Debtor in Cardiff Gaol

Industrial Revolution in South Wales - The Nantyglo Ironworks

Since the blog post Cousins of Some Degree, the scans of many nonconformist records have become available on ancestry.com. Among these are those showing the baptisms of the children of William Tilley and his wife, Mary Wallington, my 4xgreat grandparents, through my stepfather.

There are also scans of baptismal records of the children of their son, John Tilley, and Hester Knight at the Independent congregation of Kingswood, Wiltshire. They are:

Date Baptized  Name  Place/date of birth            Parents                  Abode    Occupation
Oct 6 [1822]     Mary      In the parish of Kingsd  Jno & Hester Tilley  Kingswood  Weaver
                                      on the 2 day of                formerly Hester Knight
                                       Decr 1821
Jany 18 [1824] Lewellyn In the parish of Kingsd  Jno & Hester Tilley  Kingswood  Weaver
                                      on the 21st day of           formerly Hester Knight
                                      November 1823
 Augt 13 [1826] Daniell   In the parish of Kingsd  Jno & Hester Tilley  Kingswood  Weaver

                                      on the 22 day of              formerly Hester Knight

                                       May 1826

The 1841 England Census have John Tilley, Age 40, Weaver, and Hester, also age 40 living on Town Street, Kingswood, Wiltshire. They were not born in the county, but that may only be a result of Gloucestershire being but a stone's throw away. This record does have the correct names, ages and occupation. Moreover, the Tilleys next door neighbors are Jonah and Elizabeth Knight, who, given their surname, could be Hester's brother and sister-in-law.

I have previously hypothesized that John and Hester moved out of Kingswood (and baptized more children elsewhere), largely because I am accustomed to seeing large families. It is of course possible that they stayed put, but were unable to have more children. I believe this 1841 census record is for the same John and Hester as the baptisms. There is currently no evidence to suggest they had moved between 1826 and 1841.

By 1851, however, I am fairly sure that they had moved to Bedwellty, Monmouthshire. The next part of this post explains why I believe this is so.

Bedwellty lies in South Wales, one of its chapelries in 1868 being Tredegar. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries the Industrial Revolution came to South Wales. The presence of coal, iron ore and water power prompted several enterprises to develop the green valleys for the large-scale industrial production of iron. According to wikipedia, Tredegar's population grew from 1,132 in 1801 to 34,685 in 1881. The South Wales valleys would be a natural place for workers migrating from Gloucestershire, in search of work in coal mines, ironworks or the shops serving the growing community. The picture above of the Nantyglo Ironworks (situated in a neighboring valley) depicts the pollution that came with this kind of development. The human cost would also be high.

Among search results for John Tilley in the 1851 census, I came across one from Cardiff gaol:
     John Tilley Prisoner for Debt Mar 52 Linen Draper Gloucester, Dursley

Meanwhile, in the same census at 41 Charles Street, Bedwellty is the following household:
     Hester Tilley       Head           U 55 Grocer and Draper Gloucestersh, Berkeley
     Elizabeth Davies Grand daughter 7 Scholar at home    Gloucestersh, Woottonunderedge
     Eliza White         Visitor              19                         Gloucestersh, Kingswood

That same month, the London Gazette of 29 April 1851 reports an impending hearing for discharge from bankruptcy at the County Court of Glamorganshire for three people including:

John Tilley, late of the Tredegar Iron-works, in the county of Monmouth, Grocer, Tea Dealer, Draper, and Dealer in Furniture.

These last three records would appear to be related. I can at least relate the Hester Tilley 1851 census return to our Tilleys. In 1850, Llewellyn Tilley married Elizabeth Vivian in Rhymney. The BMD Marriage Index for this couple is: Dec1850 Abergavenny 26 29. The marriage registration, which I have in hand, reports:
       19 October 1850 at Rhymney Church
       Groom: Llewellyn Tilley  Full Age  Bachelor  Shopkeeper  Rhymney
                         father: John Tilley Shopkeeper
       Bride: Elizabeth Vivian   Full Age  Spinster       Rhymney
                         father: John Vivian Confectioner
       signed: Llewellyn Tilley and Elizabeth Vivian
       witnessed: John Tilley and Eliza White

This second witness, Eliza White, is also the visitor on Hester's 1851 census return. Her presence at the wedding and in Hester's household the following year connects the Jno and Hester Tilley of Llewellyn Tilley's baptism and Hester Tilley, Grocer and Draper in Bedwellty. This makes it highly likely that the debtor in Cardiff Gaol is Hester's husband. In the absence of further entries in the London Gazette, presumably John's discharge from bankruptcy went smoothly.

Continuing from here, the 1861 Census at Bradley Street, Wotton under Edge, the first household of District 1 has:
       John Tilley   Head   Mar   61    Grocer        Gloucestershire, Kingswood
       Hester Do    Wife    Mar   65                        Gloucestershire, Berkeley

This indicates that by this time they had returned to Wotton under Edge.

For the 1871 Census, the best I can find is this one at Eglantine Place, Wotton under Edge:
        Esther Tilley Head Widow 78 Pauper Glocshire, Woodford
The age is a little high, but Woodford is an outlying settlement of Berkley, Gloucs.

There are two BMD Death Index entries for Hester Tilley that make sense, given age at death:
       Hester Tilley Jun1874 Dursley 6a 141 Age:79
       Hester Tilley Sep1881 Dursley 6a 128 Age:85

In additon to the Death Index, census returns also show two Hester Tilleys living in the Dursley area by 1861. One is the wife of our John Tilley and the other is the wife of Charles Tilley. In 1871, Charles and Hester are living at Whites Row, Cam, Gloucestershire. Curiously, in 1871 both Hesters are reported as Esther, but in other respects are consistent with other records reporting the name as Hester:
       Charles Tilley   Head   Mar  74  Gen Lab    [Glos] Wottonunderedge
       Esther      Do     Wife   Mar  74                       Do                Do

The BMD Death Index has:
       Charles Tilley Mar1881 Dursley 6a 170 Age:85

While the 1881 England Census for the Workhouse in Dursley has:
       Hester Tilley  Inmate   85     [Glos] Wotton

And this, I believe is the Hester who dies later that year. Therefore I would conclude that Hester the wife of John Tilley dies in the second quarter of 1874. Given that Hester is a widow in 1871, but not in 1861, her husband must have died during that interval. The BMD Death Index has:
        John Tilley Jun1864 Dursley 6a 142

No age given on the earlier index entries, but this is one of only two John Tilleys in the index for Dursley between 1861 and 1891; the other dies aged 60 in 1873, and is thus too late and too young to be our John Tilley.

