Amelia Cooksey born Bethnal Green in 1843?

[RobinC]

My 3 x great grandmother is reportedly named Amelia Stratford nee Cooksey and was also reportedly born in Bethnal Green circa 1843.

She married Richard Stratford in Newington in 1862 (the marriage is on Ancestry in their London marriages collection). Unfortunately, the space where her father's name would be states "----- Cooksey, deceased" so either she didn't know her father's first name or she was illegitimate.

I can't find Amelia's birth on Freebmd so am guessing that she was registered under a different name and I also can't find her on any of the censuses.

Has anyone got any ideas as to how to find out the names of her parents?

[malcolm99]

I know it's not Stratford but on the 1851 census there’s an Amelia Cooksey in Lambeth, age 9, born Surrey: HO107 piece 1575 folio 582 page 9. This fits in nicely with the marriage details on Ancestry.

(Record in care of TNA, Crown Copyright).

[olliecat]

As Malcolm has mentioned above, have you considered the Amelia Cooksey who is in the Norwood Workhouse in Lambeth in 1851. Although she is recorded as being born abt 1842 in Surrey, either the workhouse or Amelia herself may have been confused about her place of birth.

You could look through the Lambeth Poor Law Records held on Ancestry. It would mean browsing through the images as they haven’t yet been transcribed.

[RobinC]

I know it's not Stratford but on the 1851 census there’s an Amelia Cooksey in Lambeth, age 9, born Surrey: HO107 piece 1575 folio 582 page 9. This fits in nicely with the marriage details on Ancestry.

(Record in care of TNA, Crown Copyright).

This Amelia is listed as a pauper and appears to be in the Norwood Workhouse at Lambeth so I'm guessing she became an orphan sometime prior to 1851?

[RobinC]

As Malcolm has mentioned above, have you considered the Amelia Cooksey who is in the Norwood Workhouse in Lambeth in 1851. Although she is recorded as being born abt 1842 in Surrey, either the workhouse or Amelia herself may have been confused about her place of birth.

You could look through the Lambeth Poor Law Records held on Ancestry. It would mean browsing through the images as they haven’t yet been transcribed.

I might be looking in the wrong place but I can't find anything prior to the 1900s?

[malcolm99]

Try here: http://
search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1557

[malcolm99]

I might be looking in the wrong place but I can't find anything prior to the 1900s?

I think I posted too quickly!

[RobinC]

I think I posted too quickly!

Why?

[RobinC]

Is it possible that Amelia could still have been in the workhouse in 1861 or would she have been put into service like others from the workhouse were?

[malcolm99]

Why?

Because I hadn't checked the dates of the records for the Workhouse. I must say it seems a bit old (18) to still be in the workhouse without being 'farmed out' somewhere. Evidence from the 1871 censuses onwards makes it look as though she was in good health!

I've failed to find her in 1861 of course. I'll keep looking.