Genealogy Chat

I am hoping someone can help me out here, a friend has asked me to try to trace his mothers family but I seem to be knocking my head against a brick wall. I am looking for a phoebe ellen alford born c1889, she married an alfred denham on the 24th November 1924 she was aged 35 and a spinster but no father so I am assuming she was illegitimate. Alfred was 56 years of age and a bachelor. They married in New Windsor. I have checked the bmd for her birth and cannot find any trace and there is no mention of her on the 1891 or 1901 census. By 1926 the pair of them had changed their surname to Cox and they had one daughter Phoebe Agnes Cox. Any help would be much appreciated.

1901???? Name: Phoebe Alford Age: 14 Estimated birth year: abt 1887 Relation: Inmate Gender: Female Where born: Eling, Hampshire, England Civil parish: Colbury Ecclesiastical parish: Colbury Christchurch Town: Colbury County/Island: Hampshire Country: England Registration district: New Forest Sub-registration district: Eling ED, institution, or vessel: 6 Reg

'Inmate' suggests workhouse.

It was indeed the Colbury Workhouse No occupation listed for phoebe. Birthplace .... Eling, Hants

I had found that Phoebe, but I cannot find on the BMD a birth for Phoebe Alford born in Hampshire

I have searched complete BMD for her birth 1886-1891 but no Phoebe Ellen Alford in Hampshire or anywhere. Likewise for 1891 census. On the 1901 census have you seen the other Alfords in Eling area. Hezekiah 44 b.Dorset Mary Alford 38 b. Dorset Fred 15 b. Dorset Frank 9 b.Eling Amy 1 b.Eling. Hezekiah and Mary Ann Green married in Wareham Dorset 1891. This is a complicated one! Do you know why they changed name to Cox? Do you know where Alfred Denham came from?

We have no idea as to why the name was changed, I think this may well be one I never get to the bottom of. No idea on Alfred he was 56 when they married and had not been married before, but I have no idea where he hailed from it is a complete and utter mystery

Long shot ....... but doesn't the marriage certificate give his occupation? The b'date on this means that Alfred may have been a little older than he said when he got married!! The only unmarried Alfred Denham (3 others, married) 1901 Census about Alfred Denham Name: Alfred Denham Age: 41 Estimated birth year: abt 1860 Relation: Boarder Gender: Male Where born: Stepney, London, England Civil parish: East Ham Ecclesiastical parish: Upton Park St Stephen Town: East Ham County/Island: Essex Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: West Ham Sub-registration district: East Ham ED, institution, or vessel: 16 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 137 Household Members: Name Age Thomas Booth 24 Amelie Brand 2 Charle Brand 11 Christian Brand 41 Christian Brand 6 Frederick Brand 4 Fredericke Brand 29 Alfred Denham 41 Single, Fishmonger Lawrence Inchez 21 - - - - The 1891 census also has an Alfred Denham, b. Stepney, ca. 1863, Single, Fishmongers Assistant Sylvia (in Canada)

The marriage certificate says he was a shop keeper.