Looking for a Hester Knight born in Berkley, Gloucestershire about 1796, England Births and Christenings 1538-1975 have Hester Winterbottom Knight, the daughter of Daniel and Phebe. Indeed Hester is one of several siblings baptized to parents of those names in that area:
       Hannah Knight   10 Feb 1788   Stone, Gloucs.
       Edmond Knight  30 May 1790  Stone, Gloucs.
       Danl Knight        21 Apr 1793  Stone, Gloucs.
       Hester Winterbottom Knight
                                     3 Jan 1796   Berkeley, Gloucs.
       Jonah Knight      24 Apr 1798  Thornbury, Gloucs.
       Joseph Knight      3 Aug 1800  Thornbury, Gloucs.

The last two are from the Register Book of the Presbyterian Meeting House at Thornbury. Both were born in the Parish of Berkeley, while the record for Joseph adds that this was in the Tything of Stone, and that he was baptized in Newport.

The appearance of Jonah among these baptismal records recalls John and Hester's next-door neighbors for the 1841 England Census, and adds to the evidence that perhaps we are on the right track.

In summary, we have some evidence pointing to John's wife being Hester Winterbottom Knight, the daughter of Daniel and Phebe Knight, resident in Berkeley, Gloucestershire. Whoever she is, John and Hester appear together in Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire from 1822 until 1841 or later. John's occupation is Weaver. We next see them in Tredegar in 1851 (John, at least, is there by October 1850 to sign his son's marriage certificate) as grocers, drapers, etc., and by this time John has suffered a bankruptcy. They have returned to Gloucestershire, still grocers, by 1861, when they live until their deaths in 1864 (John) and 1874 (Hester) respectively. A brief window into the lives of two of my 3xgreat step-grandparents.

Cousins of Some Degree

Windsor Castle Lower Bailey - Joseph Nash 1848 

From time to time I do check my blogger stats. Occasionally among the data are searches that brought people to the site. One of these searches was for "Arthur Wallington Glen", which I googled in turn. The first two hits were for this blog (!), but, more interesting to me, the third hit was for the transcript of a recorded interview with Dr. John Wallington Glen, ice-physics researcher, and, it turns out, distant step-cousin of mine. In his interview Dr. Glen says:
     …my father’s parents were Arthur Wallington Glen and Laura nee Till[e]y who
     were I think second cousins once removed, my grandfather was a builder, he had
     a house in Davey Street in London and a country house rather oddly known as
     The Cottage ‘cause it was quite big, at Virginia Water…

His paternal grandparents signed as witnesses to the marriage of John "Jack" Tilley and Amelia Augusta Beresford in June 1914, for which I have the marriage certificate, Jack Tilley being a son of Llewellyn Tilley, and my step great grandfather. Given Dr. Glen's uncertainty as to the exact relationship of his grandparents before their marriage, I'll take it they're cousins of some degree.

With the thought that tracing known cousins back to a common ancestor can yield interesting information, this post is concerned with the parents and siblings of John Tilley who would be my step 3xgreat grandfather, the father of Llewellyn Tilley, confectioner and farmer of Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire. I start with the information above that his daughter Laura Tilley is a cousin of some degree of her husband Arthur Wallington Glen; and, from 1881 census data, that one Glen Tilley is a cousin of Llewellyn himself.

Ancestry.com searches for England censuses from 1881 confirm Dr. Glen's information; at 33 Davies Street, Hanover Square, London (1881 and 1901), and at Virginia Water, Christchurch, Surrey (1891 and 1911), suggesting he maintained them both; his occupation as Builder/Decorator Employing 11 men (1881), Builder (1891), House Decorator/Painter - Employer (1901), and Builder - Employer (1911); and his wife Laura (born about 1854 in Tredegar, Wales). Their children are: Laura Eleanor (1879), Ida (1881), Arthur Percy (1882), James Vivian (1885), Sara (1887), Charles Wallington (1889), and William Llewellyn (1891). All seven were still living in 1911.

According to the National Probate Calendar, Arthur Wallington Glen died 30 March 1930 with probate granted to Laura Glen, his widow, on 29 August. According to the parish register, he was buried in the parish of Virginia Water, Christchurch, Surrey on 2 April. The death register index is Arthur W Glen Mar1930 Paddington 1a 110 Age:78. His marriage to Laura Tilley is recorded in BMD Marriage Index Arthur Wallington Glen Mar1878 Dursley 6a 315.

Prior to his marriage, the 1871 England Census at 12 Princes Street, Soho finds him with mother, Sarah Glen, Dressmaker, born Kingswood, Gloucester, and siblings. The father is presumably alive, since Sarah reports her status as Wife, Married, but in fact, she is the head of household for census purposes. Arthur Wallington Glen, age 19, is a carpenter, born in Chippenham, Wiltshire. This would correspond to BMD Birth Index Dec1851 Chippenham 8 304.

The census in 1861 finds Sarah and some of the children at 7 Garden Place, Newington, Surrey. Still no husband, and, this time, no Arthur. Before Arthur's time, but in the 1851 England Census at 1 Lansdown Place, Chippenham, we have:

     William Glen       Head  Mar   37   Carpenter     Scotland
     Sarah Glen          Wife  Mar    33                      Glostershire
     Charles Glen       Son              10  Scholar        Somerset             (born about 1841)
     Ellen Glen            Daur             8   Scholar         Somerset           (1843)
     William Glen        Son              6   Scholar         Somerset            (1845)
     Elizabeth Glen     Daur             4   Scholar         Somerset            (1847)
     John Glen            Son              2                       Wilts., Chippnm.  (1849)

Other children in later censuses are:
     Arthur Wallington (1852)
     James (1853)
     Ellen is also known as Eleanor in the 1861 census.

Searching for a marriage among the BMD Marriage Indexes for William Glen and Sarah up to Dec1841 yields a single hit. Sarah Tilley and William Glen were both married in the same quarter and registration district: BMD Marriage Index Dec1837 Bath 11 8. I have not yet ordered this one, but it strongly points toward Arthur Wallington Glen's mother being Sarah Tilley.

LDS familysearch.org have two baptisms at the Independent Congregation, Kingswood, Wiltshire with parents William (or Wm.) Tilley and Mary Wallington:
     Sarah Tilley                        born 5 March 1818, baptized 12 June 1818
     Richard Wallington Tilley    born 9 July 1819, baptized 23 January 1820

Which would explain the given name "Wallington".

So much for one of the cousins. As to the other, the baptismal record for Laura Tilley (wife of Arthur Wallington Glen) is from St Mary, Islington, born 20 Sept 1853, baptized 21 February 1864, "Laura Daur. of Llewellyn and Elizabeth Tilley". To establish a definite connection, the Glen/Tilley 1878 marriage certificate from Dursley would be helpful. Llewellyn and Elizabeth Tilley were living in Bedwellty for the 1851 Census, and the BMD Birth Index for Laura Tilley is probably using the Welsh spelling, Lawra Tilley Dec1853 Abergavenny 11a 69.

The post, An Identity Revealed, cites the baptismal record for Laura's father, Llewellyn Tilley, found in the register of an Independent Congregation in Kingswood, Wiltshire (neighboring Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire), born 21 November 1823 and baptized 18 January 1824, of parents Jno. [John] Tilley and Hester Knight.

