Genealogy Chat

Hi all, I wonder if anyone can help...I've been searching for a while (and then some) and my eyes and my brain is hurting! I'm looking for Mary A (nee Driscoll) and Walter NORRIS on the 1871 census. I can't find them!! They married in 1865 in Cardiff, and by 1871 had Elizabeth Norris (b1869) and Catherine came along in 1871 (don't know whether she made the census!). On their marriage certificate it states Walter was a soldier, so I tried seraching without him, and just the ladies, I've tried Nor*is and Morris all combinations I can think of. And now I'm well and truly stuck! Help! Please!

Do you have any ages for Walter or Mary A? Also where born might help

of course! sorry! brain's stopped functioning! Walter Norris was born 20/4/1840 in Cardiff and Mary abt 1845 in Cardiff too.

By the way, I've found them 1851, 61, 81, 91, and 1901 (when they're alive) - but it would be very helpful to find them in 1871!

Sorry Suzanne, couldn't find them either.

Thanks for trying anyway Maggie! :o)

Hi again Yes I have found them onall the others too. In 1881 Walter was a labourer. No sign of a Catherine though. In 1861 he was in Alverstoke, Gosport Barracks . All censuses show children born in Cardiff But not a trace in 1871

Thanks Yvonne, yup I'd had 1861. But it's strange how the whole family disappear in 71! Elizabeth was living with her grandparents in 1881 so I wonder if Catherine was with family also?

Were they with the grandparents in 1871? Elizabeth was there in 1881. Looks like Catherine died: Births Mar 1872 NORRIS Catherine Cardiff 11a 245 Deaths Dec 1878 NORRIS Catherine 6 Cardiff 11a 175 Rose

oh dear. thank you for that Rose. poor Kate. well...this is a B-I-G part of my puzzle at the moment. Mary's parents WE THINK were Jeremiah Driscoll (b abt 1810 Ireland) and Ellen Affley(/Aphley) (b abt 1824 Ireland). If this is the right Mary I've been tracing her mother had died by 51, and she was living with her father and brother Dennis(/Denis), this was the case in 61 also. In 71 Jeremiah is living with his son, and then by 81 he's with Catherine and Granddaughter Elizabeth. So whether Jeremiah and Catherine married is the next riddle, or did she just take his name as they were quite old. BUT Catherine was present at Mary's death and listed as Mary's mother, and one of Mary's children is listed as a granddaughter on Catherine's death cert. I suppose it was probably easier to say granddaughter than explain 'she's my step-grandmother/ she's my grandfather's girlfriend' sorry for rambling, quite confuzzled at the moment, and seem to be travelling without getting anywhere!

Jeremiah married Catherine Driscoll 1862 Name: Jeremiah Driscoll Year of Registration: 1862 Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec District: Cardiff (1837-1974) County: Glamorgan, Monmouthshire Volume: 11a Page: 403 (click to see others on page)

Thanks Yvonne, I'd seen that, but why isn't Catherine with him in 71? He's the 71 ref I was following: Name: Jeremiah Driscol Age: 64 Estimated birth year: abt 1807 Relation: Father Household: View other family members Gender: Male Where born: Ireland Civil Parish: Roath County/Island: Glamorgan Country: Wales Source information: RG10/5366 Registration district: Cardiff Sub-registration district: Cardiff ED, institution, or vessel: 26a Folio: 75 Page: 61 (click to see others on page) Household schedule number: 266 (he appears as a ditto under his grandson of the same name) But conditiom - well, it LOOKS like a 'W' - but looking now, the enumerator wrote WIDr on the person below...oh, now I'm definately stuck.

Do you think Catherine could have been related to him before they married? As her surname is Driscoll too. Maybe an Aunt to Mary. I can't find anything else. There must have been a mis-transcription in 1871 but I'm afraid I can't find it. Or they could have all gone to Ireland with Catherine and left Jeremiah with his son? I think you will have to nudge it up tomorrow and see if anyone else can come up with some ideas. Sorry, good luck Yvonne

They seem to be still around in 1891 Name: Geremiah Driscoll Age: 64 Estimated birth year: abt 1827 Relation: Head Gender: Male Where Born: Ireland Civil parish: Canton Ecclesiastical parish: Canton Town: Cardiff County/Island: Glamorgan Country: Wales Street address: View image Condition as to marriage: View image Education: View image Employment status: View image Occupation: View image Source information: RG12/4398 Registration district: Cardiff Sub registration district: Cardiff ED, institution, or vessel: 40 Folio: 21 Page: 34 (click to see others on page) GSU Number: 6099508

If Walter was a soldier, surely he could have been stationed abroad or at an army barracks in the UK - in which case the wfe and children may have been with him in married quarters. I see in the 1861 census he was a private in the 1st battallion of the 8th Regiment of Foot. Maybe you should find where the regiment was in 1871.... I suspect India on the Northwest Frontier. It was later re-named the Kings Regiment. If you want to track Walter's army life, these are the places where his battallion were based in that period. I don't know when he joined the regiment and I can't be sure that he stayed within the same battallion during his time, but it's a starting point: 1857 Sepoy rebellion 1860 England: Gosport 1861 Aldershot 1862 Preston 1863 Sheffield 1863 Manchester 1864 Liverpool 1865 Ireland 1866 Malta 1868 India 1878 Aden 1878 England: Portsmouth 1878 Warrington 1880 Warley 1880 Warrington Try the following: King's Regiment Museum Collection Museum of Liverpool Life Pier Head Liverpool L3 1PZ Tel: 0151 478 4409 Fax: 0151 478 4090

A major smallpox epidemic hit the UK just before the census in 1871. If Cardiff was badly affected they might have moved out temporarily to family in the country, if they could. I have a completely unproven idea that this may be why so many people seem to have missing relatives in 1871. Roger

Thanks for all your replies, it's definately given me something to think about... I wonder if someone would be so kind as to give their opinion on what it says in CONDITION for Jeremiah in 71. It looks like two YY's to me...

Hi Suzanne It looks like aW to me, which would mean widower. Rgds Maggie

thanks once again maggie! suzie

I have just looked again and it looks like 2 x YY's to me, there is wid underneath quite plain.