Emma/Ellen - One and the Same?

[Liane Hawes]

Ok I'm officially confused (doesn't take much!!)

My 2 x great grandmother was Emma Jane Mellett (nee Godbeer/Blamphin). Emma was born in 1857 at Brompton, Middlesex to Eliza Godbeer (unmarried).

Eliza went on to have another daughter Ellen Godbeer/Blamphin (b. 1860 at Brompton).

Eliza eventually married Thomas Blamphin in 1868 and both Emma and Ellen took his surname.

I have found Emma's birth in 1857 but can find no sign of her on either the 1861 or 1871 census. I cannot find a birth certificate for Ellen although I have found her on the 1871 census living in Woking with Eliza and Thomas (prison warder).

Emma married my 2 x great grandfather James Mellett in 1880 at The Register Office St. Saviour, Surrey and went on to have a son, my great grandfather, Ernest James Mellett (b. 1880).

On the 1881 census Emma is living and working as a nurse/domestic servant in Brighton - there is no sign of James and their son Ernest is living with Eliza and Thomas. Ellen is working at the Earlswood Asylum for Idiots, Earlswood, Redhill also as a nurse/domestic servant.

Ellen married Thomas William Martin at St. John's Church, Woking in 1885.


Just trying to find any birth/baptism for Ellen or indeed trying to figure out whether they might well be one and the same person - they don't appear on any census records together. Could Emma have remarried (bigimously possibly?!!) to Thomas Martin using the name Ellen or am I thinking well outside the box and just really messing my addled brain up?

Any help or suggestions would be really appreciated. James and Emma are my nemesis at the moment and have caused me to have lots of appointments at the hairdressers to cover the grey hairs!!

[Raffaele]

Eliza went on to have another daughter Ellen Godbeer/Blamphin (b. 1860 at Brompton).

So far as I can see there is no evidence to support this. Presumably the birth date comes from the second marriage certificate.

Everything points to just one child at this point in time as there is only ever one on a census.

Could Emma have remarried (bigimously possibly?!!) to Thomas Martin using the name Ellen or am I thinking well outside the box

That is what we know suggests. As always in genealogy, the next piece of evidence could blow the theory to bits.

[Jellylegs]

If you have both girls on the 1881 census, how can they be one and the same?

Emma MELLETT at RG11/1079/26/46

Ellen BLAMPHIN at RG11/800/113/3

[Lizzy9]

Re marriage certificate.

Please can you say what James' occupation is, his age and his father's name

[Liane Hawes]

When James and Emma married in 1880, James age was listed as 24 and he was a cook and his fathers name was William (deceased) and he was a bootmaker. James and Emma are a real problem. It's as if aliens dropped James on earth to marry and sire a child then beamed him back up again!!!!! But I would also like to tie up loose ends on Ellen - did she exist. I can't find a birth/baptism for her - maybe it's going to be my never ending query

[Liane Hawes]

If you have both girls on the 1881 census, how can they be one and the same?

Emma MELLETT at RG11/1079/26/46

Ellen BLAMPHIN at RG11/800/113/3

I still need to find more on both girls, a birth/baptism for Ellen would be a start but I've run out of ideas! Thank you Jellylegs

[pennydog]

There is something strange on the marriage cert of Eliza to Thomas Blamphin - 1868.

Eliza's father is listed as Peter Godbeer Labourer, the witnesses are Mary Ann Godbeer and John Goodbeer, both signed. The given address for both parties is 11 Chapel Street.

1871 census RG10/419/22/37 - crown copyright/care of TNA - 11, Chapel Street, St Giles Without Cripplegate, City of London

John Godbeer b1818 Devon bootmaker
Mary Ann wife b1824 London
Mary ann b1849 Shoreditch
John b1853 Cripplegate
Louisa 1856 Cripplegate
Annie 1862 Aldershot (?) Kent

Had hoped that the children would have been with Eliza's parents, but no.

Have you had any luck in following Eliza's siblings to see if the girls are with them?

I too have had no luck in a birth reg for Ellen or bap for either.


Edit:- on the 1861 John & Mary Ann, Louise, Henry and William are in Aldershot Surrey, so the birth for Annie looks OK right town, wrong county.

[Raffaele]

I think this could be it

Births Mar 1860
GODBER Ellen Jane Bermondsey 1d 105

Bermondsey is just across the river from Brompton and so could have registered there

[Liane Hawes]

Thanks for that Raffaele but I had already found that and there is a baptism entry on Ancestry for this birth and the parents are Harriet & Joseph so not my Ellen. Argghhhhh I can see another trip to the hairdressers for grey hair coverage coming up!!!

[Coromandel]

When James and Emma married in 1880, James age was listed as 24 and he was a cook and his fathers name was William (deceased) and he was a bootmaker. James and Emma are a real problem. It's as if aliens dropped James on earth to marry and sire a child then beamed him back up again!!!!!

A James Mellatt, married (but no wife with him), 24, born in Buckingham, was lodging in Garden Row, Southwark
St George in 1881. If it is the same man he's changed occupation since the marriage: he's now a porter.

RG 11/529, f.73, p.31
Census returns Crown copyright, in care of TNA