As noted in that post, the LDS familysearch.org site also have, for these parents at this congregation, Mary (born 2 December 1821, baptized 6 October 1822) and Daniell (born 22 May 1826, baptized 13 August 1826); and no more, suggesting the parents were unable to conceive further children shortly after this (most likely because one of them had died), or that the family moved, and so further records would be found elsewhere. Given Llewellyn's later marriage in Rhymney, Monmouthshire might be the place to look.

Since other trees on ancestry.com have made the same connection, I am comforted in assuming true the hypothesis of Laura Tilley, wife of Arthur Wallington Glenn, being the Laura (or Lawra), daughter of Llewellyn Tilley. If so, her paternal grandparents would be John Tilley and Hester Knight. So, what baptismal records exist for John Tilley in the neighborhood of Kingswood?

There are several, but I present the most promising here. Combining data from LDS familysearch.org and BMDregisters.co.uk gives the following, all children of William Tilley and Mary, all baptized at a dissenting congregation called The Tabernacle Calvinistic Methodist of Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire. Prior to this research I have never heard of the Calvinistic Methodists (now Presbyterians), who I now understand were/are a predominantly Welsh denomination descended from the ministry of George Whitefield (a Calvinist) - as opposed to the Methodism of John Wesley (an Arminian).

     John            born 26 January 1800, baptized 18 August 1803
     Mary Ann    born 19 November 1802, baptized 18 August 1803
     Joseph         born 31 January 1804, baptized 25 April 1804
     Charles        born 6 September 1806, baptized 29 October 1806
     Jemima        born 8 April 1808, baptized 10 August 1808
     James          baptized 30 March 1815
     Kezia          baptized 30 March 1815
     Rhoda         baptized 30 March 1815
     Maria          born 12 July 1816, baptized 4 July 1817

These are plausibly all siblings, spaced as I have come to expect from one family. How many William and Mary Tilleys might there be in a congregation such as this? The oldest, John Tilley, might be the future husband of Hester Knight, and father of Mary - born in December 1821, he would have been nearly 22 years old - and of Llewellyn and Daniell.

What if anything links these with the two baptized (sequentially after this) at the Independent Congregation in Kingswood? The most obvious connection is that the parents have the right names. But whereas the Independents thoughtfully included the mother's maiden name, the Calvinistic Methodists did not. Another part of the answer lies in the name Wallington.

The post Kid in the Candy Store shows the 1881 England Census for Llewellyn Tilley. Among his household is 19-year-old Glen Tilley, Confectioner's Assistant, a cousin, born in Bath, Somerset. And he would seem to be Glenalvon Wallington Tilley of BMD Birth Index Sep1861 Bath 5c 701, and baptized 16 July 1865 at St John the Evangelist, Hammersmith (born 8th July 1861), son of Richard Wallington Tilley, Draper, and Flora Charlotte (other records have Laura).

I have found records for three, possibly four, distinct Richard Wallington Tilleys. One of them, I have already mentioned above, baptized at the Kingswood Independent Congregation in 1820. He died 1846, and had a son of the same name, born in that year.

Richard Wallington Tilley, father of Glenalvon, I find in the 1871 England Census at 18 Hornton Street, Kensington, as a lodger. The return includes: Richard W Tilley, widower age 33, Traveller for a Mantle Manufacturer, born in Kingswood, Gloucestershire; son Glenalvon W age 9, and daughter Florence L age 11 (whose baptism in Hammersmith was recorded at the same time as her brother's). That the mantles in question were clothes and not gas mantles is confirmed by the parish register entry for Florence's marriage to William Henry Gregory 1 January 1881 at Trinity Church Stepney, where her father's occupation is "Costumier".

(Of a possible fourth Richard Wallington Tilley, the father of Glenalvon Wallington Tilley had a son - by a second wife - by the name Richard W Tilley about 1877 in Bristol according to the 1881 England Census, although I could find no BMD Birth Index for him. The W might be Wallington, but I have no further information).

For the future father of Glenalvon, the 1851 England Census at Long Street, Wotton-under-Edge has:
     Joseph Tilley     Head  Mar   46   Broker                 Kingswood, Glo'shire
     Maria Tilley      Wife   Mar   50                               Wotton-under-Edge, Glo'shire
     Sarah Tilley      Daur   U       19  Assist at Home      Kingswood, Glo'shire
     Sophia Tilley    Daur   U       17  Assist in Shop        Kingswood, Glo'shire 
                                                    (Scholar struck out)
     Richard Tilley   Son    U       13   Grocer                  Kingswood, Glo'shire
                                                    (Broker's Son struck out)
     Benjamin Tilley Son   U       12   Scholar                  Kingswood, Glo'shire

Benjamin Wallington Tilley came to light in a search for Tilleys in the London Gazette. He had died 9 July 1911, and the executors were looking for claims against the estate before distributing his assets. I have followed him back also to Joseph Tilley. On the marriage certificate for Benjamin Wallington Tilley and Fanny Saunder Self, 19 April 1876 at St Giles Camberwell, his father is Joseph Tilley, Furniture Broker. I am supposing that he is the Benjamin Tilley of this 1851 England Census.

All this is indeed consistent with John and Joseph Tilley of the Calvinistic Methodists being brothers. In that case, William and Mary Tilley would be grandparents to Llewellyn Tilley and great grandparents to Glenalvon Wallington Tilley. Llewellyn and Glenalvon would be first cousins once removed.

Arthur Wallington Glen and Laura Tilley were reported as possibly second cousins once removed. William Tilley and Mary Wallington are definitely the grandparents of Arthur Wallington Glen through his mother Sarah Tilley. That the Mary Tilley of the Calvinistic Methodists is the same person as Mary Wallington of the Independent Congregation in Kingswood is suggested by the use of the name Wallington as a given name among Joseph's family. If so William Tilley and Mary Wallington are also Llewellyn Tilley's grandparents, this would, I think, actually make Arthur and Laura first cousins once removed.

Another of the Calvinistic Methodist siblings, Kezia Tilley appears to have married John Roberts (BMD Marriage Index Sep1838 St George Hanover Square 1 19), since the 1851 England Census finds them living in the Winchester Tower at Windsor Castle, where he works in the office of the Lord Chamberlain.

Most interesting is a visitor, staying with them at the Winchester Tower, Mary W Tilley, Widow, age 73, born in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire. She may be the Mary Tilley of BMD Death Index Dec1859 Windsor 2c 268, and is possibly Mary (nee Wallington) Tilley, Kezia's mother, and my step 4xgreat grandmother.

Charles Dickens wrote of the bewildering array of flunkeys at a royal palace, such as Windsor Castle, in an edition of Household Words published 3 July 1858. By 1861, John Roberts was Inspector of Windsor Castle, still in the Lord Chamberlain's Office, whether the Inspector of Accounts or one of three inspectors of palaces, referred to by Dickens, I don't know. One of his children, Keziah Wallington Roberts was married in November 1863 to Charles Hatfield, at which time her father is reported as deceased. This narrows his death record to BMD Death Index Sep1861 Windsor 2c 242, and the National Probate Calendar confirms his date of death as 16 September 1861, with probate granted to widow Kezia Roberts 8 October 1861.

