james Duffield = Mary Ann Whitbread 1825

[carolp]

Good Evening,

I am in need of your expert advice please. We have a James Duffield as marrying a Mary Ann Whitbread in Wickford on 18.05.1825, and having the following children ....
Mary Ann 1826
Sarah Alice 1828
Nathan 1831-1832
James 1833
Emma 1837

James Duffield appears on the 1851 census with his wife and a married daughter, but we can not find him as dying anywhere, even though we believe he never left Essex!! His name appears on a marriage certificate of James, his son, in 1868 in Richmond, Surrey, as his Father, and appears to be still alive, because the registrar didn't suggest he was deceased!!

I have looked at many death records, with name varients, but found nothing. Your help is required in helping me with this scenario please.

Look forward to any suggestions you may have to determine this death.

Regards,

Carol

[Pam Downes]

Just so we know we're looking at the right James Duffield, is he the one who in 1851 is aged 56, living in Great Baddow. He's a baker, birthplace Great Baddow. census reference HO107/1776 folio 481 page 8.

Have you found wife Mary in 1861, etc censuses, and does it say she's a widow?

Pam

[carolp]

Just so we know we're looking at the right James Duffield, is he the one who in 1851 is aged 56, living in Great Baddow. He's a baker, birthplace Great Baddow. census reference HO107/1776 folio 481 page 8.

Have you found wife Mary in 1861, etc censuses, and does it say she's a widow?

Pam

Hi Pam,
Good to hear from you again! Yes you have the right man, because strangely enough there are two James Duffield's in the 1851 census returns, but we are looking at the one born in Great Baddow. No, I could not find Mary Ann in the 1861 census, although my friend seems to think that Mary died in 1873 in Essex, but I am not convinced that is the right Mary Duffield!!
Over to you Pam
Once again, my thanks for all your help and support over the years.
Carol

[Pam Downes]

You didn't look very hard for Mary Ann in the 1861 census, did you?
Still living in Great Baddow, allegedly aged 50, widow, bread baker, born Ramsden Heath.
In the same household is Anne Adey, granddaughter, aged 7.
Census reference RG9/1082 folio 77 page 9.

Have you got the baptisms of all the children from John and Mary's marriage, and have you traced said children on the censuses? John and/or Mary could have been living with or near-to them inbetween the census and therefore died in a different registration district. Remember that the boundaries of registration districts are. like county boundaries, very precise, so you only have to move to the next village and you're in a different district or county.

I can't find Mary in 1871, but like you have my doubts about the one dying in 1873, as her reported age at death would mean she was born c1801, which differs from her age in 1851 and 1861.

Do you have John and Mary's marriage? What was Mary's surname, and when did they marry?

Pam

[Jomot1]

There is a newspaper article in the Chelmsford Chronicle 21 August 1857 about James Duffield, baker of Baddow Road, who was accused of indecent conduct with a youth in his employ. A "painful and disgusting enquiry" was gone into by the bench and a capital charge was established, but when the police went to execute the warrant it was found that he had absconded.

[Mr.E.Nigma]

Just so we know we're looking at the right James Duffield, is he the one who in 1851 is aged 56, living in Great Baddow. He's a baker, birthplace Great Baddow. census reference HO107/1776 folio 481 page 8.

Have you found wife Mary in 1861, etc censuses, and does it say she's a widow?

Pam

If he is 56 in 1851 doesn’t that mean his year of birth is about 1794/1795

[Mr.E.Nigma]

In regards to 1868 mention... for the marriage of his son in Richmond, Surrey. Could suggest looking at local history of the area. Any wars, plagues, anything that could of lead to no record of death.

[brentor boy]

There is a newspaper article in the Chelmsford Chronicle 21 August 1857 about James Duffield, baker of Baddow Road, who was accused of indecent conduct with a youth in his employ. A "painful and disgusting enquiry" was gone into by the bench and a capital charge was established, but when the police went to execute the warrant it was found that he had absconded.

With an outstanding warrant for his arrest on a capital charge, is it not possible that he may have assumed another identity to avoid detection?

Is it not also possible that his wife, in reaction to his offence and possible desertion, chose to describe herself as a widow in 1861 to distance herself from him?

[Jomot1]

With an outstanding warrant for his arrest on a capital charge, is it not possible that he may have assumed another identity to avoid detection?

Is it not also possible that his wife, in reaction to his offence and possible desertion, chose to describe herself as a widow in 1861 to distance herself from him?

That's what I thought too. He may even have gone abroad under assumed name.