A mystery of Adultery and Illegitimacy

[grisel]

Now here is something I have just googled upon.. (You may already know this)

Memorial inscriptions of Roath church

Evelyn Fanny daughter of John Bird of Cardiff died 1843 age 13 moths. Also Jemima wife of John Bird died 1858 age 47. Also Mary Ann Strutt widow of Joseph Strutt of Isleworth Middlesex mother of Jemima Bird died 1865 age 81

So Jemima Strutt married John Bird of Cardiff and Rachel Kezia also married a Mr Bird of Cardiff.

So Edward Strong could be a nephew of the Strutts or a nephew of the Birds! (Or alternatively it is Lucretia who was a niece of either the Strutts or Birds)

What a complicated family you have..

[Megan Roberts]

Going back to Lucretia I had not picked up from your first posting the significance of her probate entry. As you quite rightly say it says "died in or since 1874", with administration of her estate being awarded to Charles Edward Strong, Insurance Inspector, and with a value of £624 8s 9d.

Based on the description of her death date, it must be that after the divorce she was cut off from her children completely, (evidently they had no idea about her being assaulted in 1884), and therefore I presume that Charles must have sought to have her legally declared dead.

I did a quick check and can't find a listing for her in the death index in 1909. Maybe someone who knows more about these things can advise if death certificates are usually issued in such cases.

I also checked the London Gazette to see if any notices looking for information about her had been posted before probate was granted, but could not find any.

How, her estate came to have any value to it, (£624 8s 9d), when they had not heard from her for 35 years is also a mystery; unless of course Charles, as an insurance inspector, had taken out a policy on her!!! It might be worth getting the grant of administration and any other papers that go with to see if they shed any light. The probate office must have required proof of death before granting probate?!

As the article about her assault is very short, I thought you might like to have a transcription:
WESTERN MAIL TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 1884
Cowardly assault on a Woman at Cardiff – William Roberts was charged at Cardiff, on Monday (before Mr. R. O. Jones, stipendiary), with assaulting Lucretia Strong, on the 23rd of January. The parties, it appeared, lived in the same house. Complainant saw the defendant eating some pickled cabbage which belonged to her, and spoke to him about it, whereupon he took up a jar of pickles and threw it in her face. The jar cut her face, and gave her tow black eyes, and stunned her. Defendant was sent to prison for a month.

[grisel]

As the article about her assault is very short, I thought you might like to have a transcription:
WESTERN MAIL TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 1884
Cowardly assault on a Woman at Cardiff – William Roberts was charged at Cardiff, on Monday (before Mr. R. O. Jones, stipendiary), with assaulting Lucretia Strong, on the 23rd of January. The parties, it appeared, lived in the same house. Complainant saw the defendant eating some pickled cabbage which belonged to her, and spoke to him about it, whereupon he took up a jar of pickles and threw it in her face. The jar cut her face, and gave her tow black eyes, and stunned her. Defendant was sent to prison for a month.

As this is the last known record of Lucretia I wonder if the actual court or police record might have an address. Poss in Glamorgan archives?

I've also had no joy in spotting any trace of her dead or alive.

[grisel]

So Edward Strong could be a nephew of the Strutts or a nephew of the Birds! (Or alternatively it is Lucretia who was a niece of either the Strutts or Birds)

On reflection I think he would be a nephew of the Strutts as the children are nephews and nieces of Rachel K and Elzabeth h (post #20)
If this was your main line I'd be suggesting to get Edward and Lucretia's marriage cert to find out father's names. I have a hunch that Edward's mother was a Strutt.

[grisel]

On reflection I think he would be a nephew of the Strutts as the children are nephews and nieces of Rachel K and Elzabeth h (post #20)
If this was your main line I'd be suggesting to get Edward and Lucretia's marriage cert to find out father's names. I have a hunch that Edward's mother was a Strutt.

family search has another birth of an Edward Strong,in Hammersmith 1832, parents John Strong and Mary. I wonder if she is a Mary Strutt.

edit - well here is a poss marriage - John Strong and Mary Ann Strutt 4 nov 1826 Christ church greyfriars Newgate London

Kermie , even if you have this data already it has been fun looking. Just wish Lucretia would come out of the woodwork now...