By 1881, Kezia Roberts is a Housekeeper at Kensington Palace. Her brother James Till[e]y, age 70, is staying with her. So, of the Calvinistic Methodist sibling group, John, Joseph, Kezia, and James are all likely children of William Tilley and Mary Wallington.

There are many records that could shore up this research, among them:

     Arthur Wallington Glen/Laura Tilley BMD Marriage Index Mar1878 Dursley 6a 315
          would confirm the names/occupations of the fathers of bride and groom.
     Mary Tilley BMD Death Index Dec1859 Windsor 2c 268
          might, if Kezia or her husband reported the death, give relationship details.
     Richard Wallington Tilley/Mary Ann Sams
          BMD Marriage Index Jun1845 St George Hanover Square 1 52
          might give occupational data for Richard Wallington's father William.
     John Roberts/Kezia Tilley
          BMD Marriage Index Sep1838 St George Hanover Square 1 19
          might give occupation for Kezia's father, William.
     William Glen/Sarah Tilley BMD Marriage Index Dec1837 Bath 11 8

          might give occupational data for Sarah's father, William.

I'm thinking the marriage certificate report of father's occupation might be consistent between children baptized by the Calvinistic Methodists and Independents, since our hypothesis is that the William Tilleys are one and the same. That is, Sarah and Richard Wallington Tilley's father (both from the Independent Congregation), and Kezia Tilley's father (of the Calvinistic Methodists), ought to appear on these records as one and the same. This could get expensive, with no guarantee of success. For example, Llewellyn Tilley is recorded as Confectioner in 1887 and Farmer (posthumously) in 1914, and these records clearly refer to the same person, being the marriages of John "Jack" Tilley to Maria Jane Jotcham in the first case, and Amelia Augusta Beresford in the second. And there remains the possibility of "deceased" in place of father's occupation.

Happily I am not alone in this research. There are other trees on ancestry.com, and these have been very helpful, both for direct reference, and also because the ancestry.com search algorithms are directed by what previous researchers have contributed. I am grateful for the work of these previous researchers. The documents I have found so far are consistent with William Tilley and Mary Wallington being my step 4xgreat grandparents. Indeed, I find the volume of circumstantial evidence pointing in this direction difficult to explain in any other way.

Ordnance Survey 1946

Middle-names in Middlesbrough

It's been a while since I visited Norwich, England. Each time I am surprised by new development, especially when it changes the roads leading into the city. In the Victorian Britain of my 2x and 3x great grandparents, some areas developed very fast indeed. From wikipedia I learn that Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire grew from a hamlet of 25 people in 1801 to become a parliamentary borough by 1867 with a population over 20,000. Its motto "Erimus" (We shall be), adopted in 1830, had been amply justified, and Middlesbrough was not only a shipping point for coal to London, but boasted its own iron industry. In browsing census returns for ancestors the place, "Middlesbrough", appears more frequently than I would have suspected.

In a former post (Some Advice From Holmes) I related the 1911 England Census, which has Amelia Augusta Tilley, John Tilley's wife, born about 1872 in Durham City, and Minnie Kennett Daw, John Tilley's sister-in-law, born about 1875 in Durham, Langley Moor. The 1914 marriage certificate ("An Identity Revealed") lists Amelia's father as John Beresford, Master Mariner.

In the 1891 England Census for 11 Gloucester Road, Middlesbrough we have:
     John Beresford    Head M 46                              Durham, Durham
     Mary A.              Wife  M 44                              Essex, Shoeburyness
     Amelia A.            Daur  S  19    Cashier              Durham, Durham
     Minnie K.            Daur  S  16    Cashier              Durham, Langley Moor
     Ada M.               Daur       13                             Durham, Sunderland
     William A.           Son        12   Scholar               Durham, Langley Moor
     Thomas K.          Son        10   Scholar               Durham, Sunderland
     Albert E.             Son         5    Scholar               Yorkshire, Middlesbro
     Adela V.             Daur       4     Scholar               Yorkshire, Middlesbro
     Robert B. Hayes Visitor S  29   Dramatic Artist   Ireland
I cannot make out the occupation for John Beresford. The letters appear readable, they just don't make sense to me, "B.T. Tapeholder Sharman"?? Or is he a "Showman" associated with the dramatic artist. See if you can read something intelligible into them!

Minnie K is Minnie Kennett Beresford, who would become the Minnie Kennett Daw of the 1911 census.

In 1881, the family is at 30 Duke Street, Monkwearmouth, Durham, which makes sense since Thomas K. was born in Co. Durham about 1881.
     John Beresford   Head Mar  36   Seaman   Durham City
     Mary A.             Wife  Mar  34                  Shoeburyness, Essex
     Annie E.              Daur         12                   Durham, Sunderland
     Minnie K.            Daur          6     Scholar   Durham, Langlemoor
     Ada M.               Daur          4     Scholar    Durham, Sunderland
     William N.           Son           2                     Durham, Brandon
     Thomas K.          Son           5 mos              Durham, Brandon

Also, in the 1881 England Census, Amelia is not among the siblings, but with her maternal grandparents at Langley Moor (schedule no. 96).
     William Kennett      Head         Mar   62   Labourer   Kent, Monkton
     Ann                        Wife          Mar   63                    Devonshire
     Rosetta M. Wilson  Daur         Mar   23                    Yorkshire, Lyth
     Thomas Wilson      Son-in-law Mar   29   Moulder    Durham City
     Amelia Beresford   Grand Daur          9    Scholar      Durham City
     Violet Trotter         Grand Daur          6    Scholar      Durham, Sunderland

In 1871 we have at 11 Magdalene Street, Durham:
     John Beresford           Head  Marr            25  Porter      Durham City
     Mary Ann Beresford   Wife   Marr            23                 Essex, Shoeburyness
     Ann E Beresford         Daur                       2                  Durham, Sunderland
     Rosetta Beresford       Daur                      11 mos          Durham, Sunderland
     William Kennett          Father-in-law Mar  52 Labourer  Kent, Monkton
     Ann Kennett               Mother-in-law Mar 54                Devons., Budleigh
     Rosetta M                  Sister-in-law           13 Scholar    Yorks., Kettleness          

Following John and Mary A Beresford forward to 1901 at 80 Granville Road, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough:
     John Beresford  Head M 56  Retired Seaman                            Durham, Durham
     Mary A             Wife M  54                                                      Essex, Shoebury.
     William A          Son  S   22  Clerk ??Wellington Steel Foundry Durham, Brandon
     Thomas K         Son  S   20  Apprentice Mechanical Engineer   Durham, Sunderland
     Albert E            Son       15  Apprentice Marine Draughtsman   Yorks, Middlesbrough
     Adela V            Daur     14                                                       Yorks, Middlesbrough

And in 1911 at 19 Upton Street Middlesbrough:
     John Beresford    Head  66 Married Mariner Rigger Steel Works City of Durham
     Mary Ann            Wife   64 Married                                             Shoeburyness
John specifies that he was born St Margaret's Parish, City of Durham. Also of note, they report having 10 children of whom 8 are living. Here follows some likely BMD Index references for them:

Annie E
Ann Elizabeth BMD Birth Index Sep1868 Sunderland 10a 513;
and Annie Elizabeth BMD Marriage Index Dec1885 Middlesbro 9d 984 Joshua Naylor Hemingway.

