John Metcalfe Pollard (mostly London area)

[Megan Roberts]

Whilst having a look for your John Leslie Pollard I noticed that a man of the same name was born in 1945 in Ipswich and died there in 1976. Coincidences can be quite spooky at times.

But back to you man:

I note in your original post that you say you assume the marriage of John Metcalfe Pollard junior to Mary Leonora Urquhart would have legitimised John Leslie Pollard. I don’t think it would have done, but I am not an expert in that area. His birth is registered under Pollard. Do you have the birth certificate, and if so what does it say? Does it list JMP as his father? Is Mary Leonora described as Pollard formerly Urquhart? In other words did who ever registered his birth assert that his parents were in fact married? No checks were ever made upon registration. The presumption is that you would tell the truth!

Did John Leslie and Ada Mary have children? I can’t see any Pollard/Bridger children born with 10 years after 1917. From the end of 1911, the birth index includes the mother’s maiden name, so you search on a combination of both.

I wonder if John Leslie and Ada went overseas to start afresh?

There is a birth registration for an Ada Mary A Bridger in 1885 in Marylebone, Middlesex, which could be her. There is also one in 1880 in Lincoln and another in 1878 in Tonbridge, Kent.

Having gone through census records you can eliminate the Lincoln birth as her father was William. It is this one that married in Calcutta in 1909.

You can also eliminate the Marylebone one, as her father was Joseph.

The one in Tonbridge, is proving a little harder to pin down, as she only appears in censuses with her mother, Mary.

[geneius]

Hello and not quite sure where to start! I am way behind you guys

John Jr. marries Alice, fathers two children before doing a very short stint in the army

I also wonder why John Jr. was in the army for such a short time

I think you will find it 3 children John / Alice & Edward

Looking at the papers dated 1889, the next of kin is given as wife Annie H living in Colchester

POLLARD’S Solicitor Practice

Someone was at the practice in 1890 as there is an entry in the London Gazette / trade directory will assist you in finding further business details
History of Suffolk - Ipswich Commercial Traders 1865
Pollard John Metcalfe, solicitor, & solicitor to East of England Monetary Association (limited), & advocate in the county courts, 7 St. Lawrence street

This one now makes sense to me having seen the 1911 census where Alice Morris had remarried!

https://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/C3580115

Reference: J 90/1856
Description: Cause: Edwards v Barrs (1902 E.87) Title deeds relating to trusts of settlement in which Henry Hollier Hood Barrs (deceased original principal defendant) was interested, concerning Padnall's Farm and other property in Dagenham and Barking, ESSEX, BlackBush Farm, Chadwell Heath, in Dagenham, ESSEX, 141 and 143, Cambridge Road, Bethnal Green, MIDDX., 318 and 320, Mile End Road, Whitechapel, LONDON, and 69, Aldermanbury, LONDON. Copy-will of Miss Martha Price of Stepney Green, MIDDX. (1827). Deeds and papers relating to settlement on marriage of Miss Alice Morris Lee (afterwards, following divorce, wife of George Rowland Edwards) being Mrs. Lee Metcalfe Pollard. Plaintiffs being Mrs. Lee and John Lee Metcalfe Pollard and other infants by John Metcalfe Pollard their next friend. Deposited (i) 17 Mar. 1902 and (ii) 27 Aug. 1902 by defendants Harriet Hood Barrs, widow, and Thomas Teesdale Hall.

[Megan Roberts]

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!

There is also this one:

Name:John Leslie Pollard

Military Year:1914-1920

Rank:Private

Medal Awarded:British War Medal and Victory Medal

Regiment or Corps:London Regiment

Regimental Number:2842

Sub Unit:28th (County of London) Battalion (Artists Rifles)

Previous Units:28th Lond. R. 2842

[Megan Roberts]

The Davies divorce is reported in newspapers such as Hampshire Advertiser 17 May 1890 “In the divorce division, London, yesterday afternoon, Mr Knowles Davies, Bank cashier, obtained a decree nisi with costs, by reason of his wife’s adultery with Mr. John Metcalfe Pollard, solicitor, London, against whom damages were awarded of £500.” That was a lot of money in those days.

In the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer dated 11 June 1890 and under the heading “Bankrupts” there are two further headings: “Receiving Orders” and “Adjudications”. Under the latter we find “John Metcalfe Pollard, Chancery Lane, London, Solicitor”, in amongst a list of others including architects, milliners, drapers etc. This is the address on JMP junior army discharge forms, and I am presuming he was declared bankrupt.

In the Ipswich Journal dated 27 November 1880 “Mr John Metcalfe Pollard, jnr., who is serving under articles to his father, Mr J.M. Pollard of this town has successfully passed his intermediate examination at the Law Institution”.

