"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.

Under the Microscope

Here is the second of my posts concerning the identity of John Tilley, father of Vivian Kennett Tilley. One line of research on ancestry.com suggests that his parents (that is, Vivian Kennett's grandparents) are John and Ellen Tilley. While my own search for suspects brought forth Llewellyn and Elizabeth Tilley.  Can I eliminate either or both from my enquiries? For, to quote Holmes:

“How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?”

As I posted earlier, I am waiting to receive the marriage certificate of this John Tilley, father of Vivian Kennett Tilley, and his wife Amelia Augusta Beresford. From this I hope to find directly his father's name. The research here represents attempts to rule in or out certain suspects for less than $15! And although the data here may turn out to belong to some unrelated family of Tilleys, some of the insights I gained by looking at census and parish records are worth recording.

So, putting the family of John and Ellen Tilley under the microscope, we have, first of all, 1871,1881 and 1891 England Census returns. For all these years they lived at 34 Saville Street, Marylebone, Middlesex. (In 1851 and 1861, John - age 10 and 20 - is living with his parents at 28 Saville Street!). Here is the family in 1871:
     John Tilley     Head     Marr   30     Carman        Mdx, Marylebone
     Ellen              Wife      Marr   36                         Mdx, Paddington
     Albert            Son                  16     Porter          Mdx, Westminster
     William           Son                 13     Errand Boy  Mdx, Westminster
     John               Son                   8     Scholar        Mdx, Marylebone
     Frances S       Dau                  6      Scholar        Mdx, Marylebone
     Ellen               Dau                  3                          Mdx, Marylebone
     Frederick       Son                   1                          Mdx, Marylebone

To judge from the ages, Albert and William are actually Ellen's sons from a previous marriage, but they have taken the name Tilley - at least for purposes of the census. But if this is the case, I will never find birth or baptismal records for Albert or Wiliam Tilley.

In 1881, Frances S is no longer among them, reminding me first of the high child mortality of the period, but she might also be working as a maid and no longer at home. the rest have all aged ten years, and Rose aged 6, and Eliza aged 4 are added to the family. The connections of names, common family members, ages, places of birth (mostly: Ellen - the mother - is now listed as born in Marylebone), and John's - the father, that is - occupation is still Carman.

In 1891, John (still a Carman) and Ellen remain at 34 Saville Street with daughters Ellen, Rose and Eliza, although curiously the girls' ages are all wrong.

I also found a baptismal record in the parish register of All Souls, St Marylebone for 5 March 1865.
     John Edward, born 13 January 1863
     Frances Sarah, born 8 February 1865
They are son and daughter of John (Carman) and Ellen Tilley of 34 Saville Street, most certainly John, the son and Frances S of the census listed above, and indicating that John and Ellen kept the same address for at least 26 years!

This also illustrates a limitation of names in the census data. I would have expected to see at least "John E" if not "John Edward" on the census, especially since we have Frances S, but this is not so. The census data often contain discrepancies of age and place of birth.

The next question: What happens when John - the son - leaves home after 1881? A candidate suggested by the ancestry search engine is a family living at 33 Foley Street, Marylebone for the 1891 England Census:
     John Tilley        Head      Marr    28    Painter's Labourer     London, Marylebone
     Louisa              Wife       Marr    26                                     London, Marylebone
     Louisa              Dau                     2                                      London, Marylebone
     George             Son                     1                                      London, Marylebone
     John Baillie       Brother-in-law   25     Butcher                     London, St. Pancras

The brother-in-law is significant here, because through him I was able to find a marriage record. The parish register for St John the Evangelist, Charlotte Street, Camden records the marriage on 13 September 1886 of John Edward Tilley, bachelor, age 23 and Louisa Frances Baillie, spinster, age 22. John's occupation is Paper Hanger (decorator?), and his father is John Edward Tilley, Carman, presumably still living, since Louisa's father is Albert Broughton Baillie, Carman (deceased). Their address is given as 22 Tottenham Street.

The 1891 Foley Street census data above clearly relate to this marriage. Connecting the marriage to the 1871 John Tilley - the son - is less certain. The name John Edward matches his baptism. His father's name John Edward and occupation are consistent. John's place of birth for the census is also consistent. I am inclined to accept that they are referring to the same John Tilley.

In the 1901 England Census at 25 Bolsover Street, Marylebone, there is a Louisa F Tilley, widow, 36 Charwoman, born in St Pancras London and her son George F, 10 born in Marylebone would appear to be the remnant of this family. Her name and age,and her son are all consistent with the Foley Street census. The BMD Death Index records John Edward Tilley Dec1897 Pancras 1b 29 Age: 35.

The data are all consistent with the John Edward Tilley who died in 1897, being the John Tilley, son of John and Ellen. And if so, he could not be John Tilley, the father of Vivian Kennett Tilley. But while the data are highly suggestive, it remains possible that we are looking two different John Edward Tilleys born about 1862/3. I cannot eliminate him from my inquiries definitively.

Next up: Llewellyn and Elizabeth Tilley.