Genealogy Chat

I'm looking for MyGreat Grandfather William Land Poynts.b Camberwell 1855 I have him on the 1871 age 15 in Camberwell living with mother and siblings. his father had died three days before. On the 1881 I have found his mother and 3 siblings but no sign of him or his sister Fanny. On the 1891 he is now married and listed as Robert Poynts but is definitely him and on the 1901 as William Robert Poynts. I've been on the LDS site and searched for Williams, Roberts, Points/Poynts/Poyntz and various variations Anyone got any ideas? Naomi x

You've probably tried this already, but have you looked for Land as either surname or forename?

Check to find out if he was in the military, if so he could have been abroad at the time. there where a lot of small wars going on at that time, Zulu war, Basuto war, 1st anglo-boer war etc. It is a possibility.

Hi Naomi I think i may have found a possibility on the 1881 census and probable reason for changing his name from William to Robert. I first checked the 1891 census to see if it gave any clues, and noticed that his occupation was a painter. I searched using the initials W P born between 1853-57 born London and it came up with one result as an inmate in HM Prison Cold Bath Fields, Clerkenwell born London 1854 age 27 occupation Painter. Could his sister Fanny have got married by the 1881 census? Hope this helps Regards Sharon

I can't find my g grandfather on the 1901 either and he was born in 1881, I think he was in the Boer War. Kim

Hi Sharon, It's a possibility. I didn't think of checking initials. Is there any way I can find out if it is him or not? Naomi

My gt grandfather Alfred John COUDER is on every census but the 1881 and as far as I know he was not in the military or in prison. No sign of his parents Alfred and Louisa either. I've tried everything but cannot find them. Could possibly be an enumerator error! SUE.

spelling variants are usually soundalikes, but transcription errors can produce bizarre things that you'd never guess. If possible, you have to try to concoct a search that leaves the surname box blank. Narrow it down with place, age and birthplace. Helps a lot if you know two members of the household and one is probably the head You can also search the 1881 census on the FamilyHistoryOnline site -- it's the LDS data, but the site does support some wildcard searches

I think half the problem with the 1881 site is that you can't view the physical pages so have to take it as read that the transcribers have done a perfect job. I found a 2 x G Grandmother on there last night aged 21 with her eldest son age 20 so there's definitely errors. As for my missing person, I couldn't find his wife either (they weren't married then) She's in the workhouse in 1871 and they're married on the 1891. Her name was Eliza Goodyear. When she died the death was registered by E.V Goodyear daughter which suggests she had an illegitimate daughter. Did the initial's search on 1881 and it has returned an EG female correct age at "The Lawn" Hanwell, Middx. Sounds like a place where unmarried mothers might go! Thanks for the tip Sharon. Naomi x

I am also missing 3 relli's they are on the 1871 census they are aged 3 /2 / and 4 months. There father is on the 1881 with a new wife, as his first wife (the children's mother ) died in 1874 (child birth) this child is with it's grandmother in Kent, aged 6 (1881) But i cannot for the life of me find where the 3 others were. In 1891, 1 of the lost children turns up aged 22 and the youngest is back at home aged 16 but i am still missing 2 I can not thimk of any other way of finding them. I have since found another only after she married. but where could they have been for them missing years if i could find out then may be i would find the 1 truly lost one. I hope this makes sense. Any ideas ??? Please please pretty please. Diane.

Hi Naomi I think the only way to actually confirm that the probable entry on the 1881 census is the right one would be to somehow find him in the prison records. Dont know myself how you would go about that but is the only thing i can think of that would prove it beyond doubt. The initials and age and occupation are right so would say it is a very strong possibility it is the right person, but dont take it as gospel unless you can find some proof to suggest that he was actually in the prison at that time. Regards Sharon

See Nancy Couldwell's thread on Records Office board about missing 1881 folk. Jools from Scarboro has scored with very fancy detective work! Ian

Naomi I have checked lots of images for the 1881 census at my local Library and there are lots of mistakes and missing info, they were transcribed in asia, and i think without local knowlage there will always b a large amount of mistakes

The PRO at kew may be able to help. I keep meaning to go there myself and find out why a relly was in prison. Irene