Rosetta E
Rosetta Eveline BMD Birth Index Jun1870 Durham 10a 421;
and Rosetta Eveline BMD Death Index Sep1874 Durham 10a 267 Age:4.

Amelia Augusta
Amelia Augusta BMD Birth Sep1871 Durham 10a 410;
and Amelia A Beresford BMD Marriage Index Jun1914 Paddington 1a 211 John Tilley;
and Amelia A Tilley BMD Death Index Mar1959 Fulham 5c 668 Age:87.

Minnie K
Minnie Kennett Beresford BMD Birth Index Sep1874 Durham 10a 448
and Minnie Kennett Beresford BMD Marriage Index Sep1897 Medway 2a 1201 Joseph Daw

Ada M probably Ada Matilda Beresford BMD Birth Index Dec1876 Sunderland 10a 635;
and Ada Matilda Beresford BMD Marriage Index Jun1899 Sunderland 10a 1080 to John William Dalkin.

William A probably William Adolphus Beresford BMD Birth Index Mar1879 Durham 10a 364
and William Adolphus Beresford BMD Marriage Index Dec1904 Middlesbro 9d 1045 to Lilian Mabel Edwards.

Thomas K probably Thomas Kennett Beresford BMD Birth Index Dec1880 Sunderland 10a 545;
and Thomas K Beresford BMD Death Index Jun1950 Middlesbro 1b 702 Age:69.

Albert E probably Albert Edward Beresford BMD Birth Index Jun1885 Middlesbro 9d 556;

Adela V probably Adella Victoria Beresford BMD Birth Index Mar1887 Middlesbro 9d 549;
and Adela Victoria Beresford BMD Marriage Index Sep1907 Middlesbro 9d 982 to George Cecil Cox.

Above are nine of the siblings. Of the missing sibling who had died, I would suggest a likely candidate as Mary Ann K Beresford BMD Birth Index Dec1872 Durham 10a 411 and BMD Death Index Sep1874 Durham 10a 263 Age:1. I am drawn to this one chiefly because, if so, the K is probably Kennett. She and Rosetta would have died in the same quarter just days apart; Mary Ann's entry in the register is only 4 entries away from Rosetta's. In which case, I would imagine infectious disease as the cause of their deaths. Of course, this is pure speculation, which the appropriate death certificates could confirm or dispel.

Of the parents:
John Beresford and Mary Ann Kennett BMD Marriage Index Dec1867 Sunderland 10a 581
Mary Ann Kennett BMD Birth Index Jun1847 Rochford 12 194
Mary A Beresford BMD Death Index Jun1912 Middlesbro 9d 648 Age:66
John Beresford BMD Death Index Jun1912 Stockton 10a 71 Age:67

However, I can find no obvious birth record in Durham for John Beresford in about 1845. I have sent for a birth certificate for John Berresford BMD Birth Index Jun1845 Durham 24 104, as well as the above marriage certificate for John and Mary Ann. They should arrive some time this week. This morning as I started writing I searched for "B.T. Tapeholder census occupation" and this yielded a genforum email from Duncan Brown to Viv Rampling, which discloses the details of several BMD certificates. The email gave another clue for "B.T. Tapeholder" - or at least the "B.T." part of it.. Duncan Brown cites the Birth Certificate for Adella Victoria Beresford in which her father John reported the birth, giving his occupation as Board of Trade Officer. So I am thinking that the B.T. might refer to the Board of Trade.

As for the John Beresford records, first the birth certificate as recorded in the email:
JOHN BERRESFORD, born May 18, 1845 in Durham City at the Crossgate Workhouse to an unwed mother ELIZABETH BERRESFORD, father left blank.

And then the marriage certificate:
JOHN is listed as aged 22, a bachelor, occupation appears to be 'SERVICES'. He was living at 22 Lodge something. His father is listed as JOHN BERESFORD, deceased, and was an Attorney's Clerk.MARY ANN is 20, spinster, living at 3 Lodge something, father William Kennett, coast guard. Witnesses were R W Cowlourd and Mahala Kennett. Marriage was 2 Oct 1867, Sunderland, Durham.

And additionally the death certificate:
JOHN BERESFORD death certificate JUNE QUARTER Stockton 10A 71: died 3 MAY 1912, at 5 The Green, Norton, Stockton, county of Durham, aged 67 years of acute pneumonia syncope. JOHN's occupation was MASTER MARINER MERCHANT SERVICE. Informant was his daughter A.E. HEMINGWAY, present at his death. Her address was 41 Chester road, Sunderland. (This was likely his first born daughter, ANNIE E, born 1869, Sunderland).

The problems with the birth certificate are apparent, and the email examines them in some detail. Briefly, "Berresford" has an extra r, and may not be the same person. And then, John Beresford's father, John, Attorney's Clerk, seems inconsistent with an unwed mother, Elizabeth Berresford. However Duncan Brown had done much research, and it seemed to him by a process of elimination that John Berresford of the birth registration and our John Beresford could still be one and the same. It is still possible that these two are different people, in which case, the birth of our John Beresford went unrecorded, while the workhouse John Berresford died or emigrated before leaving another record.

I can only add to this the possibility of John Berresford being taken in by Elizabeth's family and adopted (informally, of course) by an uncle John, the Attorney's Clerk. Also, in 1911 John Beresford reported his place of birth as St Margaret's, City of Durham, which is where the Crossgate Union Workouse lies.

There are possibilities of where to go from here to find more about the origins John Beresford - my step 2x great grandfather. I have found nothing in the National Probate Calendar for evidence of a will that might contain a date of birth for our John Beresford. There is no John Beresford born about 1845 indexed among Masters and Mates Certificates. St Margaret's Durham baptismal records might have something for John Berresford, but this may take no nearer connecting him to out John Beresford than the civil registration. There may be a burial record for John Beresford in Middlesbrough, or even a tombstone, recording a date of birth.

My stepfather's middle name was Beresford, his maternal grandmother's maiden name. I have already mentioned his father, Vivian Kennett Tilley, on the blog. The name "Vivian" turns out to be his paternal grandmother's maiden name. While as we have seen here, the name "Kennett" is his maternal grandmother's maiden name. I have since learned - thanks Steve Meredith - that he did not favor either of his given names, preferring Frank instead. This may have come from his uncle Frank, actually Llewellyn Frank, who by 1871 went by Lewis, and then appears to have records in India with the name Frank Llewellyn Tilley. He may have some living descendants in Canada, and I may post about him and his siblings another time.

