Genealogy Chat

Hi Merry, I hadn't considered that and I will definitely look into this as a possibility if I don't get any sucess with the Joseph Donovan connection. I found three possibles for her on the 1881 census, two for Marylebone and one for London (?). One of the ones for Marylebone has her occupation as laundress and this is the occupation of her and her husband on later census so there is a strong possibility it is this one. Many thanks for all your help. Louise :-))

I was thinking Jones would probably be her maiden name. In 1881 do you mean the servant of Mary E Tattersall in Kensington?? It's just that I saw this in Kensington too: Name: Jones, Charlotte Mary Record Type: Marriages Quarter: June Year: 1882 District: Kensington County: Greater London London Middlesex Volume: 1a Page: 201 Spouse either James Hobbs or Ebeneezer Miller! Something for the back burner perhaps??!! Merry

Oh dear, I hope not!!!! I think I have her on the 1881 census not married and have no idea who she would have been married to so how will I ever find her birth unless you mean Jones is her maiden name and not her married name. I hadn't thought of that possibility. This is on my mum's dad's side who I seem to have no end of trouble with, my mum's mum's side have been so much easier (very uncommon surnames and no missing births or marriages) so was able to trace them back to 1840's within a month. Unfortunately grandad passed away two years ago before I had started my family tree research so can't ask him for any clues. Louise

Just thought - re the missing Coombs/Jones marriage. I wonder if Charlotte Jones was actually already married to someone else? She is older than her hubby, Frank, and if she was separated from a husband and therefore no marriage ceremony with Frank, she might have chosen to leave this nugget of info off the birth certs for her children..... Merry

I know!!!! There are lots of them in Marylebone....I just wish they didn't move about so much. Never mind, it adds to the excitement of family research, lol! Louise :-))

and I thought that Jones in Wales was difficult lol Merry

Hi thanks for that Christine. The parents on the birth certificate I have for Charlotte are listed as Maria Jones nee Warner and Joseph Jones. I think I have found them on the 1861 census, but no Sarah, living in Marlebone. Many thanks for everyones help. Very much appreciated :-) Louise

1861 has a Sarah Jones in Marylebone with family, no Charlotte with them though. I would get the certificate of the nephew.

Sorry Merry, I did notice that when I originally found them on the census but for some reason I forgot and didn't notice it when going through what information I had earlier. Yes I think that is Charlotte in the oxygen home. She is not with her family in the 1901 census but Frank is not listed as a widow. Yes she does state Marylebone and in the 1891 census St. John. The birth certificate I have found for Charlotte M A Jones for 1855 is in Marylebone, sub district St. John. So I am pretty sure this is her but want to be even more sure by finding out her father's name from another source to cross check. Thank you very much for your help Merry (and your patience!!) Louise

Then back to 1861, there's this family with two daughters, Sarah and Charlotte, though Sarah's age doesn't fit (5 years out) with the 1871 census above. Charlotte Jones abt 1856 Marylebone, Middlesex, England Daughter St Marylebone Middlesex John Jones abt 1859 Marylebone, Middlesex, England Son St Marylebone Middlesex Sarah Jones abt 1821 Marylebone, Middlesex, England Wife St Marylebone Middlesex Sarah Jones abt 1850 Marylebone, Middlesex, England Daughter St Marylebone Middlesex Thomas Jones abt 1821 Marylebone, Middlesex, England Head St Marylebone Middlesex Thomas Jones abt 1852 Marylebone, Middlesex, England Son St Marylebone Middlesex William Jones abt 1848 Marylebone, Middlesex, England Son St Marylebone Middlesex Merry

Hi Merry, Yes this is them on both the censuses. I have looked via the FreeBMD and couldn't find them (or Frank and Charlotte either using the phonic search so an either bigger GRRRR! lol). However, I am very fortunate enought to live near the FRC so can search there but it is quite difficult with a name like Jones, trying to cross match and I did give up as I thought I was probably chasing a dead end as he may not have even been related. But I have decided to give it another go now my son is back at school. So maybe my best bet is to order this birth certificate for John Joseph Jones born 1870 in Hendon and see what turns up. As it says born Kilburn I am even more hopeful of a link as Charlotte was born Marylebone which is very near Kilburn. Do you think that there is a good chance that this won't be a waste of time and money then? (I know you can never be sure!!) Louise

