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Wait for it! Peter

1825 Sarah Anne Nurse baptized 12 June Parents James and Sarah Anne (Parish record) 1841 Servant in Brightlingsea (census) 1851 Servant in London (census) 1852 August3 daughter Agnes Ann b Colchester. Mother Ann living Albion Court. No father named. (Ann and Sarah Ann are the same person, although she is always known as Ann – and has a sister Sarah!!) Birth cert. 1856 Jan 3 Son James Richard b Colchester. Mother Ann living Albion Court. No father named. Birth cert. 1856 Dec 25 Marries Gustav Adolph KRAFFT in St Botolph’s Church Colchester. His occ=shoemaker, hers blank. His father Christian friedrich Krafft occ Kaufmann, hers James Nurse occ Sailor Witnesses James Nurse, Mary Ann Clark. Both live Albion Court. 1859 Jan 17 Daughter Agnes Sarah born Colchester Mother Ann Croft formerly Nurse, father Augustus Croft occ Shoemaker address Wire St, St Nicholas, Colchester. 1861 Ann Croft (lodger, 35, charwoman, married) living Wyre St with daughter Ann Nurse (8) son Richard Nurse (5) and daughter Agnes CROFT (2) Census 1866 April 1 Agnes sarah and Richard James children of Augustus and Anne Kroft baptized St Botolph –parish record. 1871 Ann Croft (head, charwoman, widow) with Son James R and daughter Sarah A at Albion Court (other daughter now named Margaret A is a servant elsewhere)-census 1875 July 9 James Richard Krafft bachelor, occ Engine Tenter living Burley marries – his father Augustus Adolph Krafft Shoemaker – marriage cert 1881 Ann Croft (widow) with daughters Ann 24 and Agnes 21 living Ravine Terrace Brading Hants. Both daughters shopkeepers.-census. (James Richard not on census, his wife Harriet is with her parents and son.) 1883 May 12 Agnes Sarah KRAFFT (spinster 23, no occ) marries. Father Augustus Krafft (confectioner). Agnes’s uncle Frederick (a baker is a witness, Margaret ann Krafft is the other)-marriage cert 1886 May 8 James Richard Krafft (widower!! – he isn’t!!) marries again. Father Augustus Adolphus Krafft riding master (deceased).-marriage cert. 1891 Sarah Ann Croft(w) living on own means with Agnes and her family in Herne Hill. Margaret Ann Croft is a housekeeper also living with them.-census 1895 1 Jan Sarah Ann CROFT widow of Augustus Croft (confectioner journeyman) dies.-death cert. My problem---apart from the marriage and the birth in Jan 1859 I can find no evidence of the existence of Gustav Adolph aka Augustus etc KRAFFT/Croft etc. I have searched 1837 for all the K possibilities – no death….. ANY IDEAS PLEASE!!!!!!!!! I need him for Xmas.

Hi Peter Is Gustav aka Augustus on the 1851 census? Is he shown as being born in england? His name sounds of German origin. Have you checked IGI and all the obvious places? It looks as though you have beren very thorough, but I just thought I'd ask. Sarah

Peter I know this isn't the info you want but could this Charles Kraft from the 1891 census be a relation to your Gustav. His son born 1883 was born Friedrich Gustav Kraft. Kraft, Charles A abt 1873 Hull, Yorkshire, England Son Sutton [with Stoneferry] Yorkshire Kraft, Charles G abt 1850 Germany Head Sutton [with Stoneferry] Yorkshire Kraft, Clara D abt 1878 Hull, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sutton [with Stoneferry] Yorkshire Kraft, Dorothea abt 1850 Germany Wife Sutton [with Stoneferry] Yorkshire Kraft, Fred G abt 1883 Hull, Yorkshire, England Son Sutton [with Stoneferry] Yorkshire Kraft, Hannah M abt 1881 Hull, Yorkshire, England Daughter Sutton [with Stoneferry] Yorkshire Source information: RG12/3913 Registration district: Sculcoates Sub registration district: Sutton ED, institution, or vessel: 8 Folio: 7 Page: 8 (click to see others on page) GSU Number: 6099023 Georgina.

Haven't found him on the 51. I suspect he came back to Colchester with the German Legion from the Crimea in 1856. Ann's sister sarah married an August Herbst in the same church in Nov 1856 and went to South Africa (and that's the last we hear of her!!0 with a shipload of others. I suspect Albion court was a bit of a dive - it looks as though they cleaned all the girls out, married them off and shipped the troops out! The mystery is really what Happened to Gustav - he must have been around in 1858 to get her pregnant and the occupation of Confectioner is interesting in light of Frederick Nurses's occupation - he began baking in London and then moved back to Brightlingsea - did he employ his brother-in law...... Told you it needed experts.... Peter

Peter how old was Gustav when he married? Georgina.