The documentation of the family tree continues its development, but don't expect it to reach 20,000 any time soon!

An Identity Revealed

As we approach the holidays, my posts here might become irregular, and so might your reading. So here's wishing all readers here Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

For several posts we followed the case of John Tilley. We do know he is the father of Vivian Kennett, but we did not know for sure whose son he is. As Watson might have recalled (but didn't).
"It really was quite elementary, my dear doctor," said Holmes, looking from the window to the busy street below. "Never be swayed by the mere opinions of others. The multitudes follow the few, and the few may have followed a single ill-formed opinion. Always demand evidence. There were, of course, too many connections between Llewellyn and Vivian Kennett, and no firm refuting evidence. John Tilley is the son of the first and father of the second. Lestrade has his man."

This part of the mystery is solved. A letter arrived from the General Register Office, with a marriage certificate dated 15 June 1914 at the Registry Office, Paddington, London.
     John Tilley          53 years    Widower    Commercial Agent    56 Warwick Avenue
                                                                             Father: Llewellyn Tilley    Farmer
     Amelia Augusta  42 years    Spinster                                       56 Warwick Avenue
     Beresford                                                         Father: John Beresford    Master Mariner

So, the grandfathers of Vivian Kennett Tilley are John Beresford and, importantly for our mystery, Llewellyn Tilley. His most recent census returns had listed him as a Confectioner, and here we see his occupation as Farmer. Perhaps even more recently, he had become a farmer, or else was pursuing both occupations simultaneously. What a person writes for occupation on a census is not always what another will remember them for twenty to thirty years later. I'm quite sure that this is the same Llewellyn Tilley. First, there is only one candidate in the record for Llewellyn Tilley as father of this 53-year-old John Tilley. Second, the witness signatures are Laura and Arthur Wallington Glen, which other researchers have as the daughter and son-in-law of Llewellyn Tilley.

A little more on John Tilley. Given the 1871 England Census for Llewellyn Tilley, which records John's birth in Southwark, the most likely reference in the BMD Birth Index is:
      John Tilley Jun1861 Newington 1a 226 

As to his death, electoral registers for Amelia Tilley give a consistent address of 12 Tournay Road, Fulham for 1937-39, 1947, 1949-54, and 1956-59 (the year she died). Google street view shows it's still there, although a little the worse for wear. I was unable to find any data between 1939 and 1947, but John is present in the former and absent in the latter, suggesting to me the interval in which his death occurred. Although there are a few John Tilleys whose deaths are registered in this interval, only one has an age at death corresponding to an 1861 birth; it also happens that his death is registered in Fulham.
      John Tilley Dec1944 Fulham 1a 226 Age:83

Having already looked at the family of Llewellyn and Elizabeth Tilley (see Kid in the Candy Store), I turn now to their origins. Llewellyn and Elizabeth's parents are my step-3x great grandparents. The following information comes from the FamilySearch site of the Latter-day Saints. Llewellyn Tilley and at least two siblings have baptisms recorded in the register of an Independent Church in Kingswood,Wiltshire (bordering Gloucestershire). Llewellyn's census returns state Kingswood, Gloucs. as his birthplace. In each case, the parents are Jno. (that is, John) Tilley and Hester Knight.
     Mary Tilley        born 2 December 1821       baptized 6 October 1822
     Llewellyn Tilley          21 November 1823                  18 January 1824
     Daniell Tilley              22 May 1826                           13 August 1826

Abergavenny, Monmouthshire parish records have this baptism, presumably of Llewellyn's future wife.
     Elizabeth Vivian  baptized 23 June 1828, parents: John Vivian and Mary.

And Rhymney, Monmouthshire parish records have their marriage dated 13 October 1850.

As for Maria Jane Jotcham, I have sent for her 1887 marriage certificate. Although open to the possibility that I'm mistaken in thinking she was married to the same John Tilley, father of Vivian Kennett, I do not expect any surprises. Still, I'll let you know when that one arrives.

"A Case of Identity"

One of the Holmes adventures involves a mysterious suitor, who writes his letters with a typewriter and clearly wants his identity concealed. On the wedding day, the bride is left standing at the altar. She goes to Holmes to track down the perpetrator. Importantly, Holmes deduces his identity in part by noting that the suitor never appears when a certain other is around; in fact, this other and the false suitor are one and the same.

In this, the fourth part of a genealogical mystery, the identity in question is that of John, the father of Vivian Kennett Tilley, and husband of Amelia Augusta Beresford. However, family trees in ancestry.com have John Tilley, son of Llewellyn and Elizabeth, married to Maria Jane Jotcham (BMD Marriage Index Jun1887 Dursley 6a 428). Assuming they are right, the fate of this couple may help me determine whether these two John Tilleys might be the same person.

The 1891 England Census for Orchard Street in Wotton-under-Edge has:
     John Tilley          Head    M   30   Commercial Traveller London, Islington
     Maria Jane         Wife            30                                   Gloucester, Wotton-under-Edge
     Ida Eleanor         Daur            1 m                                Gloucester, Wotton-under-Edge

And in 1901 for Market Street in Wotton-under-Edge
     Maria Jane Tilley Head      M  40  Dressmaker             Glos. Wotton-under-Edge
     John L                Son              11                                  Glos. Wotton-under-Edge
     Ida E                  Daur            10                                   Glos. Wotton-under-Edge
     Laura M             Daur             8                                    Glos. Wotton-under-Edge
     Dorothy J           Daur             6                                    London, Hammersmith

Of course, John - the father - may be travelling on business, but he is not dead; Maria Jane reports her status as married, not widowed. But this does mean, unless John and Maria Jane are separated (and the former living with Amelia Beresford and their two children), we might rule out this line of inquiry as well.

Entires from the BMD Birth Index would be:
     John Llewellyn Tilley Sep1889 Dursley 6a 229
     Ida Eleanor Tilley      Jun1891 Dursley 6a 235
     Laura Marjorie Tilley Dec1892 Dursley 6a 25
     Dorothy Jennie Tilley Dec1894 Fulham 1a 175

Being unable to find this family in the 1911 England Census, I searched for Ida Eleanor Tilley, on the supposition this name would be easily identifiable. Several candidates were suggested, of which the following bears some examination. I found a US Passport application dated 1920 for Ida Eleanor Tilley, born in Wotton-under-Edge 7 March 1891, whose father John was born, and at the time of the application resided, in London. Ida Eleanor had lived in the United States since May 1906, and at the time of the passport application resided in Stamford, Connecticut.

