Genealogy Chat

Hi there I am going round in circles here can anyone help me see straight??? Please. My greatgrandfather John Hewitt Lambert married Blanche Sydney Biggs in 1886 in Paddington aged 19. Her father named on the marriage cert as Stephen Biggs. Now this is where I am confused. In 1881 census John Lambert and family were living in Leeds with a Blanche Biggs (niece) aged 5 (born in Leeds) 1n 1891 census There is a Blanche Lambert living with the Douglas family in St Pancras (niece) aged 15 again born in Leeds. At first I assumed that John and Blanche were cousins who married and the age was incorrect on the 1881 census. She was 15 not 5? But now I am not so sure! There was a Blanche Biggs born in 1867 in Bethnal Green but her father was George. Then a Sidney Blanche Biggs born in 1867 in Somerset. I have looked at this for so long I can no longer see the wood for the trees. Please can someone help. Regards Susan

Hi Susan, In the 1891 census there is definitely a Blanche Lambert born in Bath, Somerset living with a John Lambert: Name: Blanche Lambert Age: 24 Estimated birth year: abt 1867 Relation: Wife Spouse's name: John Gender: Female Where born: Bath, Somerset, England Civil parish: Kensington Ecclesiastical parish: St Clement County/Island: London Country: England Registration district: Kensington Sub-registration district: Kensington Town ED, institution, or vessel: 32b Household Members: Name Age Blanche Lambert 24 Hubert Lambert 9/12 John Lambert 23

And in 1901, the same family. What was your grandfather's or grandmother's name? Are they on either of these entries? Name: Blanche Lambert Age: 34 Estimated birth year: abt 1867 Relation: Wife Spouse's name: John Gender: Female Where born: Somerset, England Civil parish: Kensington Ecclesiastical parish: St Clement County/Island: London Country: England Registration district: Kensington Sub-registration district: Kensington Town ED, institution, or vessel: 37 Household schedule number: 406 Household Members: Name Age Blanche Lambert 34 Clementina Lambert 4 Dorothy Lambert 8 Elsie Lambert 6 John Lambert 37 John Lambert 10

Blanche 1871: 1871 England Census about Blanche Biggs Name: Blanche Biggs Age: 4 Estimated birth year: abt 1867 Relation: Daughter Mother's name: Pendence Gender: Female Where born: Bath, Somerset, England Civil parish: St James Ecclesiastical parish: St James County/Island: Somerset Country: England Street address: Registration district: Bath Sub-registration district: Abbey ED, institution, or vessel: 6 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 205 Household Members: Name Age Blanche Biggs 4 George Biggs 11 Pendence Biggs 47 Rise

Hi wow thanks for all that information. The 1881 and 1901 census are definately the correct family, my grandfather being john Lambert too. I'm not sure about the 1871 census, I am very confused. did he marry his cousin or is it a totally different Blanche Biggs.

The only Sidney Blanche Biggs I could find on Birth Registrations was born March Quarter 1867 Bath Volume 5c Page 695 On the 1871 census entry she appears with her mother Prudence (transcribed as Pendence) but no father is listed. There are three marriages listed for Stephen Biggs, 1846, 1850 and 1869 but cannot tie in with Prudence

Susan, if John did marry his cousin, it wasn't the one which you refer to in your original posting as John's wife was born in Somerset and not Yorkshire. Chris

Chris Thanks so much, I knew the answer was there somewhere. I had got so wrapped up in it all I missed the obvious. As you say the 1901 census shows Blanche born in Somerset so he did not marry his cousin just a coincidence they had the same names. Susan

Susan, do you have your grandfather's birth certificate? If so, how does his mother's name appear? Ooops, just noticed your latest post. It's not conclusive but very likely that they're different people, as places of birth are not necessarily reliable on censuses. I can't find Blanche on the 1881 census, although her mother (Prudence) is living in London with her brother George. Chris

Hi Chris I don't have my grandfathers birth certificate but I do have the marriage certificate between John and Blanche. One of the witnesses was a George Edward Biggs so I am assuming this was her brother. Maybe her father Stephen had died but it wasn't recorded as deceased on the marriage certificate. Actually I'm not sure if they even recorded this info? Susan

Birth Registraton for George Edward Biggs March Quarter 1861 Bath Volume 5c Page 704 Would think the best next move would be to get Blanche's Birth Certificate and prove that her fathers name was Stephen.

Susan, Prudence's son on the 1881 census is George E Biggs, so that ties in well. Here's an interesting entry in the 1861 census. George is there, and his father is Stephen Biggs. All the other info seems to tally. Can't quite make out the wife's name as yet. It does look like Perry or even Percy! Name: Stephen Boggs Age: 46 Estimated birth year: abt 1815 Relation: Head Spouse's name: Perry Gender: Male Where born: Bruton, Somerset, England Civil parish: Lyncombe and Widcombe Ecclesiastical parish: Lyncombe Town: Bath County/Island: Somerset Country: England Registration district: Bath Sub-registration district: Lyncombe ED, institution, or vessel: 1 Household schedule number: 132 Household Members: Name Age Francis Boggs 3 George Boggs 1 Henry Boggs 13 James Boggs 11 Mary Boggs 15 Perry Boggs 35 Sarah Boggs 7 Stephen Boggs 46 Emma Randall 7

Oh yes, a definite requirement to get Blanche's birth certificate, because her mother's name is quite intriguing. Here's a likely marriage entry: Jun Q 1846 Biggs, Stephen Bath Vol 11 Page 18 Smith, Percess Bath Vol 11 Page 18

Thanks everyone for all your help. I will be sending for that birth certificate and hopefully that will clear up the mystry. Thanks again Susan

so what's the link? John was related to a Blanche Biggs and married a different Blanche Biggs, but I'm not about to believe there was no connection. Clue: Mary Douglas was born in Bath

Help You are really confusing me now Robin. This has been driving me mad for days because there is a Somerset connection! they all seem linked! So what do you think??? Susan

I'm thinking Mary Douglas may have been a Biggs, and related to the older Blanche from Bath as well as the younger Blanche from Leeds