Georgina - don't think so - nothing seems to fit. Should have mentioned that when he married he was a widower of full age. I have also tracked all the KRAFFT's you will find in London - they don't yet seem to be connected although they do go back to a Charles Krafft in Harwich.-half pay Lieut in 60th foot in 1816 Peter

Peter I have checked out Ancestry, can't find any mention of your Augustus/Gustav Krafft/croft on the census, however there are several matches on the american census records. Unfortunately I am not signed up the the American records section, but there is one record in particular in the 1880 census a Gustav A Krafft b. 1835 in Germany residing in Stamford Conneticut on census night. Might your Gustav be of American origin and gone home for a visit?? Be interested in your take Sarah

The american one is a possibility - but he is a bigamist if it is....he has an English wife although he is born Germany. Occupations vary from gardener to painter and on his grave it says 'Navy' with a US flag. Interesting that his wife appears on the 1900 census several years after she was buried....as third wife of (which DOES fit) You may have guessed that I have run out of ideas and am seeking inspiration on this board. Peter

Peter Just googled Crimean war records as you suspect Gustav was involved. During the Crimean war the British Army recruited German & Swiss Legions under a special provision known as the Enlistment of Foreigners Act 1854. 14,000 men were recruited into the British Foreign Legion and their service records are kept at Kew along with the muster lists of those who went to scutari. The reference to look for is WO14. Just got to sort something out - back in half hour or so Sarah I'm back, got it soted quicker than i thoughted!!

Peter I presume you have seen this website http://www(.)myrasplace(.)net/hatfield/fam00664.htm it has info on it but it says that Hannah Nurse was Gustav Adolph Krafft's wife (remove brackets) probably seen it or its yours but worth a try Zoe

It is old information .....incorrect .....not Hannah, certain it was sarah Ann known as Ann. Confusion caused by the Nurse family constantly using different names... Peter

nudge

Hi Peter Not sure if this is of any help but I followed up on someone else's find in the USA census for Gustav A Krafft This is the 1880 census he is down as a Gardener Gustav A. KRAFFT Self M Male W 45 GERMANY Gardner GERMANY GERMANY Sarah KRAFFT Wife M Female W 33 ENGLAND Keeping House ENGLAND ENGLAND Minnie KRAFFT Dau S Female W 8 CT School GERMANY ENGLAND William KRAFFT Son S Male W 6 CT School GERMANY ENGLAND Charles KRAFFT Son S Male W 4 CT GERMANY ENGLAND Fredrick KRAFFT Son S Male W 2 CT GERMANY ENGLAND And then surprisingly He appears in the 1900 census as a House Painter still with family and older children living at home still in Stamford . Wendy

Thanks Wendy - have seen this before. Interesting that you can also find Sarah's death, several years before the 1900 census (shades of the movie Psycho). I would love to find the marriage - not in England as far as I can find, and I haven't the faintest idea where to start looking in the States. As he is German and she is English i would think Germany is out for the marriage. Of course, if he is the one I'm looking for, he still has a wife in England!! In addition - he must have been in the US since 1872, which begs the question of why can't I find him in 1861...... Hopefully someone on this board will think outside the square and give me a flash of inspiration - I'm afraid this is one where I have run out of ideas. Peter

Peter On the US 1900 census it states that Gustav was in the US from 1862 and that Sarah 1868. Now in the 1900 census these are the children listed Minnie M bn 1872 which I think her full name is Wilhelmina there is a death record for her in January 1955 aged *82 in the same state and county where they were stayi8ng in the two census that I have mentioned. william bn 1874 Frederick bn 1878 Julia L bn 1881 Sarah E bn1883 Martha bn 1885 All children were born in Connecticut There also appears for Martha a Social Security Death index, I have posted a PM regarding this matter. Wendy

Hello again Just been trawling on the BMD site. Found something interesting - Birth DecQ1865 Gustavus Adolphus Drawbridge Colchester 4a 260 Maybe our Augustus had a mistress and this was a love child? Also found a birth on the IGI for Gustav Adolph Krafft b. 13 May 1838 and christened21 May 1838. Mother Henriette Freidrike Krafft in Sankt Georgen Berlin Staat Brandenberg Preussen batch C999123 1838-40

Thanks - I will go for the US death cert - nothing to lose, and details of the mother might give clues. No doubt the USA closes for Xmas. The German one fits - I wish I had something that gave his actual date of birth!!! Will now look for drawbridges!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Peter

Seems like Gustavas Drawbridge is in West Ham in 1901 with a Martha he may have been in Wales on previous census..sorry can't access 1901 Zoe

Found this drawbridge family with the Gustav A 1865 doesn't seem to be yours as father is a Samuel Annie Drawbridge abt 1870 Colchester, Essex, England Daughter Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Charles Drawbridge abt 1880 Colchester, Essex, England Son Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Christoher Drawbridge abt 1874 Colchester, Essex, England Son Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Florence Drawbridge abt 1877 Colchester, Essex, England Daughter Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England George Drawbridge abt 1868 Colchester, Essex, England Son Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Gus A. Drawbridge abt 1866 Colchester, Essex, England Son Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Joseph S. Drawbridge abt 1864 Colchester, Essex, England Son Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Louisa Drawbridge abt 1839 London, London, Middlesex, England Wife Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England May Drawbridge abt 1875 Colchester, Essex, England Daughter Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Minnie Drawbridge abt 1872 Colchester, Essex, England Daughter Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Samuel Drawbridge abt 1838 London, London, Middlesex, England Head Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Martha Rudkin abt 1861 Layer, Essex, England Servant Priory Street, Colchester St James, Essex, England Funny thing is the name seems soooo different to the rest of siblings Zoe