Genealogy Chat

Abraham Allen, born in Belper Derby and Christened in 1808 he was my Gt Gt Grandfather, he attended the Strutt School, attached to Strutts cotton mill and eventually worked as a cotton spinner. He married my Gt Gt Grandmother Ellen (Helen) Nightingale in1828 and had four children Alfred, Martha, Thomas and William (William died 1842 as an infant), then the family ended up in the workhouse minus Abraham who the records say had 'absconded'. He obviously absconded to France and Ellen followed, we think, as my Gt Grandfather, Seth, was born there in 1844 (according to a couple of censuses). Although I haven't been able to get a birth cert for him yet (another mystery). After the birth of one more son, another William, I lose sight of both Abraham and Ellen, can't find a death for either of them. Seth and William and the other children minus Alfred the oldest are back in the workhouse in the 1851 census and the school record against Thomas says 'from France' in the entry column. So, did Abraham and Ellen stay in France? return to Derbyshire? Return to another part of the country? why were the children alone in the workhouse if the parents returned. How did the children get back from France? On their own? why did he abscond? Or did he run off with another woman and leave Ellen? Was Ellen not Seth's Mother? If he left Ellen, why did she leave the workhouse at the same time as he absconded? Why are neither of them on the 1851 census? Why would he have gone to France and how would he have got there if they were so poor that his family were in the workhouse? I have been trying to trace Abraham for ages now and as I said on the favourite ancestor thread he is one of my favourites. I just wondered if I am missing something that one of you clever super sleuths can pick up on. Ann Glos

Too tough for you too? I suspected it might be. (And I didn't want this dropping off the board!! Ann Glos

Changing the title might help!

Arghhh - looks awful! Just clicked a little light in my brain that a French lady has asked me for help to trace the parents of her ancestor, Hippolyte Henri Allen born 17 November 1856 in Folkestone. He died in St Martin les Boulogne (department 62) France on 27 February 1924. We assume they were just nipping back across the channel and he arrived earlier than planned. His birth does not seem to be registered in the Uk, not that I've found anyway. I checked various spellings of Allen. You don't have any Hippos in your family by any chance? Anyway, while I am trying to track down the elusive Hippo I'll look out for other Allen families in France. Best wishes Ann

I've emailed the French lady so hope she will look out for Allens as well. Best wishes Ann

Hi Ann, Thanks, and thank you for your e mail. No as far as I know don't have any hippos in my family. (Well not so sure after looking in the mirror, just returned from 2 weeks holiday - all that food and drinl!! lol!) Ann Glos