Civil Servant (Mauritius) in the 1800's

[Harfink]

I am trying to help my sister-in-law with some of her family history.

I found her grandfather's marriage (Valmont Marie Joseph ATKINSON to Lydia Elizabeth COSTA on 16 Sep 1905) in At Peter & Pauls Catholic Church Romford.
The marriage cert shows him as being a "Drapery warehouseman", living in Ilford and that his father was John Greenwood ATKINSON a Retired Civil Servant. His brother, John Walwin ATKINSON was a witness.

I also identified the brothers marriage entry on 5 April 1988 in Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lambeth to Charlotte ASHFORD. His father in 1888 is shown as Clerk Civil Service (bit of a letdown from a senior diplomat!!)

I have 1881 census entry for John W in a Drapers' boarding house in Bermondsey.

Both brothers were born in Mauritius where the John Greenwood ATKINSON was supposed to be (family legend!!) a senior diplomat.

Eventually we received birth certificate copies for both brothers from Mauritius John W was born 18 August 1863 (mother Louisa Anne PITREL) and Valmont M J on 1 March 1875 (mother Alic Jeanine FAUCHEUR).

The Mauritius authorities say they have found no records of any marriage of the father or of his death.

Puzzling aspects:
a) Both brothers started off as "Drapers" after arriving in the UK as young men; is there some family connection / association?
b) All the Atkinsons have "uncommon" yet different given names; why?
c) I cannot trace on freeBMD any marriage or death entry for the father
4) I cannot trace any birth entry on the miscellaneous lists at 1837online for either boys birth
5) I have done a search of the National Archives and haven't found any reference that could apply to the father and civil service
6) A very helpful man looked in Royal Kalendars of 1862 and 1878 and couldn't find John G in a Mauriitius listing

Anyone got any ideas on a next step? I think a visit to Kew may be inevitable

[Harfink]

Does anybody have any bright ideas or suggestions?

[Geoffers]

His father in 1888 is shown as Clerk Civil Service (bit of a letdown from a senior diplomat!!)......Both brothers were born in Mauritius where the John Greenwood ATKINSON was supposed to be (family legend!!) a senior diplomat.

Anyone got any ideas on a next step? I think a visit to Kew may be inevitable
Family tales often get twisted in the telling, I feel you are right about a visit to Kew, but would suggest that you browse their reserch guides first, e.g.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=358

Geoffers

[Harfink]

Thanks for that. I had actually looked through that leaflet, as a search of the Archives catalogue using his name (John Greenwood Atkinson) produced nothiong meaningful. I'm still intrigued as to where he disappeared to; I can only presume he did return to the UK as the Mauritius authorities could not trace a death entry for him. In 1905 he was described as "Civil Servant Retired" when his younger son got married. Funny that the father and two sons had "unusual" second given names.

[Sue Mackay]

Have just found this thread following Bo Peep's housekeeping splurge.

Have you considered the East India Company? I have been transcribing extracts from the South African Commercial Advertiser (too early for your man) and on numerous occasions BMD entries refer to people in the 'Honourable East India Company Civil Service' as well as people born in Mauritius en route to or from India. Just a thought.

[jackie73]

just seen your request on this site and thought you might be interested in my bit of info, hope it will be useful to you.
I am married to the great great grandson of hannah louisa atkinson, she was married to John Mackie McKerns and they had six children, she passed away in 1894 and he went onto live with her sister christiana. My husbands great grandfather is Edward Valmout McKerns he married Lydia Rogerson and had 1 son called Louis, he went on to marry Nellie Gowers and they had two sons. John Mackie moved to Canada along with three of his married sons and he passed away out there in his 80's

[harfin]

Jackie

I have sent you an email via the forum's facility.
I look forward to hearing from you again.

Kind regards
Alan

[Karl Mulnier]

I am the great grand son of Alice Jeanine FAUCHEUR. She was the wife of John Greenwood Atkinson she was than a widow and had been married before to Max Mulnier about 1868 and they had a son, his name was Karl Mulnier, and he was my grand father. Max Mulnier died when his son Karl was 19 month old. and his former wife married Mr Atkinson.
I was born in Mauritius on the 19th april 1928

please contact me : nojewo(at)hotmail.com





I am trying to help my sister-in-law with some of her family history.

I found her grandfather's marriage (Valmont Marie Joseph ATKINSON to Lydia Elizabeth COSTA on 16 Sep 1905) in At Peter & Pauls Catholic Church Romford.
The marriage cert shows him as being a "Drapery warehouseman", living in Ilford and that his father was John Greenwood ATKINSON a Retired Civil Servant. His brother, John Walwin ATKINSON was a witness.

