Genealogy Chat

Hi Sara, That's really kind of you to spend so much time looking - I've spent ages on trying to find him too, but the time you've spent is above and beyond the call of duty! I do believe you've solved the mystery - I couldn't see the wood for the trees. Clara did indeed have a brother called Ortraymer or Ort-Raymur Brewin (all the enumerators had trouble with that name), who was married to Belle in 1881. I found Thomas Mallet on all the censuses except 1881, and I could only find Thomas Brewin on the 1881 census. I noticed they had the same year of birth, but it never occurred to me that they might be the same person - I just thought I'd missed Thomas Brewin, or he'd been mistranscribed. As Thomas turns up as Mallet in 1891 and 1901, I shouldn't think his name was changed - the enumerator in 1881 probably just assumed he had the same name as Ort and Belle. Brilliant, thanks a million! Now all I have to do is find Belle, who's next on the list of mysteriously disappearing rellies...

Mary, I have been looking for your Thomas for over an hour. Did Clara Brewin have a brother with an unusual name Ortraginius (or something like that)? mother is Virtue If so could this be him and his uncle took him in when his mother died? 1881 Belle Brewin abt 1856 Newtown Linford Wife Leicester St Margaret Leicestershire Orfraymuir Brewin abt 1853 Leicestershire, England Head Leicester St Margaret Leicestershire Thomas Brewin abt 1878 Leicestershire, England Son Leicester St Margaret Leicestershire Virtue Brewin on 1861 (but no Clara) Francis Warren Brewin abt 1827 Leicestershire, England Head Leicester St Margaret Leicestershire Ortraymer Brewin abt 1854 Leicestershire, England Son Leicester St Margaret Leicestershire Virtue Brewin abt 1822 Stainby, Lincolnshire, England Wife Leicester St Margaret Leicestershire Virtue on 1871 (but no Clara) Frances W Brewin abt 1827 St Margaret, Leicestershire, England Head St Margaret Leicestershire Ortraginius Brewin abt 1853 St Margaret, Leicestershire, England Son St Margaret Leicestershire Virtue Brewin abt 1823 Bradby, Lincolnshire, England Wife St Margaret Leicestershire Just a thought... Best of luck Sara

Nudged in case anyone else would like to have a look for Thomas.

Yes, I know, thanks, I mentioned it in an earlier message.

Mary if you google -Thomas Mallett+Freefold Farm, there seems to be some info on British history online. Georgina.

Unfortunately I'm in Italy, but I'll try and pay a visit to the Staffs record office next time I'm in the UK, because this is quite an interesting family. I believe their house (Freeford Farm) is now a listed building.

Mary the hospital that Lucy is in in 1901 All Saints is a well know Mental Institution in Birmingham, but I think in 1901 it may have been a workhouse & general hospital. You can check for Wills at your main library, if there is nothing online. Georgina.

Here's Lucy in 1901: 1901 Lucy Mallet abt 1855 Lichfield, Staffordshire, England Birmingham Warwickshire The place she was living looks like it may be a hospital.

He died in 1906. Here he is in 1901, living with his aunt. 1901 Thomas Marlett abt 1851 N Head Freeford Staffordshire C Badham abt 1821 N Aunt Freeford Staffordshire E Sharrod abt 1871 N Boarder Freeford Staffordshire The image reads 'Mallet'.

When did Thomas senior die? Georgina.

This may be Lucy, athough the date of birth is different from the one shown in the 1891 census: Births Dec 1861 WHEATLEY Louisa Lichfield 6b 309 1881 census Louisa Wheatley abt 1862 Lichfield, Staffordshire, England Daughter Lichfield St Mary Staffordshire

Snap! Lucy was the executor of Thomas' will, I believe. I haven't found a will yet, which might have named the children, but she's mentioned in a piece in British History Online about the property where they lived.

This was the only result of a search for a marriage between Thomas Mallet(t) and a Lucy: Marriages Mar 1888 Mallet Thomas Aston 6d 386 WHEATLEY Lucy Aston 6d 386

This is the only Thomas & Lucy marriage I have come across so far.. Marriages Mar 1888 Mallet Thomas Aston 6d 386 WHEATLEY Lucy Aston 6d 386 Georgina.

I don't have a birth certificate yet for Thomas, but as Thomas Ort-Raymur Mallet was born while Thomas senior's wife Clara was still alive, I'm assuming she was his mother. I'm also assuming that that Thomas didn't die, as he turns up at his sister's house in 1901. I've had no luck tracing Thomas senior's second wife Lucy so far. I believe her surname was Wheatley, but I haven't found her before 1891. In 1901 she was in what appears to be a hospital in Birmingham.

Could his second wife Lucy be Thomas's mother and he took the surname Mallet when she married Thomas? Have you found Lucy in 1881? Georgina.

And here he is in 1901, living with his married sister. 1901 Frederick Winkle abt 1876 Walsall, Staffordshire, England Head Birmingham Warwickshire Nellie Winkle abt 1879 Leicestershire, England Wife Birmingham Warwickshire >> Thomas Maller abt 1878 Leicestershire, England Brother-in-law Birmingham Warwickshire David Winkle abt 1900 Walsall, Staffordshire, England Son Birmingham Warwickshire The image clearly reads 'Mallet'.

Here he is in 1891 with his father, sister, step-sister and stepmother. 1891 Thomas Mallett abt 1853 Lichfield, Staffordshire, England Head St Mary Staffordshire Lucy Mallett abt 1855 Lichfield, Staffordshire, England Wife St Mary Staffordshire Ellen Mallett abt 1880 Leicestershire, England Daughter St Mary Staffordshire >> Thomas O Mallett abt 1889 Leicestershire, England Son St Mary Staffordshire Clara S Mallett abt 1890 Lichfield, Staffordshire, England Daughter St Mary Staffordshire His date of birth is wrong; the image appears to say age 2, but I think a 1 has been overwritten, and it should be 12.

Here are his father, sister and grandma in 1881. 1881 Thomas Mallet abt 1853 Lichfield, Staffordshire, England Head Belgrave Leicestershire Matilda H.S. Mallet abt 1880 Belgrave, Leicestershire, England Daughter Belgrave Leicestershire Virtue Brewin abt 1822 Stalkley, Lincoln, England Mother Belgrave Leicestershire Thomas’ wife Clara Brewin died in 1880. Virtue was actually Thomas’s mother-in-law.

Births Jun 1878 Mallet Thomas Ort-Raymur S Leicester 7a 295