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.