Essex Standard 9 July 1892 – “In the Divorce Court on July 4 the case of Pollard v Pollard was hear. It was the petition of the wife for a divorce by reason of the desertion of her husband, Mr John Metcalfe Pollard. Mrs Pollard married the respondent on Mary 3, 1882 at Rochester and there were five children. They afterwards lived at Colchester until 1889, when he enlisted in the Dragoons. Afterwards he called upon her at her house at Colchester and asked how long “this farce was going on”, she stated that she was quite sure that there was a woman in it. That he denied. She wanted him to make up the differences between them, but he pushed her away. Afterwards she heard of his being a co-respondent in the suite of “Davis v Davis and Pollard” and since then he was been living with Mrs. Davis. A decree nisi with costs was granted.”

[geneius]

This is now a shortened form of my original which included all of the above

RG13; Piece: 457; Folio: 142; Page: 13
In case you haven’t found John b 1861 Ipswich, I think this is him in 1901

It looks as if his ‘life ‘fell apart circa 1889/1891

Adjudications”. Under the latter we find “John Metcalfe Pollard, Chancery Lane, London, Solicitor”, in amongst a list of others including architects, milliners, drapers etc. This is the address on JMP junior army discharge forms, and I am presuming he was declared bankrupt.

Usually these are ALL posted in the London Gazette, I cannot find the call for the first meeting!

[DianaCanada]

First of all, thank you for all the great information that has been added in my quest to track down the two John Pollards and their wives (and perhaps, a shared wife). I had not seen that newspaper reference to John Metcalfe Pollard Jr. visiting his wife - certainly proves now that he was with Mary Leonora and they were already the parents of John Leslie, although this is not mentioned in the newspaper, and was possibly not known.
In 1932 John Jr.'s legitimate son John Lee Metcalfe Pollard died in Wimbledon. Interesting that his father had lived there in 1891. Perhaps the property was owned and it passed down to John L.M. No probate records seem to be in existence for his father, although there is for John L.M.
Megan, I did find John Leslie Pollard's baptismal record - he was born January 25, 1891 (I may have said 1890 in an earlier post), baptized September 4, 1892 at St. John's, Fulham, London, perhaps soon after his father divorced Alice. It is noted "no occupation" in the occupation box and the address for the parents is given as 65 Chelverton, Putney. Parents are listed as John Metcalfe and Mary Leonora Pollard. I will have to look into whether their marriage the next year would have legally legitimized John Leslie. When the latter marries Ada Mary Bridger he lists his father as John Metcalfe Pollard, solicitor - not a lot of help if he was told his grandfather was his father, as John Metcalfe Pollard Sr. was also a solicitor while Jr. was apparently only an erstwhile solicitor!
I did find in the death indexes an Ada M. Pollard dying in Dover district in 1957, her birth year given as ca 1879. Later on, I believe in the 1970's I am pretty sure one of her daughters (one of the three listed in 1911) dies there as well. The name is fairly unusual and the age matches.
I have access to Findmypast at the local FHC so will have to check for John Jr.'s death in Genoa.
Sorry this must be confusing to some people reading this - four different John Pollards!
John Sr. was the eldest of 11 children, with 8 brothers. I still have a lot of work to do. The second son trained as an architect, the rest of the kids stayed with their parents and spent most of their lives in Burnley. Their lives were much more typical of my lot (humble working class), and did not have the benefits their two eldest brothers did.
My great-great grandmother was John Metcalfe Pollard Sr.'s first cousin.

[geneius]

I will have to look into whether their marriage the next year would have legally legitimized John Leslie.

This link for starters: familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/England_Civil_Registration

I have access to Findmypast at the local FHC

The newspaper entry are also on this site as is the attestation paper.

Sorry this must be confusing to some people reading this - four different John Pollards

The line of descent appears to be

Thomas POLLARD & Mary METCALF

Issue
*John Metcalf POLLARD b 1828 - 1902
1st married married Sarah Ann 2nd dau of Rev J TOMLIN of Gate House Sedburgh
30 August 1856 at Dent He is described as a solicitor of Ipswich
Issue
#John Metcalf POLLARD b 1861 - ?
1st married Alice Morris LEE stepdau of Rev J MONK on 3 May 1882 at Cooling Kent

Issue:
John Lee Metcalf POLLARD b1884 - 1932 Wimbolden

2nd married Mary Leonora URQHART 1893 following a divorce both parties were involved in

Issue: John Leslie METCALFE b 1890 prior to parents marriage above

There is still the question of the'wife' shown on the Army record?

* A practising solicitor in Ipswich at the time of his marriage in 1856 ( see newspaper)

2nd marriage to Eliza C WOOLNER 1889 Ipswich ( no issue)

# Is this John M P b 1861 death
NAME: John M Pollard
BIRTH: abt 1861
DEATH: Jun 1937 - Eastry, Kent, England

There is an entry in the electorall Rolls ( ancestry)
to 1914 7a Emperors gate Kensington
to 1936 at Flat 8 186 Fulham Road Kensington