[kermie62]

Gertrude is with gt aunt Elizabeth H Strutt in 1871(family search)

Thanks

That suggests that the link is with the strutt family and so I need to be looking at a Strutt linked to a Strong or Ambrose. The only problem is that it would need to be a sister marrying a Strong and I know all the sisters of the family and none of them married a Strong or Ambrose. There is one I havent found!!!

[grisel]

Thanks

That suggests that the link is with the strutt family and so I need to be looking at a Strutt linked to a Strong or Ambrose. The only problem is that it would need to be a sister marrying a Strong and I know all the sisters of the family and none of them married a Strong or Ambrose. There is one I havent found!!!

Is the Mary Ann Strutt bp 12 Jan 1806 St Andrew Holburn, London, parents Joseph and Mary Ann, one of the sisters? (family search) She would be a good contender for the Mary Ann who married John Strong (post # 25)

[grisel]

Is the Mary Ann Strutt bp 12 Jan 1806 St Andrew Holburn, London, parents Joseph and Mary Ann, one of the sisters? (family search) She would be a good contender for the Mary Ann who married John Strong (post # 25)

And if it assists at all Edward would seem to have an elder brother John Hammel Strong bp 27 June 1830 St Paul Hammersmith parents John and Mary Ann strong.

[kermie62]

family search has another birth of an Edward Strong,in Hammersmith 1832, parents John Strong and Mary. I wonder if she is a Mary Strutt.

edit - well here is a poss marriage - John Strong and Mary Ann Strutt 4 nov 1826 Christ church greyfriars Newgate London

Kermie , even if you have this data already it has been fun looking. Just wish Lucretia would come out of the woodwork now...

Thanks Mate, I think you cracked the connection

The marriage certificate is in the divorce papers and gives Edwards father as John Strong, a School master and Lucretias father as Thomas Ambrose, a contractor. Rachel did have a sister called mary Ann and one of the strutts (William?) married an Elizabeth so there is the connection.

These challenges are always fun

So what we end up having is a story where Edward Strong married Lucretia Ambrose. They had problems and Edward stated they separated in 1866 with two children, Gertrude Sarah and Charles Edward. Separated although that didn’t stop him fathering a child born in 1867 Albert Ambrose.
In 1871, Charles is away at boarding school in London, Lucretia is staying with her great aunt in Woolton Hampshire and Albert is with her mother. It appears that the family was tardy baptising Gertrude because she was baptised in Woolton when she was about 7 years old. In 1871, Lucretia is alledged to have had a child through a relationship with a man not her husband and this is most likely Blanche Strong. In 1874, Lucretia disappears off the family knowledge and is divorced bu Edward in 1877. She is apparently still alive in 1884 though.
In 1881, Charles is living with his great aunt Kezia and now Alfred is in boarding school. (This family certainly seemed to have money). In 1891, Alfred is with his Great Aunt. Gertrude dies in 1880 when she was 16.
In 1881, Blache is effectively in the workhouse/an institution for paupers. She marries a Peter Sing and has two children however one or both ofn them die and both children end up in the workhouse. (regardless of what people may say, I cannot imaging Albert or Charles leaving their half sister of nephews in the workhouse if they had of known about it).
In 1909, Charles winds up his mothers estate.

A rather involved and sad story

[kermie62]

And if it assists at all Edward would seem to have an elder brother John Hammel Strong bp 27 June 1830 St Paul Hammersmith parents John and Mary Ann strong.

That does help as Rachel Chivers nee Strutt had a brother Hammel Ingold Strutt who would have been Johns
Uncle