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So he is going by the name of John then.
But he is not with them 1841

Unless he is John Brown in 1841.
Perhaps Maria was previously married to a Brown?

He seems to use John as well as Henry. 1911 census shows his wife trying to sign off for Henry as John. 1851 census identifys him as John. Formal marriage and death certs revert to Henry John.

Can't find him in 1841 census. There is a John Brown staying with the family in Pampisford who appears to be about the right age. Also Maria's sister Hepsibah Ruffell is staying with family in Pampisford in 1841.

Perhaps he has taken the name John Brown for reasons unknown.

I have not tried the Maria 'married to a Brown' angle yet. That could be a logical check.

familysearch is down for maintenance at present.

Marriage cert gives William as father. There are a number of problems with this.
1) Henry's birth was c1822 6 years before William's marriage to Maria Sabina Ruffell in 1828 at Christ Church Spitalfields.
2) Why Henry John? His father and Grandfather seem to be Williams'. Not decisive but a thought.
3) Henry's birth place is usually given in the various census as Paddington, London. His father William's is probably Pampisford and his mother Maria Sabina's is Paddington.
4) Henry is 8 years older than his next sibling Peter William b c1830. Peter is followed by Emily S b c1831, Walter James b c1832, Alfred b 1835, Thomas Cripps b 1837 and William b 1839.

Did legal adoption for working class people exist at this time?

Henry just does not seem to fit in!

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

John

Having followed the saga my thoughts are still that Henry John is more likely be the child of Maria pre her marriage, but how do you prove it is the case or otherwise?

My own Russell's come from the same area, about the same time and some of their baptism's were never found.

John

Maria is almost definitely Russell as that was the way ss was written in old handwriting.

I am also thinking that Henry may be a child of Maria.

It may be that he was illegitamate so took on mothers name or it may be that she was previously married. I think you need to look in Padddington for that..

MARIA SABINA RUSSELL Pedigree
Female
Event(s):
Birth: 14 FEB 1799

Christening: 20 MAR 1799 Saint Mary-St Marylebone Road, Saint Marylebone, London, England

Parents:
Father: WILLM. RUSSELL Family
Mother: MARIA
Messages:
Extracted birth or christening record f

C035244

Have you tracked Maria's parents and siblings to see if any clues there?

1. MARIA SABINA RUSSELL - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 20 MAR 1799 Saint Mary-St Marylebone Road, Saint Marylebone, London, England

2. MARY JANE RUSSELL - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: DEC 1801 Saint Mary-St Marylebone Road, Saint Marylebone, London, England

3. CAROLINE RUSSELL - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 11 MAY 1806 Saint Mary-St Marylebone Road, Saint Marylebone, London, England

Just begining to track the Russell(ruffells). I have Maria Sabina b1799(wife of henry John) dau of William Russell b1772 and Maria Heneage? b c1780. Other siblings to Maria are Sarah b1803 and Hepzibah b 1812. There may also be a Heneage? Russell b1797.

I am sure there are other children because the birth dates span 1797 to 1812 with only 3 children. Your suggestions of Mary Jane b 1801 and Caroline b1806 seem a possible fit except that from 1803 christenings seem to have been at St Mary Magdalane, Bermondsey and not St Marylebone.

Interestingly, Hepzibah appears in the 1841 census living with Maria Sabina and the Fisons in Pampisford. After that she disappears.
Also Sarah marries Thomas Cripps in 1837 and moves to Tonbridge Kent. The Cripps and Fisons were clearly close since a son of William Fison and Maria Sabina born in 1837 was christened Thomas Cripps Fison and my own Grandfather was Sydney Cripps Fison.

Thanks for all the information. The Henry John mystery is may soon be resolved.

John

IGI Individual Record FamilySearch™ International Genealogical Index v5.0
British Isles
Search Results | Download | Print

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HEPHZIBAH RUSSELL Pedigree
Female


Event(s):
Birth: 11 OCT 1812

Christening: 15 NOV 1812 Saint Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, London, England

Parents:
Father: WM. RUSSELL Family
Mother: MARIA




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Source Information:
Batch No.: Dates: Source Call No.: Type: Printout Call No.: Type:

P001582 1801 - 1856 0254552-0254560 Film 0820927 Film

P001582 1801 - 1856 0254552-0254560 Film 0820928 Film

Have just discovered that Henry John Fison was in fact Henry John Brown. This discovery comes from the will of his brother William Fison of Pampisford d 1871.

The will states " Power reserved of making the like grant to HENRY JOHN BROWN (in the will written "Brother john") the brother by half blood the other executor"

What did half blood mean in 1871?

Given the wording of the will, I would imagine it means the same as what we now refer to as half-sister/brother - sharing 1 same parent. In this case Henry John & William share the same mother but different fathers.

Glad to you got to the bottom of the mystery :D