Genealogy Chat

My great grandmother was born Virtue Turpin in 1866, her father was Benjamin and he was a watchmaker. These facts I know are correct as I have her birth certificate, but I can't find any census records for her other than 1901, by then she was married and calling herself Minnie. I have however found a Kate Turpin in 1871, the right age, father Benjamin, occupation watchmaker. The mothers name is different but I suppose Benjamin could have remarried. So please could anyone tell me if Kate is a derivation of Virtue? John

John 1881 census Benjamin Turpin 43 St Lukes Middlesex Watchmaker Finisher Sophia Turpin wife 36 Islington " Kate Turpin daur 15 Clerkenwell " Fancy box maker(paper) Ellen Turpin daur 13 " " Scholar Edith Turpin daur 5 " " " Alice Turpin daur 4 " " Eliza Cook sister-in-law 30 unmarried Islington Middlesex Mantle Maker Jane Merness Lodger 35 widowed " " milliner Christine

This is probably the birth for the above Kate, does it match your certificate details by any chance? BIRTHS DEC 1865 Turpin Kate Clerkenwell 1b 642 I was looking for her in 1891, aged 24/25 but would she have been married then also?

Kate and Minnie are NOT derivations of Virtue (I think you are clutching at straws :-)) but I can understand that if you were a girl sadled with this name you might find it a bit irksome and want to be called something else. My gt gt grandmother was called Honor, but she only just got married a few weeks before her first child was born! Helen

John What is Virtue's mother's name on her birth cert? And have you found a death for her, or a remarriage for Benjamin and Sophia Someone? This would confirm your view that the 1871 census is correct and that Virtue is calling herself Kate. Alternatively, perhaps her mum changed her name too!

I'm afraid this just confuses things further but I noticed a death for Virtue Turpin aged 0 in 1867 in Marylebone. Could it be the Virtue whose birth cert you have died as a baby and sister Kate decided to take her dead sister's name and marry as Virtue Minnie Turpin in 1890? Now I've written this down it looks very unlikely but you never know. You could try looking for a marriage for Kate or to find her on later censuses to check whether she is a different person from Virtue Minnie. Judith

Hi everyone, I really appreciate all this help. I haven't visited this site for a few days, as I seem to be having a bit of a computer problem, so sorry if I haven't answered any of your queries. Her birth certificate shows she was born in Islington London, father Benjamin Edward, mother Emma, (then the writing becomes difficult) formerly Maroner, formerly Kennell. Her birth date was Feb 1866, so it looks like I was clutching at straws with Kate, just a coincidence that our Benjamin was also a watchmaker. My grandmother was iligitimate, born in Islington Infirmary, which I think was a workhouse, and adopted as a baby. Virtue married a Henry Kemble in 1890, by then her father is shown as Benjamin Edwin, now deceased. John

John, How about this for 1881? B Turpin 68 St Lukes Watchmaker E Turpin 47 St Lukes M Turpin 15 Isington upholsterer 48 Shaftesbury St, London RG11 0388/6 6 The initials fit Benjamin, Emma and Minnie Minnie's age and birthplace are right Dad's job is right Judith PS Wonder if this Ben is the other Ben's dad?

Judith This is brilliant. I had almost given up on finding them. You are probably right about him being the other Ben's dad, or certainly related in some way. I've been informed that a number of the family were watchmakers. Thanks to everyone, John