Getting bogged down in great great grandparents

When I began procrastinating over the family history it was because I had allowed myself to get bogged down over Ann Worrall and James Timmins. I don't think I can get any further with her for now until I start looking and the next generation back, so this is what I know.

Ann Worrall one of my eight great great grandmothers was born in 1823 before registration started in 1836 and we therefore do not have a birth certificate for her. However later censuses show that she was born in Arley near Nuneaton in Warwickshire.

We know that Ann’s maiden name was Worrall because it is given clearly on the birth certificates of her children Cornelius and Eliza Jane. And the father’s name is given correctly as James. Ann Worrall appears to be a common name but I can’t find a record of an Ann Worrall marrying anyone called Timmins.

James and Ann had 7 children

George             1843 a whitesmith

Cornelius          1844 a whitesmith

Elizabeth           1847

James              1849 a whitesmith (our great grandfather James 4^th )

Eliza Jane         1851

Mary                 1854

Jane                 1856

It shows a distinct lack of imagination to call one child Elizabeth, one Jane and a third Eliza Jane

The family lived at a number of addresses in west Bromwich. In 1851 and 1861 they were in Thomas Street and in 1871 they were in George Street. In 1851 they had a married couple Thomas and Rebecca Morgan as lodgers. He was a stone miner. Rebecca may have been James sister. Her birth dates fit. In 1861 Thomas Worrall aged 11 months was staying with them. He was born in Willenhall and was presumably related. In 1871 their baby granddaughter Patience Jane Timmins who was born in Yorkshire was with them. Thomas Worrall doesn’t show in the area in the 1871 census and a 5 year old called Patience Timmins died in West Bromwich in 1876.

James died on 11^th March 1879 in Overend Street. He died from Phthisis Pulmonalis which is an archaic term for tuberculosis. Ann died of a cerebral haemorrhage on 8^th August 1884. At the time she was living at 5 Herbert street which appears to have been almshouses.

By deed of 1869 Ann Murdock of West Bromwich settled in trust land south of Herbert Street where she had recently erected eleven alms-houses and a boardroom for trustees' meetings to be called the Spon Lane Trust Almshouses. Each alms-house was to be occupied by a poor woman, though a husband and wife or two women could share one; no inmate was to be under sixty. A resident matron was to be appointed. The foundress also gave £100 for maintenance.

From: 'West Bromwich: Charities for the poor', A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 17: Offlow hundred (part) (1976), pp. 83-86. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36171

 

Naughty Uncle Jack

It's been over four years since I last posted on family history. My sister and I are just picking up the threads again, and we've started with a difficult one.

My mother used to talk about her Uncle Jack, who was a favourite of hers, but there was a mystery. A couple of years ago my sister and I visited some Perry relatives who confirmed some of Mom's story. So we decided to try to find out what we could. We've drawn a lot of blanks but this is what we know.

What we know and what we don’t know.

John Percy Walter Morris

Born  October 1896 (Wordsley) Baptised 4^th November 1896

My mother always called him Uncle Jack. Written on the back of his war photograph is Johnny Morris.

Served in the 1^st World War. South Staffs Regiment. Got the basic war medals.

What did he do for a living after he left Stourbridge? He is a 14 year old errand boy in the 1911 census. At the time of his marriage he is a watchmaker and living at 10 New Street Stourbridge, the address of his father’s shop.

Married Nellie Westwood,  Stourbridge 1924. They were married at St Thomas Stourbridge. Nellie is a domestic living at 26 the Oak Kingswinford. The marriage is witnessed by his brother Frank and Eli Millward who lives at no 1 the Oak. Her father was a bricklayer and Eli a brickmaker. It seems that the Oak was a brickyard.

Divorced 1926. John Hennel was co-respondent. It seems the only way we can see the court record is to go to the National Archives in Kew The reference is J77/2292/1797

Moved to London Why? When?

Married again in London? Kingston on Thames? Richmond on Thames? Visited in one of those places by my mother in 1939.

Is there a child from his first marriage as my father suggested that we haven’t found yet? The Nellie Morris we found born in 1923 is not the right one. Her parents were James Morris and Alice Weaver.

Are there children from his second marriage?

Visited the Perry family in the 1950s, was clearly well off, though it was suggested that he was wanted by the police for something.

What did he do that he was wanted by the police?

Died Where? When?