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Robert William Dicks was born in Portsea in 1864; his mother was Elizabeth Dicks (no father on birth certificate). I can find no trace or record of him again until he married in Portsmouth in 1891.
Family history related that he was in the army (possibly working with horses) and was "with Lord Roberts in India". I can find no trace of an army record for him but I think that family history may well have been true. Where can anyone suggest I might look? If he was in India where should I try?

??


name: Robert Dicks
event: Census
event date: 31 Mar 1901
gender: Male
age: 36
relationship to head of household: Head
birthplace: Portsmouth, Hampshire
record type: Household
registration district: Portsmouth
sub-district: Kinston And East Southsea
ecclesiastical parish: Portsea St Mary
civil parish: Portsmouth
county: Hampshire

Is this him in 1901 married in December 1891 to Fanny Elizabeth M Hollis


Name: Robert Dicks
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Fanny Dicks
Mother's Name: Mary Childs
Gender: Male
Where born: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Civil parish: Portsmouth
Ecclesiastical parish: Portsea St Mary
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: Portsmouth
Sub-registration district: Kingston and East Southsea
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 142
Piece: 985
Folio: 15
Page Number: 22
Household Members:
Name Age
Robert Dicks 36
Fanny Dicks 29
Robert Dicks 8
Ivy Dicks 5
Maud Dicks 2
Arthur Dicks 4 Months
Mary Childs 51
Emily Franklin 52

Do you know when and where Elizabeth was born?

Do you know if she ever married? - if she did them Robert may have been registered in census under her new married name.

1911


1911 census - household transcription

Person: DICKS, Robert W
Address: 23 Olinda Street Kingston Portsmouth

Cost:
You will be charged 10 credits for a transcript and 30 credits for an image, unless you have purchased a subscription for this set of records.

census search results 1911 address search redefine current search
Name Relation Condition/
Yrs married Sex Age Birth
Year Occupation Where Born Original
census
image
DICKS, Robert W Head Married M 46 1865 Labourer Portsmouth Hants VIEW
DICKS, Fanny E M Wife Married
19 years F 40 1871 Home Gosport Hants VIEW
CHILDS, Mary Ann Mother In Law Widow F 64 1847 Cook Domestic Gosport Hants VIEW
DICKS, Ivy L M Daughter Single F 15 1896 Dressmaker's Apprentice Portmouth Hants VIEW
DICKS, Alice M M Daughter F 13 1898 School Portmouth Hants VIEW
DICKS, Arthur Son M 10 1901 School Portmouth Hants VIEW
DICKS, Alfred J Son M 8 1903 School Portmouth Hants VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
5522 Reference:
RG14PN5522 RG78PN252 RD90 SD2 ED1 SN232

Registration District:
Portsmouth Sub District:
Kingston and East Southsea Enumeration District:
1 Parish:
Portsmouth

Address:
23 Olinda Street Kingston Portsmouth County:
Hampshire


Wendy

???

parents:John Dicks,? Mary

name: Elizabeth Dicks
gender: Female
baptism/christening date: 04 Dec 1842
baptism/christening place: Grateley, Hampshire, England
father's name: John Dicks
mother's name: Mary
indexing project (batch) number: I04082-6
system origin: England-EASy
source film number: 1596134

Does he invent a Father on his marriage certificate?
Have you any more information on his Mother. Elizabeth?
Thank-you

Possibly ??

UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949 about Robert Dicks
Name: Robert Dicks
Campaign or Service: Burma
Service Date: 1887-1889
Service Location: India
Regiment or Unit Name: 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment
Regimental Number: 1296

Webdy

I have asked the poster to return to this thread

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
about Robert W Dicks
Name: Robert W Dicks
Birth Date: abt 1865
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1943
Age at Death: 78
Registration district: Portsmouth
Inferred County: Hampshire
Volume: 2b
Page: 777

This is the only Elizabeth Dicks I can see in Portsea:
1871 England Census
Elizabeth Dicks
Age: 31 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Relation: Wife Spouse's Name: Henry Dicks
Gender: Female Where born: Carham, Hampshire, England
Civil parish: Portsea Ecclesiastical parish: All Saints
County/Island: Hampshire Country: England
Registration district: Portsea Island Sub-registration district: Kingston
ED, institution, or vessel: 21 Household schedule number: 83 Piece: 1129 Folio: 130
Page Number: 15

Henry Dicks 28
Elizabeth Dicks 31
Martha A Dicks 7
Sarah E Dicks 1
Allice J Jefferies 3

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 1129; Folio: 130; Page: 15; GSU roll: 827776.

From this marriage, I assume:
Marriages Dec 1866
DICKS Henry Fareham 2b 915
Jeffreys Elizabeth Fareham 2b 915
Jeffries Elizabeth Fareham 2b 915
i.e. after Martha's birth

Completely unconnected?

pm from Matti:

Thank you for your response to my query about my relative.
All I have is Elizabeth Dick's name and address on Robert's birth certificate. I think the area was not salubrious: lots of young single women described as "unfortunate".
She probably did marry and so there is no trace of her or Robert at all in any census record - although he married later under his mother's name of Dicks.

I guess the main thing is to trace his mother and see if she married.

Matti - was there an address on the birth certificate?

There is only a street name (Prospect Row) . I have found the street on census records but she (Elizabeth) isn't there in 1861 or 1871. There seem to have been a transient population of young women (milliners, dressmakers etc.) and the road had - I believe - a fairly bad reputation.
Interestingly Robert made up his father (same name Robert William Dicks) and gave his occupation as "blacksmith - deceased", from research I have found that there was a public house in this street called The Blacksmith's Arms - but I cannot find any link.
Many thanks

Lots of informtion here - many thanks for everyone's help. I think the military information is potentially what I am searching for. After Robert's marriage he is easy to track - there is a gap between his birth and marriage which I hope I may be able to fill a bit.
His mother is problematic. i imagine she married and so is almost impossible to follow. I have wondered whether, because Robert's illegitimate birth is recorded, she was on some sort of parish relief and might be trackable that way - though I don't know how.
Many thanks.

