The things you discover.

[benny1982]

Hi

I recently found out that my 2xgreat grandmother had an illegitimate child in November 1895.

The future husbands parents George and Jane Clift aged 60 are on the 1901 census with a granddaughter Nellie Clift aged 5. My ears pricked up. I didn't know where she fitted in. By 1901 only one of their children was married. The 1911 census stated they only ever had 4 children, who were born 1875, 1878, 1880 and 1881.

After a bit of digging I found a Rose Ellen C Richardson birth in Braintree district in the March quarter of 1896. George Thomas Clift and Martha Ann Richardson married in September 1896 in Braintree.

The birth cert arrived this morning and she was born Rose Ellen Clift Richardson on 27 November 1895 in Braintree. No fathers name listed. Mother Martha Richardson a silk winder. Registered 14 January 1896. Ooooh. :online2long:

Martha Richardson was born in November 1875 so she was just 20 when she had her daughter. She would have fell pregnant in about February or March 1895. Going by Martha's future husbands surname as a middle name for her baby and the fact she took the surname and is listed as a "Granddaughter" of her mothers husbands parents, I can prove beyond reasonable doubt that George Thomas Clift was the father of Rose Ellen Clift Richardson. There is the small realm of doubt that they met when she was pregnant and he took on the baby as his but it does look very strong that George was the father.

Ben

[Nicolina]

the Parish Register might prove this. I have a G-G- Grandfather who turned out to be illegitimate and it was only when I looked at the PRs that I found out the name of his "real" father. Thankfully both my father and grandfather didn't get to know the truth and find out that oral family history had been a lie.

[benny1982]

Hi Nicolina.

Yes the baptism may hold the key. I know fellow researchers of ancestors say they'd rather have a baptism record than a birth cert. I am sure George T Clift was the father. My gguncle who is now 92 and the youngest of George and Martha's children didn't mention a child born as he mentioned every sibling he had except the one born before the parents wedding in 20 Sep 1896. He just mentioned all those born in 1897 and after to himself in 1918.

I need to try and find her in 1911 to see where she was. Maybe she was farmed out because she was a base child, but seems a bit odd if the parents married shortly afterwards and took her mothers husbands surname.

Ben

[eshersmith]

If your research long enough and sometimes not very long at all you will find all sorts of skeletons in your cupboard. It's all part of the game and adds some meat to the bones with regard to your family history. I wonder what family historians in 150 - 200 years time will think of us

Cheers Esh

[Nicolina]

I've just had a look at the 1911 Census and it says that George Thomas & Martha had had 6 kids, 5 still living.
RG14PN10109 RG78PN532 RD195 SD1 ED15 SN164
High Elm Cottage, Hull Bridge, Hockley
George Thomas CLIFT aged 35 b. Leigh occ: Horseman on Farm
Martha CLIFT aged 34 b. Terling
Alfred Charles CLIFT aged b. 15 Braintree occ: Cowboy On Farm
Violet May CLIFT aged 11 b. Notley
Walter George CLIFT aged 9 b. Margreating
Edward Thomas CLIFT aged 6 b. Writtle

they state that they had been married for 14 years.

What jumps out at me is the age of the eldest son. That would make him born between April 1895 and April 1896 = the same year as Rose Ellen BUT FreeBMD has a birth Sept 1897 Braintree 4a 733. That means he was actually 13 not 15. So maybe the reason why Rose Ellen was with George Thomas' parents was because Martha had 2 other toddlers and was pregnant with yet another.

[Nicolina]

I've found George & Jane on the 1911 but she's not with them. I've tried searching for her as both CLIFT and RICHARDSON and with a variety of first name variations but I'm beginning to think that she doesn't want to be found.

[Lizzy9]

This may be her in 1911. Transcribed as CLIFF. RG14PN10134 RG78PN533A RD195 SD2 ED22 SN66 (Crown copyright, in care of TNA)

She's a Domestic Servant in John Christopher Joseph Heaven's household in Southend on Sea.

[Lizzy9]

There's a chance she married Thomas J Green, in Rochford, Apr-Jun 1920, 4a/1647.

[Nicolina]

what took you so long Lizzy? Were you having as many problems as I was?

[Lizzy9]

what took you so long Lizzy? Were you having as many problems as I was?

Got stuck in a jam, Nicolina :smilewinkgrin:

[Nicolina]

another snow drift!!!!!! at least it's finally started thawing here, too late for my Family History weekend though.

[Lizzy9]

another snow drift!!!!!! at least it's finally started thawing here, too late for my Family History weekend
though.

Thawing here too, looks rather grim now the glistening white stuff has turned to dirty slush. Sorry you have to miss your planned family history weekend.

[benny1982]

Thanks for the info and finding her in 1911. The theory she was farmed out for a while in 1901 because her mum was having more children is feasible. In April 1901 Martha had another baby I have just discovered as he lived past 1969 when DOBS were recorded and he was born 7 April 1901. So the eldest must have been living with her grandparents for a short while due to that.