Genealogy Chat

I wonder if any still sane person could find my great Granny on 1871 or 1881 census for me please??? See below

IRWIN, Elizabeth 1862 March Farnham Hampshire Surrey 2a 76 Other than her birth, she seems to disappear until she lives in Potternewton, Bradford, Leeds in 1891 & 1901 with her husband George McKinley(born in Ireland c1863) who was also abducted by aliens. I also can't find their marriage so I assume they were married on the spaceship. I know, it's late & I am going MAD thanks if you can helkp.. Karen

I have tried looking with no joy I can understand George not being there as he may still be in Ireland. I can only think she missed the census or has been mistranscribed. However 1 likely candidate is the one I have no doubt you have looked at. Elizabeth Irwin born in Idle which is near Bradford. Sometimes people were not sure where they were born or the transcriber wrote what he thought. The approx age matches if her b/day was just before the census There is no father but do the boys names reflect his? Do you know it? Perhaps find the marriage of this mother and see if the name matches the father. Hope you understand all this.

I found a family of Irwins in Bradford which seemed to be the right ages for Elizabeth to belong to, but on the 1901 census it says father born in Ireland & kids were born in Bradford. Do you think I might have the wrong Elizabeth Irwin? How can I find out? Even if I send for the Hampshire Irwin's birth cert I won't know will I??? Elizabeth's children were George, Elizabeth, Florence, JOhn Irwin, Isabella, Isaac, Emma & William. The possible family in Bradford has the father John Irwin...hmmmmmm I found a marriage of Elizabeth Irwin in Bradford in 1886,with no husbands name. I hoped that might be it & ordered a cert, but it was not George McKinley. So confusing

I was looking at the 1881 census and that family has no father, mother is a widow. This one is aged 20. Have a look. There is an Elizabeth Irwin born in Jun 1860 in Bradford do you think that is her? Or is this the one I see on 1881. I can see yours in 1901 with George. I take it you are sure she married George? Ok heres an idea have you tried to kill off either of these Elizabeths before 1901 or a marriage for either? Running out of ideas……. Perhaps she was abducted by the same aliens as mine? John

Thanks John & Jim. I can't kill Elizabeth off or I will cease to exist! I assume Elizabeth married George!?!? She was still alive after 1930 because she was run over by a car after my grandma moved to Australia in 1925. I'll check out those Irwins you found Jim. On the 1891 & 1901 census she says she was born in Hants Aldershot though. Maybe I should adopt the other one.

I think the Irwins Jim mentions are the same as the 1881 elizabeth in Idle. I am coming to the conclusion she is not yours. You say you assume she married George, does that mean they were definetly together as a couple? Onlt thing I can now suggest is you get the cert. you mention in Farnham? and see if it may give some clues. You might be able to find her father etc on 1881 Good luck

yes they were still together as old people. I remember seeing a photo of George & Elizabeth when I was a kid & they were grey haired. My mother threw out every photo of the family when her mother died though........AGHHHHHH I tried to order this marriage cert because on Free BMD it doesn't say who she married. But it wasn't George. marriage 1886 june 9b 45. It still cost me lots of money though. I have just discovered that Hampshire is on the coast. Maybe the Irwins went to Ireland & met George there?? Straws, straws, straws........desperation.

I am a bit confused by all this, Could it be that Elizabeth married someone else BEFORE she married George,so George was second husband? or even that she married George in Ireland so would not be recorded here? I have several members of my family that disappear and reappear , but if they were travelling on the Sunday evening they could possibly miss the census enumerator, or so I've been told. Good luck and hope you sort it out! Kim

Hi again Karen Although Hampshire is on the coast, Aldershot isn't. We are about halfway between London and Portsmouth (which is on the coast) Aldershot is quite a large town, it is also home of the British Army since about the 1840's. It is mainly an army town, with us civvys making up about half the population. Maybe your ancestor's father was in the Army? and that is why she was born here and then moved about? Something to think about. Sandra

Elizabeth had her first baby in 1886, so she would have been 24. I guess it's possible she was married before. Hadn't thought of that. I'll do some detective work. Sandra, You are probably right. Her dad could have been a soldier. I will order her birth cert (don't tell my husband) & hope that it says so on there. thanks everyone

The birth cert. is what I meant for you to order. Sometimes back tracking can help a move forward.