Ooh - in 1871 Sarah (Mrs Donovan) says she is born in Marylebone. I couldn't read the age of Charlotte in 1891, so looked in 1901. She's not at home, but is that her in the ''Oxygen Home'' in Tottenham Court Road, aged 45 and born in MARYLEBONE???!! Merry

I think the term might be misused more than today, but even so, it's all down to the individual family. If it says Nephew then we first have to assume he is....... Five years?? Ggrrrrrrrr!! This is them in 1871 isn't it? Alice Sarah Donovan abt 1866 Willesden, London, England Daughter Willesden Middlesex John Donovan abt 1846 Marylebone, London, England Head Willesden Middlesex John Joseph Donovan abt 1870 Willesden, London, England Son Willesden Middlesex Sarah E Donovan abt 1846 Marylebone, London, England Wife Willesden Middlesex So their marriage falls into the FreBMD black hole of pre-1866 Ggggrrrr again lol Merry

Thankyou Heather, that is useful to know. I am hoping he is related as at the moment he is my only chance other than searching through the many parish registers for Frank Coombs and Charlotte M A Jones's marriage. Louise :-)

Hi Merry, Sorry, I know it is complicated but you understood it correctly, lol! I have tried looking for a marriage of a Sarah Jones and a John Donovan for about a five year period (this was a couple of months ago) but I gave up after a couple of hours as couldn't find two which cross matched (this was at the FRC). I have just found what I think is (John) Joseph Donovan's birth on FreeBMD for 1870 and I thought of getting his birth certificate to find out the mother's name and take it from there but don't want to waste £7 if 'nephew' was a more loosely used term in the nineteenth century. Louise

Hi Louise I don't want to confuse you but I have a 'nephew' on a census who is actually a cousin of the householder. I would think that there is a relationship of some kind with this 'nephew' in your family though so good luck with your searches. Heather

In 1891 Joseph is born about 1870 at Kilburn. So is this him with his mum and dad in 1881? John DONOVAN Head M Male ... Kilburn, Middlesex, England ... Sarah DONOVAN Wife Female ... Kilburn, Middlesex, England ... Alice DONOVAN Daur Female ... Kilburn, Middlesex, England ... Joseph DONOVAN Son Male 11 Kilburn, Middlesex, England ... Edith DONOVAN Daur Female 8 Kilburn, Middlesex, England ... Emma MORSE Lodger U Female 53 Clerkenwell, Middlesex, England Laundress I have looked on the original page for the ages of the first few people, but the census page is torn/damaged, so those details are not available Ggrrrrrr!! Merry

Just to clarify then........ (sorry my brain exploded whist reading your message!!) Joseph Donovan is supposed to be the nephew of either Frank Coomb(e)s or Charlotte nee Jones. You believe it is more likely that he is related to Charlotte as she is born in London like Joseph Donovan, but hubby Frank comes from Wiltshire. So it should be that Charlotte's sister married a Donovan and gave birth to Joseph. If the link turns out to be with Frank, then his sister married a Donovan. So firstly, we need to look for a Donovan/Jones marriage............ Merry

I haven't been able to find the marriage of my g g grandparents Frank Coombs/Coombes and Charlotte Mary Ann Jones so have decided to follow up a possible lead which is a (John) Joseph Donovan who is listed as a nephew to them on the 1891 census. I have found him with his parents on previous censuses and he was born in Kilburn so think he must be the nephew of Charlotte who I think was born in Marylebone/St. John's Wood (Frank was born in Fovant, Wilts.) I am trying to find the marriage of his parents to see if the fathers name of his mother matches the father's name of the Charlotte Jones I have the birth certificate for to check whether this is the correct one. But could nephew have been used to describe someone if they weren't actually related and am I following a false lead? I hope someone can advise me as I am stuck on this branch and although I think this is probably the correct birth certificate for Charlotte Mary Ann Jones (the birth details match the censuses I have her on as does the birth year and there are no other possibles which match these details) I feel I can't do any more on this branch as I don't have the father's name from the marriage certificate to make sure and I don't want to go down a wrong track. I hope someone can help. Louise

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