BELLAMY

[Tolly]

I have a Florence Bellamy born to John Bellamy (b1828) and Patience (b1832) in approx 1860 as evidenced by the 1861 census. However, I can't find any reference to her since then! Have searched ancestry.co.uk and FreeBMD sites. It's only a relatively minor link on a sub-branch of my pretty exhaustive tree research, but would be nice to tidy up this part! Will probably find other subsequent bits to fiddle with meanwhile!

Paul

[MarkJ]

Have you found the family on the 1871 census? I am assuming that you did, but no Florence is listed? If that is the case, are there any other children - female - born about the same time? Just wondering if Florence was known by some other name and entered on later censuses under that name?

Just as a matter of interest, there is a Florence Bellamy marriage on FreeBMD which is in the right area -

March quarter 1888 Wellington Som district vol 5c page 421

[Tolly]

Yes I have searched through every census I can access! I did find that marriage and additionally added it to my tree. However looking at the 1901 census, Florence (now) Quick (ref Wellington marriage) is given as born in Brompton Ralph which is quite a way in 18thC terms from the Norton Fitzwarren surrounds of her parents, and the family doesn't seem to have moved more than a few miles over the generations.

Thanks anyway!

Paul

[Tolly]

ooops sorry Mark (et al) have found her on the 1871 census: still living at home aged 11.

[MarkJ]

What does the 1871 say about her birth place?
No sign of any Florence Bellamy with a birth around 1860 on the 1881 census - which seems a bit odd when you consider that at least one such person married in 1888! Looks like a possible transcription error there
Even extending the search to the whole of England only produces a handful of hits - and none from the Somerset area.

Brompton Ralph is only 11 miles from Taunton and Norton Fitzwarren is the Brompton Ralph side of Taunton, so probably 8 or 9 miles. I would not consider that very far by 19th century terms - especially in a rural area such as that, where people often travelled around for work within the local area.

The 1888 marriage vertificate may well be worth a purchase to see what it shows - it seems a likely bet to me.

Mark

[Tolly]

Hi
The Florence born in Brompton Ralph has different (ie wrong) parents according to the 1861 and 1871 census. The 1871 census for (my) Florence Bellamy states her place of birth as Norton Fitzwarren, though does spell her name as Florance Bellemy! Having looked at the map again I can see how Brompton would be a possible place for the same family, but as said - different parents listed on records for the Florence Bellamy born there

Paul

[janbooth]

How about this one, Paul (courtesy Ancestry's London Parish Registers):

5 July 1879 at the Parish Church, Woolwich, Kent Henry WOOD, of age, bachelor, Driver Royal Artillery, Barracks St Mary, father Edward WOOD, Labourer & Florence BELLAMY, of age, spinster, 25 Wellington Street Somersetshire, father John BELLAMY, Labourer. Witnesses: F GOSS & M J GOSS. Henry signed and Florence made her mark.

I think this is definitely your Florence, as in the 1891 census living with John & Patience BELLAMY in Norton Fitzwarren are Frederick GOSS, son in law & Mary J GOSS, daughter.

Whoopee, I do like it when things pan out!! Hopefully, you will be able to find Florence somewhere in the later census records.

Janet

[janbooth]

Further to the above, Paul, there is at least one child born to Henry & Florence, again courtesy of Ancestry, on 22 August 1883, a son John Edward WOOD. If you have an Ancestry subscription, you should be able to get full details - if not let me know. You should also be able to find Henry's Military Record on Findmypast if you are interested.

Janet

[Tolly]

Wow!! Thanks for that. I do have ancestry access but thanks to your access to the London stuff, I have a new surname to work from! Def "my" Florence and ties in nicely with the Woolwich connection as I already knew that her sister and Fred Goss were married in Woolwich as he was serving in the barracks there! As I said earlier, it was just an offshoot of a tiny branch ... but as with all these things, once you start following one line you just can't help but branch out further!!

Thanks for your help

Paul