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  1. #1
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    Question Harry Finn and Rose (Hopper?), Bideford.

    Hello,

    I have recently began to help my partner trace her family history, as a family member began to do so some time ago, and she thought we could get further with the ease of access through the internet now. There is one family mystery that is incredibly difficult to solve, and even if it is not possible to get a 100% definitive answer it would still be good to fill in at least some of the story.

    The family story suggests that Rose Finn (from my research I believe her maiden name may have been Hopper) was an illegitimate child born in Bideford, Devon in about 1870, to an Anne Laughlan and who the family could only identify as a man with the surname Prouse. The only Prouse that I have found in the correct area and time period is a man named William Prouse, married to a Margaret Ann Hopper, living with their children and a lodger named Martha Hopper in the 1891.

    Rose married Harry Finn and had 6 children; Harry Clifton Finn, Mark Finn, Emily Finn, Annie Finn, Frank Finn, and William Finn.

    The only Rose that I could find which matched the approximate birthdate (1870) and location was listed as a Rose E Hopper, living as a lodger with Charlotte Welford in the 1881 Census, listed as 8 years old (making birthdate 1873) and born in Bideford. I believe that this is Rose Finn, as from later census records of Rose when she is married and living with Harry, her birthdate and birth location are the same as Rose Hopper's. The later census records also indicate that they married in 1893, and I found a Rose Hopper in a marriage registration for that year.

    The confusion is coming from trying to trace her parents. If the family is correct and there was a Prouse involved, it seems a little more than coincidence for the wife of William Prouse's maiden name to be Hopper, and have a lodger with the name Hopper living with him, when the surname of Rose also appears to have been Hopper.

    The family story also suggests the involvement of a Lord of Chichester, who died in a war before he could marry Rose's mother, although I can find no evidence of somebody of the title dying around the year of Rose's birth (1873). I believe this to be little more than a story, but an interesting one nonetheless.

    I apologise if this does not read well, there is a lot of information to cover in a short amount of writing. I hope somebody can help me advance this and solve the mystery of Rose's parentage.

    Many thanks,

    Tyler.

  2. #2
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    The birth of Harry Clifton Finn has MMN Hopper.

    Harry Finn married Rose Hopper 1893 Bideford.

    Do you have the marraige cert? This should have her fathers name if known.

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    The marraige cert is on FMP her fathers name is blank.

  4. #4
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    What would MMN mean? It sounds like the marriage certificate doesn't contain any information from the reply below, which is a shame. Thank you for the reply!

  5. #5
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    MMN - Mothers maiden name.

    Just confirming what you stated you believed her maiden name to be.

  6. #6
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    MMN means mother's maiden name. The GRO index now gives the mmn Sept 1/4 1837 to 1917. Used in conjunction with FreeBMD which gives the mmn 1911 to 1984? research for births is much easier than a couple of years ago.
    Christina
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  7. #7
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    Okay, new acronym to add to my knowledge! Searching the GRO, I can find a birth certificate for Martha Hopper (no other names listed), but none for Rose. Interestingly, it lists Martha's birthdate as 1873, the same as Rose. I have ordered a copy of Harry and Rose's marriage certificate, to see what might be found.

    Thanks all!

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