The 1910 US Census has this family living in Stamford, Connecticut:
     Tilly     Maria      Head       M1   48   Dressmaker                    England
                Ida          Daughter   S     19   None                             England
                Marjory  Daughter   S      17  Stenographer                  England
                Dorothy  Daughter   S      15  Milliner's Apprentice       England
In spite of the mis-spelling of Tilley, this is surely the same family. The notation M1 refers to a single marriage. Additionally, the census records that the marriage was 23 years ago (consistent with an 1887 wedding), and that Maria had borne 5 children of which 4 have survived. A candidate for the missing child would be:
     Albert Andrew Tilley Mar1887 Dursley 6a 225
Who died Jun1887 Dursley 6a 147 Age: 0

John Llewellyn Tilley became Jack Llewellyn Tilley. From the Texas Death records (LDS familysearch site), his date of birth is 29 June 1889 in England, death is 20 October 1963 in El Paso, Texas, aged 74. He was a pharmicist by occupation, had been married, and his parents are recorded as John Tilley and Maria J Jotcham. His World War One draft card locates him in Brooklyn, New York. And he served in the US Army, inducted 4 October 1918, by which he was eligible for a veteran's grave at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. (His military records give the correct birthday, but incorrect year of 1890).

Ida Eleanor Tilley naturalized in 1918, when she lived at 302 Summer Street, Stamford, Connecticut. Her death record in Connecticut reveals that she was born 7 March 1891 and died 9 November 1983, aged 92, in Wethersfield, Connecticut. In life, she had been the Principal of a girls' boarding school. Her photo is shown in the 1920 passport application.

Laura Marjorie Tilley apparently became Marjorie Llewellyn Tilley. She was naturalized as a US Citizen 7 April 1933. She also was a School Principal, first of the Low Heywood School, Stamford, Connecticut and later at the Ellis School, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, where there is still a scholarship in her name. Her obituary was published in the 23 March 1970 New Castle News (Pennsylvania), which records her late parents John and Maria Jotchan (presumably a misprint for Jotcham) Tilley, and surviving siblings Miss Ida Eleanor Tilley and Mrs. Paul A Miller. She was 77 years old.

Dorothy Jennie (became Dorothy Jane) Tilley married the Reverend Paul Alexander Miller of Matz, Ohio, a United Presbyterian minister. The couple applied for passports for a mission trip in 1920. Here is another passport photo, this time of Dorothy Miller:

Clearly, the family of John and Maria Jane Tilley, which we began to track in the 1891 England Census, ended up in the United States, and there may be descendants here from Jack Lewellyn Tilley, and the Miller family. Marjorie Tilley's obituary mentioned a nephew and two nieces.

How far have I come in determining if the two John Tilleys are one and the same? The answer: it is still possible. The 1910 US Census had Maria as head of household; as in 1901, John is not to be seen. Again, he may be travelling on business. But in 1920, he is reported residing in London while his children are settled in America, and I suspect he was there all along. Of course, I may be completely wrong, and all the work detailed here may turn out merely to be an illustration of the kinds of records available, and the information therein. Or else of interest to more distantly related Tilleys.

To add to the suspense, according to the Connecticut Deaths and Burials Index, Maria Jane Tilley died in 1914 aged 54, the year that John Tilley and Amelia Augusta Beresford were finally married. The plot thickens... Lacking certainty from the materials I could find on ancestry.com, I decided to buy the 1914 marriage certificate for John Tilley and Amelia Beresford - it's in the mail.

Kid in the Candy Store

The father of a school friend of mine quit work to run a sweet shop (that is, a candy store, for my American readers). Whenever I visited, his mother would give me a bag of Turkish delight to take home with me, although I don't think its contents ever survived the journey home! I thought there was something really exciting about living behind a sweet shop. And this came to mind when I learned that Llewellyn Tilley was a Confectioner in Gloucestershire in the middle of the 19th century, and that he and his wife, Elizabeth might be the grandparents of Vivian Kennett Tilley. How great to have a confectioner in the family!

This is the third post in a series researching the family of Vivian Kennett Tilley, my step-grandfather. His parents, John and Amelia are recorded in the 1901 and 1911 England Censuses, and I am attempting to trace the identity of John's background, especially his parents, and also to understand why their marriage certificate is dated 1914, when they had been together since 1896.

The previous post explains why I have all but eliminated John, Carman of Marylebone, and Ellen Tilley from consideration as the grandparents of Vivian Kennett. This post explains why I lean toward Llewellyn, Confectioner of Wotton-under-Edge, and Elizabeth Tilley. The aforementioned marriage certificate is on its way; a future post will reveal the identity of John's father as recorded on the certificate.

From the 1901 and 1911 censuses, the calculated year of birth for John Tilley is about 1861/2; place of birth is given as Islington, London. A search suggested this family from Market Street, Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire in the 1871 England Census:

     Llewellyn Tilley Head  Marr     45  Confectioner    Gloucs., Kingswood
     Elizabeth           Wife   Marr     42                          Monmouthshire, Abergavenny
     Charles H         Son    Unmarr 15  Scholar             Bristol, St Nicholas
     John                 Son                  9   Scholar             London, Southwark, St George's
     Lewis               Son                  7   Scholar             London, Islington, St Mary's
     Kate                Dau                  3                           Gloucs, Wotton-under-Edge
     Blanche M       Dau                  1                           Gloucs, Wotton-under-Edge

And here they are in 1881:

The 1881 census shows the same family in addition to servants and apprentices. John is now a Draper's Assistant. John and Lewis are both shown as born in "London", whereas 1871 shows Southwark. The Islington connection for John becomes apparent from a baptismal record 21 February 1864 at Islington St Mary's for the following children:
     Mary Jane, born 11 July 1851
     Laura                  20 September 1853
     Charles Henry     30 April 1855
     John                    13 April 1861
     Llewellyn Frank   20 September 1863
All children of Llewellyn and Elizabeth Tilley of Rheidol Terrace. Llewellyn's occupation is letter carrier.

I would speculate there was another sibling between Charles Henry and John, who died, possibly leading the parents to baptize their remaining children. Mary Jane and Laura may have left home by 1871, being 19 and 17 years old respectively. Charles Henry of the baptism is Charles H of the census; John is John; and Lewellyn Frank has been anglicized to Lewis.

Llewellyn's name is uncommon enough that his record is easy to find in the BMD Death Index:
     Mar1891 Dursley 6a 175 Age: 67
The National Probate Calendar for England and Wales shows that Charles Henry was his only executor, and fixes the date of death at 9 January 1891.

The BMD Death Index entry for Elizabeth Tilley is:
     Mar1890 Dursley 6a 204 Age: 61
The National Probate Calendar for England and Wales places the date of death as 17 March 1890 and notes that Charles Henry Tilley was granted administration of her personal estate.

On a happier note, their marriage record in the BMD Marriage Index is:
     Dec1850 Abergavenny 26 29 to Elizabeth Vivian

We find them living in Bedwelty, Monmouthshire for the 1851 Wales Census, but no record yet from the 1861 Census (England or Wales). This was only a week or two before John's birth, so maybe they were preoccupied.

