John Metcalfe Pollard (mostly London area)

[DianaCanada]

I am working on my Abbotson/Pollard line of descent and am currently intrigued by one branch that moved from Lancashire to Suffolk and then on to London.
The details: John Metcalfe Pollard (Jr.) was married twice, firstly to Alice Morris Lee in 1882 in Cooling, Kent. John was born and lived in Ipswich, Suffolk until he married Alice. His father, John Metcalfe Pollard (Sr.) was a solicitor who was raised by his maternal grandmother in Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland. His grandfather and grandmother were originally from Padiham and Hornby, Lancs. respectively. The Abbotson family is found in the Giggleswick, Yorks. area as early as the late 1600’s. If they are all like this particular Pollard branch, they will be a challenge!
John Jr. marries Alice, fathers two children before doing a very short stint in the army, heads off to be a solicitor in London, fathers a few more children in the London area, is cited as a co-respondent in a divorce case between William Knowles Davies and Mary Leonora Urquhart in 1890. In 1891 John and Mary Leonora are living together with their newborn son, John Leslie, in Wimbledon, Surrey (as husband and wife). Alice is in Penge, London with her children, but listed as married.
John and Alice do divorce, he marries Mary Leonora in 1893; she marries under the name Urquhart. In 1901 Mary Leonora is nowhere to be seen and John is lodging in Battersea, as “married”.
In 1911 John is living with a 32 year old woman named Ada Mary, b. Tunbridge Wells, they are listed as married, though no marriage record has been found. They have four children; the eldest is 8. Also, Leslie Pollard, 20, is listed as his brother. John Sr. is now 50 years old (listed as 49). It does appear to me that Leslie is the John Leslie living in Wimbledon – he would be 20. Why is not listed as son is a mystery.
In 1917, John Leslie Pollard, who is in the army, marries an Ada Mary Bridger, age 34. Her father is given as Alfred Bridger, farmer. John lists his father as John Metcalfe Pollard, solicitor. Witnesses are likely two domestic servants whose names, fairly unusual, match domestic servants in the area in 1911.
The birth certificate of one of the children of John Metcalfe Pollard Jr. and Ada Mary would certainly give me her maiden name. Perhaps it is not the same Ada Mary who married John Leslie Pollard in 1917. In any case, I cannot find Ada Mary Bridger on any earlier census. Her marital status in 1917 is “spinster”.
So I am missing – death for John Metcalfe Pollard Jr., and death or remarriage for his second wife, Mary Leonora Urquhart Davies Pollard (I assume their marriage would have legitimized John Leslie), and a death for John Leslie Pollard.
Just to confuse things, John Metcalfe Pollard Jr. and his first wife Alice had a son named John Lee Metcalfe Pollard. I have found his death and probate. I have managed to find out some information on the other eight children of John but not his “second” son named John.
Sorry this is long – I’ve actually pared it down! Any advice appreciated.

[Megan Roberts]

Normally if you get a name like John Metcalfe Pollard, you would think that it would simple to track him, but it is not, particularly as there is another individual of the same name about 10 years younger living in Rochdale, Lancashire.

But then the tangled webs they weave are always much more interesting to try and unravel aren't they?

I think that I have found a possible death for John Metcalfe Pollard Junior.

GRO Consular Death Indices (1849 to 1965) - these are the ones that record the deaths of British Nationals overseas.
Genoa, Italy some time between 1926-1930 a 69 year old John M Pollard died. Unfortunately the index covers a 4 year period so you would have to apply for the death certificate to know if it is him. 1930 aged 69 = born 1861. The references you need are Genoa Vol 20 Page 200.

Another possible death is Bristol 1934 aged 72 - again John M Pollard. This is probably not him as I can find a John M Pollard of about the right age in Bristol in the 1891 census.
Another is Eastry, Kent, 1937 aged 76

[Megan Roberts]

The 1881 census is intriguing in that John M, together with his Frances, Edward and Emily are all living in Ipswich, and describe themselves as sons and daughters, but in a household without a head. Whereas the parents John M senior and Sarah Anne, together their other daughter Harriet appear to living in Penzance, Cornwall, where he is working as a solicitor.

