Hello,
I'm hoping that someone here may be able to aid me in smashing through a long-standing brick wall in my genealogical research...

My 2 x great granny was called Margaret Austin Smith when she married James Ayris in Bicester, Oxfordshire in 1897. Her father was listed as William Austin Smith, a gold-refiner. Her mother called herself Mary Smith between 1901 and 1921, when she was living with the Ayris family in Bicester.

Margaret claimed to have been born in Sheffield on 8th June 1872, but I strongly suspect that she was actually born in 1870/1871, and in Leicester, NOT Sheffield! But I cannot find a birth or baptism record for her anywhere...

She was living in Attercliffe-cum-Darnall near Sheffield in 1881, so perhaps she simply assumed that she had been born there? Prior to that, she and her parents lived at a boarding house in Nottingham in 1871, when Margaret was 9 months old.

I believe that I have the correct death certificate for William, Margaret's father - he died at Sheffield Union Workhouse in 1891, but presumably died in the infirmary rather than as a workhouse inmate, as his address was listed as 5 Pea Croft, Sheffield. I have searched for this address using the address search tool on Findmypast, but could not find Margaret and her mother living there. I cannot find them on the 1891 census, nor can I find any mention of the family in the newspaper archives.

Just wondering if anyone here could help!

William and Mary were not married as far as I can tell, so Margaret may have been baptised under her mother's maiden name (currently unknown!); the Austin part of the surname actually comes from William's mother, so was not Mary's surname as I'd hoped.

Thanks in advance.

Karen
The name Smith is already a nightmare, but add William and Mary to that AND have no apparent marriage and the task seems immense.

You have the death cert for William Austin Smith who died Q2 1891 Sheffield. I cannot come up with a burial for him
Can you please tell me his exact date of death and the date of registration? What is the name and any other details of the person reporting the death please?
Dave

Hi Dave,
Check burials on this site.
William Austin Smith buried City Road Cem. 1952 age74
and in another grave listed on this site
William Austin Smith buried Burngreave Cem. 1908 age 3 months
Cheers, Wendy
HAPPY HUNTING:sleuth_or_spy:

Hi Karen

The William A Smith listed in the 1891 census is shown as a workhouse inmate, his occupation is a gardener, he is 63 years old, his place of birth is Northampton and his marital status is a widower. So, if this is the correct William Austin Smith this is maybe why you can’t find Margaret’s mother in this or any subsequent census returns.

Carol

Hi

Won't let me edit so...

I see have found Margaret's mum in census returns between 1901-1921 so this is possibly the wrong William but it is the only William A Smith of the right age that I can find.

Carol

Hi Carol,
I think you have the correct William Austin Smith as he is listed on the 1881 census as being born in Daventhorpe, Northamptonshire.
Mary Austin Smith is also listed as being born Temple Glanton, Ireland and
Margaret Austin Smith recorded birth is Lester..?? Leicestershire. The family are living at Bridge St, Attercliffe.
HAPPY HUNTING:sleuth_or_spy:

EDIT: Margaret and Mary are not dead in 1891 so why William would be recorded as a widow at the Workhouse I am unsure, unless as you question, he is not the correct William. There is a possible 15+ years difference between his and Mary's estimated birth dates.
William died 1891 age 62..?? (B:1829..??)
I have found a death which is a possible fit for Mary's death in 1928 at Bicester age 82..?? (B: 1846..??)
Cheers

Getting back to the original question which is to find a birth for Margaret Smith.
I notice that Margaret Ayris nee Smith had twins James and William in 1900 (FMP has wrongly transcribed them as 5 YEARS old in 1901, it should be 5 months). Twins tend to run in families.
There is a birth for a Margaret Smith, MMN NOWLAN in Sheffield in Q2 1870 (perfect timing) and she has a twin brother Alfred (mmn Nowlan). There are no other Smith Nowlan births on GRO.

I cannot trace these twins in Sheffield in 1871. For it to be correct there would need to be an Irish born (ca 1845) Mary Nowlan (in 1861 census?) and the fate of twin brother Alfred would need to be identified. Note that the correct family is actually in Nottingham nine moths later in 1871 and there is no Alfred with them
Can anyone prove it wrong? or hopefully right!
Dave

Interesting that the family was in Nottingham at one point.

This is very possibly a coincidence or a red herring, but there was a William Smith alias Austin in prison for arson in 1861.

That William Smith/Austin was convicted as a result of burning a stack of corn at Papplewick in Nottinghamshire (about 8 miles or so from central Nottingham).

He was listed as 28 years of age. (FMP and Derby Mercury 6 March 1861).

I was wondering if William Austin Smith was from Deenethorpe, a tiny village near Corby in Northamptonshire, not Daventhorpe (dunno where that is).

Cheers,

Andrew P.

To follow on from Andrew message could it be Ravensthorpe Nths.

Elaine in Ottawa.

Instant Messenger: Skype

Hi Andrew, Elaine et al,

Sorry to have misled you. it should read DEENETHORPE Northamptonshire, this is the birthplace given for William Austin Smith on the 1881 census when they were residing at Gilpin Street, Attercliffe.

HAPPY HUNTING:sleuth_or_spy:

EDIT: SORRY: Must be having a bad hair day, that should read Bridge Street not Gilpin Street