Genealogy Chat

Can anyone help me or give me a Idea of what happened to my Great-Great Grandfather. Richard England Born 1869. Last seen in 1891 Cencus with wife Eliza and daughter Alice. Then 1901 Cencus Eliza was listed as Widow. Their Last Child was Clara 1897 so guess he died 1896 - 1901 but the only Richard listed between these dates and on BMD in his age bracket died in Kensington. Just cant see a Cement Labourer living in Medway area moving to that area. The only conflict at that time was the Second Boer war. Would a man in his 30's of been conscripted at this time. if so how would I find out if he was if not has anybody any idea where he could of gone because he seems to of just vanished off the face of the earth. thanks for any help

Can you give us the correct year for his birth? You've listed 1896.

Rose

Have you given the wrong birth year for him? You say 1896 but he was married in the 1891 census.

A person in his 30's could have been in the Boer War. My grandfather was born in 1870 and he served in the Boer War.

Kath. x

For reference - I guess this is the family in 1891:-

Name: Alice England
Age: 5/12
Estimated birth year: abt 1890
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Richard
Mother's Name: Eliza
Gender: Female
Where born: Gillingham, Kent, England
Civil parish: Gillingham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary Magalene
Town: Gillingham
County/Island: Kent
Country: England
Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: Medway
Sub-registration district: Gillingham
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age

Richard England 23 (so birth year c.1868)
Eliza England 27
Alice England 5/12

Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 659; Folio 25; Page 20; GSU roll: 6095769.

Kath. x

There was no conscription before WW1

Why have you discounted the death in Kensington? There are lots of reasons why someone may die away from their home - he could have been in London for work, for example. The age at death matches with your Richard's age in 1891:

Deaths Mar 1900
England Richard 32 Kensington 1a 151


I can't find a Richard England death in the overseas records on FamilyRelatives, which I believe include the Boer War deaths. Do you have any evidence that he went to war? Surely he's more likely to have died 35 miles from home in London than 5000 miles away in South Africa, unless you have other evidence to suggest otherwise?

Hi Everybody

Firstly I would just like to thank everybody for their interest and help in this matter. I havn't been doing this long and wanted to grab any Ideas anybody that has been doing this longer may have, Ideas that may not of occured to me. I did mis-type richards DofB incorretly, not 1896 but 1869, sorry. Looking at the replys, they are all valid. I agree people did move about however what I find hard to believe is that a cement labourer would move to Kensington, if he had been a Taylor or the like then I would find it easier to accept but what would a person who is employed in what is prodominently rural industry do moving to a urban area. Before I follow this line of investigation I wondered if some of you more experienced people may have a better Idea of what may of happened to him. Again I thank you all for your kind interest.

Kindest Regards

Richard,

I should get the Kensington certificate if I were you. I am not sure why you believe a cement labourer was a predominantly rural occupation. There was no doubt a great deal of building going on in the developing suburb of North Kensington. As other people have said, there was much internal migration in England at this time.

Peter

The cement industry in Kent ran boats/barges full of the cement up the Thames to London as my friends family owned a cement barge, so it was quite feasible that he worked on these.

I agree with Julie. I was thinking along the lines of him being involved in delivering cement to where they were building houses etc. He may have had an accident or fallen ill whilst in Kensington.

Jill

THANKS TO ALL

You have all been brill, yes I do need to open my idea of the past. The Idea of him working on a cement barge may fit with what was happening in that area at the time. From about 1791 my ancestors have settled amoungst the medway towns, mostly brick makers some Royal Navy and Merchant Navy. This area is alive with some very interesting history. Would anybody have any Idea of any web sites which may give me an insight into these industries.

Once again Thanks to you all

Google Frindsbury Cement Works.