Genealogy Chat

Hello, I wonder if anyone can solve this puzzle for my mum-in-law. Her grandmother was Lavinia Derbyshire, born December 1891. Her parents were John Derbyshire and Mary Ann Stonier and they married in 1870. She has their wedding certificate and her grandmothers birth certificarte. We have the Derbyshire family in 1881 living in Garrett Street, Manchester, the same street as the Stoniers. In 1891, a kind person off GC found them in Hampson Street, Hazel Grove, obviously minus Lavinia as she missed the census by a good few months. In 1901 we have found her father John, listed as a widower, living with 11 year old Ada Derbyshire, who HAD appeared on the 1891, and a family of Drinkwaters. Further searching revealed that the wife of the family, Sarah, was Johns wifes sister. We then found 2 more of the children, Ethel and Jessie, in 1901, living with another of their mothers sisters, Margaret Peets. Older children such as Henry, Emily, Hannah and John have probably either died inbetween census's or got married. The mystery is - where is Lavinia?? I have looked everywhere I can think of in the 1901, done all combinations of searches, under variations of Derbyshire - no joy. When we found the Drinkwater family, they had a 13 year old Lavinia living with them and we thought for a while we had found her (name change), but then I found the birth of Lavinia Drinkwater on 1837online - obviously not a name change. Can anybody help?? I have thought about this until I get dizzy. Maybe a new pair of eyes (and rational thinking) could help. Thank you.

Have you tried searing under Davinia, it may have been transcribed wrong

Thanks, Carol, hadn't thought of that one!! Off to give it a whirl now. Best wishes, Carol

Hi Carole, no sign of any Davinia either, don't know where she went!! Thanks, Carol

Hi Carol, I can sympathise,I too have lost a family in 1901 census. The ROLES I know where they were in 1898 and 1899 and 1900 and later on in 1901 but they are nowhere on the census on the web site or by looking at the actual census on microfiche!After 2 months of looking,I have given up-I hope you have better luck than I did!!!Sinead

Carol There is a Minnie Derbyshire aged 10 in Manchester. I do not have the decoder, but her person ID number is only three away from a John Derbyshire which means they were probably in the same house. If she was known as 'Vinnie' it would be quite easy for the ennumerator to hear it as 'Minnie' don't you think? Maybe someone with a decoder can look for you. Hope this helps Sue

Are there any children younger than Lavinia? Could Mary Ann have died giving birth to her and another family brought her up? Then perhaps she is recorded under the other family's surname but was never officially adopted.

Using decoder this family is John 66, Hannah 21, Alfred 15, Minnie 10 and James 7. Theres another family a few numbers higher James 27, Maria 25, James 5, francis 3 and Thomas 1, who may be related.

Helen & Sue, thanks for your replies. I did check out the Minnie Derbyshire a few days ago and unfortunately she wasn't mine. I think she is probably with another family somewhere, but I have checked all the Lavinia's in the likely areas of Staffordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire and Manchester and have not come up with anything so far. Thanks for your thoughts anyway. Best wishes. Carol.