Just throwing this one in because of the names. I don't see Benjamin in 1881 or 1891 and I think he has died by 1901.

Also,I can't really read the surname in 1871. I'm such a lot of help!!!!


Births Dec 1862
DICKS Benjamin Henry Portsea 2b 596

1871 England Census about Robert Ketcher
Name: Robert Ketcher
Age: 6
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Elizabeth Ketcher
Gender: Male
Where born: Portsmouth
Civil parish: Portsmouth
Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas
Town: Portsmouth
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Registration district: Portsea Island
Sub-registration district: Portsmouth Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Household schedule number: 12
Piece: 1136
Folio: 22
Page Number: 2
Household Members:
Name Age
Elizabeth Ketcher 29
Benjamin Ketcher 8
Robert Ketcher 6
Elizabeth Ketcher 4
Mary Ketcher 1
Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 1136; Folio: 22; Page: 2; GSU roll: 827782.


Maureen

Just following on from Maureen's 1871 find. Ages are right for Robert, Elizabeth and Mary....and the younger ones are Dicks!!

Maybe Robert didn't invent his father after all. William McCormack is a Blacksmith!!

1881 England Census
about William Mc Cormack Name: William Mc Cormack
Age: 46
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1835
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Eliza Mc Cormack
Gender: Male
Where born: Salisbury, Wiltshire, England

Civil parish: Portsmouth
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England

Street Address: 3 Armoury Lane
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: Subscribe now to see this information.
Occupation: Blacksmith (Unemployed)

Registration district: Portsea Island
Sub-registration district: Portsmouth Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1150
Folio: 121
Page Number: 21
Household Members: Name Age
William Mc Cormack 46
Eliza Mc Cormack 43...Wife....Scotland.
Robert Mc Cormack 16...Son...Brickmaker...Portsmouth
Elizabeth Mc Cormack 14
Mary Dicks 11
William Dicks 9
Emily Dicks 6
Alice Dicks 1

All children born in Portsmouth.

I can't view the 1881 image as I don't have a subsciption. Would someone please check the childrens' surnames to see if Robert & Elizabeth are shown as Dicks? Thanks.

Robert and Elizabeth are shown as (ditto) McCormack, the other children are on the next page as Dicks.

Ooooo! I like it,Christina!!! It may not be Matti's family,but they are the ones I was looking for! Elizabeth seems to play a little with her age and I think they've mixed up her pob with William's on the 1881:
1891 census transcription details for: 1, Armoury Lane, Portsmouth

RG number: RG12 Piece: 864 Folio: 69 Page: 29


Reg. District: Portsea Island Sub District: Portsmouth Town
Parish: Portsmouth Enum. District: 3
Ecclesiastical District: Portsmouth City/Municipal Borough: Portsmouth
Address: 1, Armoury Lane, Portsmouth
County: Hampshire
MCCORMACK, William Head Married M 53 1838 Black Smith
Scotland
MCCORMACK, Elizabeth Wife Married F 50 1841 Laundress
Wiltshire
MCCORMACK, Mary Daughter Single F 20 1871 Laundress
Portsmouth
Hampshire
MCCORMACK, William Son Single M 19 1872 Mail Driver
Portsmouth
Hampshire
MCCORMACK, Emily Daughter Single F 17 1874 General Servant
Portsmouth
Hampshire

*Alice is in hospital as McCormack.

1901 census transcription details for: 7, Carrer's Court, Highbury Street, Portsmouth
RG number: RG13 Piece: 1001 Folio: 52 Page: 10


Reg. District: Portsmouth Sub District: Portsmouth and Mid Southsea
Parish: Portsmouth Enum. District: 3
Ecclesiastical District: St Thomas a Becket City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 7, Carrer's Court, Highbury Street, Portsmouth
County: Hampshire
MCCORMACK, Elizabeth Head Widow F 63 1838
Melksham
Wiltshire
MCCORMACK, William Son Single M 24 1877 Seaman R N
Portsmouth
Hampshire
MCCORMACK, Alice Daughter Single F 21 1880 Cigarette Maker
Portsmouth
Hampshire
WICKS,(Dicks on image. I think this is William Benjamin,son of Benjamin and Henrietta who are borth deceased.) William Grand Son Single M 3 1898
Portsmouth
Hampshire


1911 census transcription details for: 14 Crown St Portsmouth
RG14PN5613 RG78PN254 RD90 SD4 ED21 SN344


Reg. District: Portsmouth Sub District: Portsmouth and Mid Southsea
Parish: Portsmouth Enum. District: 21
Address: 14 Crown St Portsmouth
County: Hampshire

MARSHALLSAY, James Head Married M 32 1879 General Labourer Weymouth Dorset
MARSHALLSAY, Alice Wife Married
5 years F 30 1881 Portsmouth Hants
MARSHALLSAY, James Son M 4 1907 Portsmouth Hants
MARSHALLSAY, Alfred Son M 2 1909 Portsmouth Hants
MCCORMACK, Eliza Boarder Widow F 75 1836 Melksham Wiltshire


Best,
Maureen

It would be interesting to know Robert's address at the time of his marriage and the names of the witnesses.

This death would fit nicely with Robert's father being shown as deceased on his marriage cert....

Deaths Jun 1891 (>99%)
McCormack William 55 Portsea 2b 348

It all seems too much of a coincidence for it not to be Matti's family.