Wow! Thank you Elaine. This is beginning to add up.
Arthur Copnell was married to Selina Hibberd in 1900 and had 4 children (the last in 1910). As you saw he then turns up on the 1911 census with Jennie McAllen and then I believe they went on to have 3 children with the surname McAllen but the middle name of Copnell.
Jennie jnr I just haven’t managed to find even with many tries using different combination of names.
I will start looking at the tips you have given now - Arthur is turning out to be a very interesting character.
Maybe I also need to look at whether Jennie Snr had a journey out to Canada and see if she was maybe working for a family there.
Thank you Jonathon. That was unexpected. I am related to Arthur Copnell, his mother (Emma) is my gg grandmother. I think his father maybe William Kennie my gg grandfather.
So Jennie has been a bit of a difficult person to trace over the years. As you probably know she never married Arthur Copnell - mainly because he was still married to Selina Hibberd.
I applied to have the Ecclesall Union Workhouse records searched to find any additional clues related to Jennie.
They managed to find the entries relating to the admission to the maternity ward when Jennie gave birth to her daughter Jennie.
Jennie Goldsberge born 30th Jan 1910 at the Ecclesall Workhouse to Jennie. It states that the child was legitimate and that it was Jennie's second pregnancy. The records state that Jennie was 25 at the time of the birth. That is really all of note from the maternity records.
I have some other information on a scrap of paper from admission records to the workhouse from a number of months before Jennie gave birth.
Admitted to the workhouse 29th Nov 1909. DOB given as 24/11/1884 of 27 Havelock Street, Ecclesall Bierlow. The records state that she is the wife of a Lewis Goldsburg, slipper maker. She was discharged on the 17th Dec 1909. Her NOK is listed as The Matron, 27 Havelock Street.
I dont think I ever sucessfully located a Lewis Goldsberg. And of course all that could have been made up.
She did seem to have a bit of an unconventional life did Jennie!
Ill have a root around in my books to see if I have anything else jotted down that might be useful
Thank you Jonathon this is really helpful information. So we don’t know if Arthur is Jennie father, it is a possibility I suppose.
The date of birth that you have for Jennie (mother) fits with some evidence that I found but haven’t been able to verify - a baptism for Jane McAllen on 12 Dec 1885 in Middlesbrough and dob 24 Nov 1885. Mother Sarah Russell with no father documented.
I am unable to find another birth that fits, have you?
Arthur also had an interesting life so it seems that they were well matched!
That’s interesting! Do you have a copy of the birth certificate for the birth of Jane McAllen? I had contemplated getting it as I have had no other links!
Is there a way we could share our information off the forum? I’m not sure whether I can put my email address on here!