FRENCH family East Farleigh/Loose

[Fidgetsmum]

One of my brickwalls I'm afraid.

I'm hoping to find information on John French (b. Loose abt. 1819). He later married Ann Frances Connell GREEN and they subsequently had 6 children one of whom David (b. 21.9.1860) was my grt.grandfather.

I have them on the 1861 Census living at Pear Tree Farm, Gallants Lane where John is shown as Fruiterer and Salesman and, helpfully, whenever they appear on subsequent census forms Ann's initials are always shown as 'A.F.C'.

My stumbling block is 1851 where I can't seem to find them at all and (maybe) 1841. There is a John French married to an Ann in the 1841 census, but although the age would fit, he is shown as a mariner and I can't be sure it's the right John.

Unfortunately I can't get to look up records for myself in the Kentish Studies centre Maidstone so I'm wondering if it's possible that someone could. I have tried all the obvious online resources but have always drawn a blank - my fault I'm guessing.

I'd love to know who John's parents were and any of his siblings and, although I've tried to obtain a marriage certificate for John and Ann F.C., I can't provide enough details for the Registry Office to do a search for me.
Any help (and I mean any) would be so very much appreciated.

F'smum

[Peter Goodey]

Marriage of Ann Frances Connell GREEN

1842 Dec Islington 3 166

John FRENCH is on the same page.

[Fidgetsmum]

Wow Peter, that's brilliant.

No wonder I couldn't find them in Kent. But Islington? No-one mentioned Islington . What on earth where they doing there?

That's the trouble with these ancestors - you solve one conundrum and three more jump into its place!

But for that information I'm truly grateful - thank you.

F'smum

[Peter Goodey]

Did you say you can't find them in 1851?

They're in Loose.

HO 107/1616 f 433 p 4

[Fidgetsmum]

Again, thank you so much for that. In fact, two pages before that, and I find Ann's widowed Mother with an 'extra' child I hadn't known about previously.

From the marriage information you'd already kindly supplied, I now realise that the 1841 census I was a bit 'iffy' about, clearly isn't the right John and Ann French, so even if I can't find them at present, at least I can eliminate the wrong information which is just as useful.

Thank you again
Fs'mum

[Peter Goodey]

I hope you're going to get the marriage certificate. You'll need the names of their fathers to progress this further.

[Geoffers]

From the marriage information you'd already kindly supplied, I now realise that the 1841 census I was a bit 'iffy' about, clearly isn't the right John and Ann French, so even if I can't find them at present, at least I can eliminate the wrong information which is just as useful.

For 1841 try HO107/664/17 f11 p17 - Matt's Lane, St.Mary's Islington.
There is what appears to a be a French family with John aged 22 working as a warehouseman. Two of the younger members of the household were foreign born - I wonder if dad was a soldier/sailor, or possibly in some trade (e.g. wine)? Maybe his marriage certificate will help???

There's a possible match in 1941 census for Ann GREEN at HO107/664/2 f43 p21 - Alfred Street, Islington - again the marriage certificate may help to confirm this is correct.

[Fidgetsmum]

Thanks Geoffers. It's possible the 1841 census for John French could be right, however the Ann Green (as much as I want it to be) isn't mine, in 1841 she was living with her parents Joseph and Margaret at Shernold Pond, Loose Nr. Maidstone (107/459/24/1) where he was a farmer and publican.

Although I can find a number of Ann Green's in 1851, I can't be sure that any of those I've come across are my Ann Frances Connell Green. By this time her Mother was a widow and Ann isn't living at home so she could have been anywhere!!

As you say, I need her marriage certificate ..... big time

F'smum