifred May (born 1892), Frederick Charles (born 1894) and Estelle Irene (born 1897).
In 1901, the census clearly shows the family living in Brixham, Devon (except for Winifred, who was visiting her Aunt Blanche, Rosa’s sister)… but this would all soon be changing…
During his time at the orphanage, Elisha had learned the basic skills he would need to become a fisherman, and so earn a living – he had obtained his Masters certificate that would enable him to Captain his own boat. Elisha had even bought his own fishing boat and called her “The Fairy” – this was a large deep sea trawler, which he operated in Icelandic waters. Working on board boats was in his blood – his own father had been in the Merchant Navy, and was listed as a ropemaker and Master at Arms.
Elisha felt that he owed the orphanage a great deal… and to partly repay that debt, he often took young lads from the orphanage out to sea with him as cabin boys, teaching them the skills he had learned from his own time at the orphanage. It seemed such an idyllic lifestyle… until tragedy once again struck Elisha’s life…
Elisha was at sea – either in a fishing vessel, or with the merchant fleet - exact details are unclear, when one of the boys (who, according to the orphanage records was ‘slightly retarded’) fell overboard. The lad was lost at sea, his body never found. Elisha was heartbroken… and decided there and then to move away from Devon and start life anew somewhere else.
Elisha, Rosa and their three children moved to Southampton. They found a home in Foundry Lane, Shirley… and Elisha named their house ‘Rose Villa’ – a testament of his love for his wife, Rosa. He bought a chip-shop and named it the ‘Torbay Fish Supper Bar’ – this was all before the First World War, and there is a rumour that says Rosa used to overcharge the foreign soldiers and sailors. Frederick (Elisha and Rosa’s son) took over the shop when Elisha retired, and then sold the shop in 1938.
During all this time, nothing much is heard within the family of Elisha’s first child, Beatrice. As already noted, rumour within the family told stories of Elisha abandoning this child… but these were stories associated with the other untruth of Eliza (Elisha’s first wife) dying when giving birth to Beatrice. In 1901, Beatrice was a servant in Devon – only a few streets away from where her father was living with his second family. At that time, she was just 17 years old. It is difs life…
Elisha was at sea – either in a fishing vessel, or with the merchant fleet - exact details are unclear, when one of the boys (who, according to the orphanage records was ‘slightly retarded’) fell overboard. The lad was lost at sea, his body never found. Elisha was heartbroken… and decided there and then to move away from Devon and start life anew somewhere else.
Elisha, Rosa and their three children moved to Southampton. They found a home in Foundry Lane, Shirley… and Elisha named their house ‘Rose Villa’ – a testament of his love for his wife, Rosa. He bought a chip-shop and named it the ‘Torbay Fish Supper Bar’ – this was all before the First World War, and there is a rumour that says Rosa used to overcharge the foreign soldiers and sailors. Frederick (Elisha and Rosa’s son) took over the shop when Elisha retired, and then sold the shop in 1938.
During all this time, nothing much is heard within the family of Elisha’s first child, Beatrice. As already noted, rumour within the family told stories of Elisha abandoning this child… but these were stories associated with the other untruth of Eliza (Elisha’s first wife) dying when giving birth to Beatrice. In 1901, Beatrice was a servant in Devon – only a few streets away from where her father was living with his second family. At that time, she was just 17 years old. It is difficult to believe that Elisha, an orphan himself and a man who felt tragedy so terribly, would ignore his own child. Perhaps Elisha didn’t abandon his first child… just because little is known of their relationship, does not mean that there was no relationship at all. A note here though… when Frederick (Elisha’s son) sold the Fish Bar in 1938, it was to one of Beatrice’s daughters.
In 1948, Elisha passed away – leaving his beloved Rosa behind. Rosa became ill with grief, and it was Beatrice who offered to look after her. Six weeks after Elisha’s death, Rosa died. The doctors gave the reason for her death as a ruptured heart – or, as one doctor said… Rosa had actually died of a broken heart.
This entire story started from what couldn't be found in a census report in 1881 - a missing link within a family that made me want to dig to discover the truth. Strangely enough, the story ends with a mystery too:
Elisha and Rosa's death dates were given to me in good faith by a relative (newly found!). I have no reason to doubt his information... and yet there is no trace of death certificates for either Elisha or Rosa...