There are three connections between this John, son of Lewellyn and Elizabeth Tilley, and John, father of Vivian Kennett Tilley. First, they are born at the same time (about 1861/2); second they are born in the same place (London, and the Islington connection). Third, the maiden name of Llewellyn Tilley's wife is significant, since this is Vivian Kennett Tilley's first given name. (His other given name turns out to be the maiden name of his maternal grandmother, but that's a story for another day).

For uncovering these connections I would surely deserve a bag of Turkish delight! Except that those researching Llewellyn's line claim that John married Maria Jane Jotcham as shown by the BMD Marriage Index (another certficate worth buying, but I'll wait for now) :
     Jun1887 Dursley 6a 428

Worse than that, the 1901 England Census shows that they were still married, which leaves me, more than ever, feeling less like the calculating Holmes, and more like the tenacious Inspector Lestrade.

Some Advice from Holmes

Jeremy Brett and Edward Hardwicke vividly brought to life the detective, Sherlock Holmes, and his companion, Dr. Watson in the Granada TV adaptation. I caught these on Public Television in the 1990s, finding the characterizations and Victorian detail delightful, whether or not I already knew the plot, or even thought it believable. Part of the fun of genealogy for me lies in the detective work. And that set me to looking for Holmes quotes. I like the irony of this one - a fictional character telling us that fact is stranger than fiction!

"Life is infinitely stranger than anything which the mind of man could invent. We would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of existence. If we could fly out of that window hand in hand, hover over this great city, gently remove the roofs, and peep in at the queer things which are going on, the strange coincidences, the plannings, the cross-purposes, the wonderful chains of events, working through generations, and leading to the most outre results, it would make all fiction with its conventionalities and foreseen conclusions most stale and unprofitable."

Some family lines appear to lead predictable lives, and I can sail from census to census, finding enough continuity of place or year of birth, or occupation, or the presence of family members, to trace with some confidence the generations of a single family. In other cases, my confidence quickly evaporates as I'm left with a Victorian/Edwardian detective mystery, as in the case of John Tilley and his wife Amelia.

First, forward two generations. My stepfather rarely talked about his own father, and beyond the names of his siblings I learned little about his genealogy. Going into this genealogical project, I was interested in the Tilleys. I never really thought of him as a stepfather; he was simply “Dad” and I now bear his last name as part of mine. Having three parents at least means having half as many again genealogical lines to follow!

So, where to begin? A search of his name, John Beresford Tilley, showed that at least one other had been at work on Tilley genealogy before me. Even so, it is always good to check for documentary sources, which turns out to be fairly easy in this case, since the prior genealogist indicated that John Beresford Tilley's father had unusual given names: Vivian Kennett. The BMD Marriage Index records this marriage:
     Vivian Kennett Tilley and Minnie MF Byrne Dec1928 Paddington 1a 171

The BMD Birth Index records the following Tilley/Byrne children:

     Mary K Mar1929 Marylebone 1a 626

     John B Jun1931 Pancras 1b 182

     Richard K Dec1928 Huntingdon 3a 286

     Michael D Sep1942 St. Ives 3b 523

There should also be Linda, the youngest. And note how the Index records a move from London to Huntingdonshire, something my father had shared with us.

I did know that my father’s mother had died young. With the hint that she also went by the name Marion, I found this death record :
     Marion M Tilley Sep1946 St. Ives 4b 246 Age:42

Her BMD Birth Index record is:
     Minnie Mary F Byrne Mar1905 Paddington 1a 76

I could also confirm from BMD Indexes that Vivian Kennett remarried (Jun1953 Hammersmith 5c 160) to Patricia N Worner. In fact, the prior genealogist is a descendant through this line. Vivian Kennett Tilley died in 1993.

Vivian Kennett also shows up in the 1911 England Census, living at 23 Cleveland Square, Hyde Park, London:

     John Tilley                     Head              50  Married  Collector    b. London, Islington

     Amelia Augusta Tilley   Wife              39   Married Caretaker   b. Durham City

     Adela Bereford Tilley    Daughter       14                 School        b. London, Shepherd’s Bush

     Norah Kathleen Tilley   Daughter       12                 School        b. Kent, Gillingham

     Vivian Kennett Tilley     Son                 9                  School        b. London, Notting Hill

     Minnie Kennett Dawes Sister-in-law  36   Married Cook Domestic b. Durham, Langley Moor

The family also shows up prior to Vivian Kennett's birth in the 1901 England Census, living at 1 Hurstway Street, Kensington:

     John Tilley                Head                39 Married  House Minder  b. London, Islington

     Amelia A Tilley         Wife                29 Married                           b. Durham City

     Adela E                     Daughter          4                                          b. London, Hammersmith

     Nora K                       Daughter          2                                         b. Kent,  New Brompton

All three children were baptized on the same day, 2^nd November 1905 at St Mary Magdalene, Paddington. The baptismal record also lists their birthdays:

     Adela Bereford   10 January 1897,

     Norah Kathleen  23 November 1899

     Vivian Kennett    7 September 1901.

Their address is given as 126 Clarendon Street.  John’s occupation is cab driver. Around this time, London had mostly horse-drawn cabs and fewer than one hundred motor cabs.

When I search for a marriage between John Tilley and a spouse Amelia A., I find this one:

     John Tilley and Amelia A Beresford Jun1914 Paddington 1a 211

Which makes sense; the wife’s maiden name, Beresford, is that given by the prior Tilley genealogist, and also my father's middle name, which he explained as a family name. Amelia's BMD Birth Index entry is:
     Amelia Augusta Bereford Sep1871 Durham 10a 410
Her BMD Death Index entry is:
     Amelia Tilley Mar1959 Fulham 5c 668 Age:87

Yet the marriage entry also presents a mystery; in 1911 on their census return, John and Amelia A report being married for 15 years; yet their marriage certificate was issued in 1914! It is possible that their original marriage was not properly registered. (In an earlier post, I reported that Kenneth Kapadia and Hattie Maxfield/Wichert have two marriage records: one in London, England and one in Winnipeg, Canada). But is it possible that they were living together as married, while one of them was actually separated from a living spouse? Certainly not a topic of respectable Edwardian conversation!

A more prosaic mystery concerns John Tilley's parents. John Tilley, from the census data was born in Islington, London about 1861/2. When I searched for such a John Tilley, I found the son of one Llewellyn Tilley, a confectioner from Gloucestershire, and his wife, Elizabeth. Unfortunately the name is common enough that other researchers propose different parents, that John Tilley is the son of John Tilley, Carman, of Marylebone, London and his wife Ellen.

After some preliminary work, I decided it was well worth ordering the 1914 marriage certificate for John Tilley and Amelia Beresford, which ought to list the name and occupation of John Tilley's father. While I am waiting on this, I will present in future posts the preliminary work, which leads me to favor Llewellyn over John. Still, keep in mind Holmes's cautionary note:

"It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."