Genealogy Chat

I have a relative who shows in the 1881 census in Southampton with a niece Elizabeth WHITEWOOD, aged 8, born in Southampton....... Caroline SHEATH ,head, married the lodger in 1882 , ..and in 1891, Elizabeth is with them and still shown as niece....... Caroline was the only surviving daughter of Henry and Harriet, her sisters having died as very young children, so how is Elizabeth her niece?

Are you sure Caroline's parents only had the girls who died and no other children? Could Elizabeth be a great niece (niece of Caroline's parents)? Kath. x

Caroline had several brothers but I was thinking that their children would have their surname..SHEATH. I will investigate the possible previous generation link. To take on the care of a young child and call her a niece, there was probably a fairly close family? link, I would guess. Gwyn

This could be Elizabeth's birth reference. It would give her parents names:- Name: Elizabeth Whitewood Year of Registration: 1873 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar District: Southampton County: Hampshire Volume: 2c Page: 8 Kath. x

Gwyneth Is this Caroline & family in 1851? What happened to sister Eliza, 16? Eliza Sheath Age: 16 Estimated birth year: abt 1835 Relation: Daughter Father's name: Henry Mother's name: Harriett Gender: Female Where born: Southampton, Hampshire, England Civil parish: Southampton St Mary Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary County/Island: Hampshire Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Disability: View image Registration district: Southampton Sub-registration district: Southampton ED, institution, or vessel: 1m Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 155 Household Members: Name Age Sarah Hatcher 70 >>>Caroline Sheath 4 >>>Eliza Sheath 16 George Sheath 10 Harriett Sheath 36 Henry Sheath 38 Henry Sheath 1 William Sheath 7 Angela

TIP OF THE DAY Don't let OH shuffle family tree information without leaving notes. Eliza probably WAS the mother of Elizabeth. She was Eliza Jane,who I recently found was born before her mother married so baptised HATCHER.in 1835. Harriett HATCHER married Henry SHEATH in 1837 Eliza is on freebmd marriages as HATCHER and a cross reference now on Ancestry found a John WHITEWOOD with the same reference in Southampton, June Quarter 1862. Perhaps something happened to Eliza and John. Off to investigate. Thank you for all your help. Gwyn

There is this marriage in County Durham which would account for not finding Elizabeth Whitewood on the 1901 census:- Name: Elizabeth Whitewood Year of Registration: 1898 Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec District: Sunderland County: Durham, Tyne and Wear Volume: 10a Page: 1123 Spouse either Crawford Veitch, or John Henry Shepherd. Kath. x

There is this John Henry Shepherd in the 1901 census with wife Elizabeth. It gives Elizabeth's birthplace as Hampshire, although it says Portsmouth instead of Southampton:- Name: John H Shepherd Age: 33 Estimated birth year: abt 1868 Relation: Head Spouse's name: Elizabeth Gender: Male Where born: Sunderland, Durham, England Civil parish: Southwick Ecclesiastical parish: Southwick Holy Trinity Town: Southwick County/Island: Durham Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: Sunderland Sub-registration district: Monkwearmouth ED, institution, or vessel: 22 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 272 Household Members: Name Age Thomas Crone 35 - boarder Elizabeth Shepherd 28 John H Shepherd 33 Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 4724; Folio: 79; Page: 41 Kath. x

Thank you Kathleen...That is worth investigating. There seems too much of a coincidence about names..... and strangely some of the family had moved by then, - from Southampton to Portsmouth. Still having trouble finding John and Eliza WHITEWOOD in 1871. Can anyone see them please? Gwyn