I also identified the brothers marriage entry on 5 April 1988 in Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lambeth to Charlotte ASHFORD. His father in 1888 is shown as Clerk Civil Service (bit of a letdown from a senior diplomat!!)

I have 1881 census entry for John W in a Drapers' boarding house in Bermondsey.

Both brothers were born in Mauritius where the John Greenwood ATKINSON was supposed to be (family legend!!) a senior diplomat.

Eventually we received birth certificate copies for both brothers from Mauritius John W was born 18 August 1863 (mother Louisa Anne PITREL) and Valmont M J on 1 March 1875 (mother Alic Jeanine FAUCHEUR).

The Mauritius authorities say they have found no records of any marriage of the father or of his death.

Puzzling aspects:
a) Both brothers started off as "Drapers" after arriving in the UK as young men; is there some family connection / association?
b) All the Atkinsons have "uncommon" yet different given names; why?
c) I cannot trace on freeBMD any marriage or death entry for the father
4) I cannot trace any birth entry on the miscellaneous lists at 1837online for either boys birth
5) I have done a search of the National Archives and haven't found any reference that could apply to the father and civil service
6) A very helpful man looked in Royal Kalendars of 1862 and 1878 and couldn't find John G in a Mauriitius listing

Anyone got any ideas on a next step? I think a visit to Kew may be inevitable

[Karl Mulnier]

for your information, my daughter and I are both on facebook : Axelle Mulnier and Karl Mulnier. please contact us!!! thanks, cheers

[harfin]

Thanks so much for the contact. I have sent you a direct message.
Kind regards
Alan

[Rosjdavis]

I am the granddaughter of John Walwin Atkinson. His son, Edward Robert Atkinson,( born September 26, 1910 in Montreal, his mothers name was Kate Beagley, now deceased), is my father. Thru searching the internet I found this forum. I had discovered that my grandfather was born on Maultius. But that is where our knowledge ends. We have been unable to learn anything else about either of my grandparents.
Anything anyone can pass on to me (I would like to know how to get a copy of his birth certificate for one thing) I will greatly appreciate.
You can email me directly at rosjdavis AT triad DOT rr DOT com I am also on Facebook but, quite frankly, am not too good at it!
Best Regards
Rosann Atkinson Davis

[spooksprings]

I am the great grand son of Alice Jeanine FAUCHEUR. She was the wife of John Greenwood Atkinson she was than a widow and had been married before to Max Mulnier about 1868 and they had a son, his name was Karl Mulnier, and he was my grand father. Max Mulnier died when his son Karl was 19 month old. and his former wife married Mr Atkinson.
I was born in Mauritius on the 19th april 1928

please contact me : nojewo(at)hotmail.com

Hi am researching my cousin by marriage, Johann Joseph Heinrich Mulnier born Mauritius 31 March 1933, came to England 1956, became an eminent surgeon, biography here https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/biogs/E009018b.htm . With an unusual name, hoping he might be related to Max Mulnier on that island. Any info on his background please to spooksprung at btinternet dot com . Thanks! James Burton, UK

[harfin]

I am the great grand son of Alice Jeanine FAUCHEUR. She was the wife of John Greenwood Atkinson she was than a widow and had been married before to Max Mulnier about 1868 and they had a son, his name was Karl Mulnier, and he was my grand father. Max Mulnier died when his son Karl was 19 month old. and his former wife married Mr Atkinson.
I was born in Mauritius on the 19th april 1928

please contact me : nojewo(at)hotmail.com

Hello,

On this line I am posting on behalf of my brother's wife's family; I have assisted them over a number of years with their family trees.

Both sons of John Greenwood ATKINSON (popularly known as John, the eldest and Joseph the younger) returned to the UK. JG was soldier who served in the Crimean War and after he returned to the UK after that conflict, he subsequently went to Mauritius as a school teacher. He then moved on to become the Station Master of the Mauritius Railway (that was his civil service connection - not a diplomat alas). Subsequent research indicates that he was aware of that position on the railways probably (this is a tad conjectural) as a result of a family connection with the engineer who was sent by the British Government to Mauritius to report on the feasibility of the design and construction of a railway.

My brother holds a great deal of material relating to many if not all of the branches of this specific Atkinson family (which is naturally linked to a significant number of other families), in any event I think he may be prepared to provide further (hard-copy) details. As he is elderly, you will need to pass on your questions to me electronically.

Please email my brother Derek at dfhart(at)harfin(dot)co(dot)uk.

Regards
Alan A Hart