However, I presume that they came back to Ipswich, as that is where Sarah Anne died in 1887. John M senior then married Eliza Caroline Woolner in 1889 in Ipswich, and by 1901 they had moved to London.

Do you think that they were trying to stay one step ahead of someone?

[Megan Roberts]

By the by - how do you know that the John Metcalfe Pollard named in the 1890 divorce action by Wm Davies was the younger one and not the older one?

The wife is listed as Mary LAURA not Mary Leonora.

Oops apologies - I have just gone and checked the marriage index and there it is William Knowles Davies married Mary Leonora Urquart in May 1883 in Westminster.

[DianaCanada]

Megan, thanks for your replies. I am intrigued by the death of a John M. Pollard in Genoa, where did you find this reference? The age matches well, and with the absence of John in England, might just be that he went to Italy to live or on holidays and passed away.
I don't know if you have heard of him, but Eliza Woolner's brother was Thomas Woolner, apparently a famous and accomplished sculptor. Sarah Ann Tomlin, John Sr.'s first wife, was the daughter of Rev. Jacob Tomlin, a highly respected Anglican missionary. I wonder what he thought of his grandson's behaviour!
John and Sarah and Harriet being in Penzance - I just thought they were on holidays. Harriet got married back in Ipswich not long after that. Maybe a last trip with her and her parents before she left home? Had a bit of trouble tracking her down, she married into a English family that had gone to Scotland. Her husband was a banker and they lived in Scotland.
Some of the other children I am having trouble finding.
I also wonder why John Jr. was in the army for such a short time. Will have to post that query to the military section.
Tracking the two John Metcalfe Pollard's around - think it is pretty likely the son not the father was involved with Mary Leonora. They are together in Wimbledon in 1891 (though there are a few mistakes, or deliberate obfuscations, for example, John calls himself a retired army officer - right - and he gives his bp as Norwich - but I am quite sure it is them, also I found John Leslie Pollard's baptism when he was a toddler, with his birth date, it all fits).
It is a bit confusing that John Leslie is called John Metcalfe's Jr.'s brother in 1911, but maybe the young man didn't know about his background. Or maybe more likely, Ada Mary gave the information, and *she* didn't know John Leslie was her husband's son.
There are a lot of dead ends and mysteries in this family - Mary Leonora's story is interesting too - her stepfather seems to come from the Irish landed gentry, but was convicted for fraud in 1878. He and Mary's mother and siblings also seem to disappear after 1881!

[Megan Roberts]

Findmypast has the overseas death index.

Short stay in army - if you look at the record on line - it describes him as a solicitor, although he was only a private, and says that he was able to buy himself out of the army for £10 as that was within 3 months of his joining up.

Maybe he joined up to avoid someone, or perhaps he did it after he had had one too many drinks, and then regretted it!

1881 Census - Whilst it is possible that they had rented a house in Penzance for a sojourn, it was definitely more than a holiday, because (a) John is the head of the household, (b) he is described as a solicitor and (c) his daughter is described as a solicitors daughter. If they were just on holiday, they would be more likely to be "boarders" or "visitors". Maybe his wife was not well and wanted a milder climate for a while?

The blacksheep are so much more interesting!!

[DianaCanada]

I thought they might be holidaying or visiting someone they knew in Cornwall as they are staying with Helen Roberts' house, rather than a separate dwelling.

[Megan Roberts]

If you look at the original form then its clear that Helen Roberts is a different household. They all appear to be living at number 2, but there are a number of separate households - each is delineated by the schedule number in the far left hand side column.

[DianaCanada]

Thanks for pointing that out. I haven't found anything to indicate that John Metcalfe Pollard Sr was dodgy in any way, just the eldest son seemed to have been an "interesting" life, so I just assumed they were in Cornwall for a visit.
Any ideas on how I can find the bride of John Leslie Pollard - Ada Mary Bridger, who gives her father as Alfred on their marriage in 1917? I haven't been able to locate anyone that might fit.

[DianaCanada]

I just found a listing for a Captain John Leslie Pollard, Royal Army Service Corps, 1914-1920 on the National Archives site. Am pretty sure this is the same John Leslie, son of John Metcalfe Pollard and Mary Leonora Urquhart. Apparently I can only view the records in person - I am in the wrong London (Ontario), lol!