1881 Census - Can't find Luscombe

[olliecat]

I've looked at 1881 and 1901 and the family are in Worthing (Sussex, East Preston) for both.
...But, still can't find any of them in 1891

Try...

1891: Piece: 835 Folio: 56 Page: 16
Edith HOWICK and children Ethel and Albert, visitors to a SMITH family in Worthing.

[olliecat]

It would seem I'm back to looking for Catherine again.

Just on the off-chance...

There is a Kate Howick HARRIS in the 1891 census, born 1880 in Worthing - adopted daughter of Nathanial and Emma HARRIS, living in Deptford.

1891: Piece: 500 Folio: 96 Page:20

In the 1901 census she is listed as Catherine S. HARRIS

1901: Piece: 533 Folio: 151 Page: 39

(Census crown copyright, care of the TNA)

I could be goose hunting with this. When did Arthur marry Catherine?

[AudreyF]

Olliecat,

I'll take a look at the one where they are visiting.

Not sure about the Harris connection - and not familiar with the phrase 'goose hunting', but I like it! Arthur married Catherine Q3 1906.

I do my searches on Ancestry but I have heard that FMP is better. I don't subscribe to them and wonder if I should - what are you using, please?

Audrey

[AudreyF]

Olliecat,

Well it looks as though you have found Edith Howick visiting. Daughter Ethel is a new one though!

Edith is in the 1901 census as a charwoman so occupation here matches. And it says she is married so it would seem John is still alive and I need to find him somewhere. Edit is a widow in the 1901 census so John had obviously died by then. And, I'm still no nearer finding Catherine so am off to look at the adoption possibility although she married as Catherine Howick according to the Marriage Index.

Audrey

[AudreyF]

Olliecat,

Eureka! I'm sure Kate Howick Harris and Catherine S. Harris are the same person and originally Catherine Sarah Howick. Nathaniel Harris is a plumber and Rowland Harris is his son. When Catherine's daughter (Grace) married her father and uncle Rowland Harris were witnesses and there is some family folklore that Uncle Rowland was a builder and owned property. The address of Malpas Road is also a good indicator and is only around the corner from where Grace lived most of her life in various addresses.

So, did John and Edith fall upon hard times or separate and Catherine was taken in by Nathaniel and his family? The new family obviously referred to her as Kate originally. I wonder if the adoption was formal? Would her marriage certificate reveal anything? If she married under the name Howick she should give her father as John Howick? Could she make reference to an adopting father in any way on the certificate?

Still have to find John Howick in 1891 and his death before 1901. It would seem unlikely he had the other children with him and the older ones may have left home, gone into domestic service, married etc.

This really is all very surprising ........

Audrey

[AudreyF]

Well I've looked all over and round about and still no luck with John in 1891 or with his death. He seems to be very elusive!

Audrey

[olliecat]

Sorry Audrey, I thought I'd replied previously. I'm so glad Catherine is found.

Would her marriage certificate reveal anything? If she married under the name Howick she should give her father as John Howick? Could she make reference to an adopting father in any way on the certificate?

I doubt there would be any reference to her adopting father on her marriage certificate but you won't know for sure what is written on there until you check.

Still have to find John Howick in 1891 and his death before 1901. It would seem unlikely he had the other children with him and the older ones may have left home, gone into domestic service, married etc.

Checking the census for the older children...

1891: Piece: 836 Folio: 11 Page: 18 (crown copyright, care of the TNA)
North End Cottage, High Street, Broadwater, Worthing
HOWICK, Eleanor, boarder, 13, inmate servants training home, Worthing Sussex

1891: Piece: 588 Folio: 93 Page: 62 (crown copyright, care of the TNA)
7 Tamworth Place, Croydon
HOWICK, William H , head, 39, Warehouseman, Wymering Hampshire
HOWICK, Ellen M, wife , 38, Quenington Gloucestershire
HOWICK, Alice E, niece, 12, Worthing Sussex
WEBB, Elsie R, niece, 8, Gloucester Gloucestershire

Like you, I cannot find hide nor hair of John HOWICK in the census after 1881 and neither can I find a likely death registration for him before 1901. So, either he left the country, or is lurking somewhere under an assumed or mistranscribed name, or ...we are missing something.

One thing to note: why does Edith say she is married in 1911? I tend to suspect that John left his family but I'll check the death index again.

1911: RG14/5333 SN89
60 Portland Road, Worthing
HOWICK, Edith, wife, married, 55, laundry woman, Sussex Tarring
HOWICK, Albert, son, 26, marine store dealer, Sussex Worthing
HOWICK, Dorothy, dau, 17, general servant domestic, Sussex Worthing
Married 34 years, 8 children born alive, 7 still living.

[AudreyF]

Olliecat,

Thanks for looking at this again. I will order John Howick and Edith's marriage certificate to satisfy my curiousity and find Edith's maiden name - although I have suspicions/theories what it might be.

Yes, I'd found Eleanor in the servants' training home and Alice with her uncle William.

I'm glad you can't find any trace of John - it tells me I haven't been really dim about it! I have also begun to think John left the family and maybe changed his name or made a determined effort to 'disappear'.

I don't understand your comment about Edith being married in 1911. She says she is a widow in the 1901 census. I had briefly looked for a second marriage (before your post here) and for a death but not found anything conclusive.

I can't see the 1911 census under the reference you give as I'm not familiar with the referencing system. I assume SN89 is a schedule number so is 5333 the piece? Sorry to be dim!

Audrey

[olliecat]

I don't understand your comment about Edith being married in 1911. She says she is a widow in the 1901 census. I had briefly looked for a second marriage (before your post here) and for a death but not found anything conclusive.

I was just pointing out the inconsistency, i.e. widow on the 1901 census, married on the 1911 census.

I assume SN89 is a schedule number so is 5333 the piece?

Exactly! this is normally all you need to locate the household schedule. However, on Ancestry, it appears that Worthing has not yet been indexed, so you will have to take extra steps to locate the schedule.

First of all, if you search the 1911 census summary books for HOWICK in Worthing, you will find Mrs. HOWICK. The information you need to find the actual household schedule is on this summary. That is...

County: Sussex
Civil parish: Worthing
ED: 25?? (this should be 14)
SN: 89

Note: the summary sheet on Ancestry has the piece number as 238, but written on the front cover of the bundle of household schedules is RG14/5333. Just ignore this anomaly for now.

To find the household schedule, go to the Card Catalogue and search for the 1911 census. Once you have located the search box for the 1911 census, look to the right side where it says 'browse this collection.' In the drop-down boxes, select Sussex for the County, Worthing for the civil parish and 14 for the enumeration district. Then browse to image #182 and you should see Edith's household schedule.

[olliecat]

Olliecat,
I do my searches on Ancestry but I have heard that FMP is better. I don't subscribe to them and wonder if I should - what are you using, please?

Just to answer this previous question of yours, I use both. Each has site has advantages/disadvantages with respect to the way in which you can search the census. One day I might find an individual on FMP but not on Ancestry, another day it will be the other way around. If I had to choose out these two, I would probably base my decision on other collections available on each site, rather than on the ease of searching the census.

BTW: goose hunting - is my shortening of the phrase "wild goose chase." -