Who Do You Think You Are Magazine Forum

[tengahblues]

I have been looking for my husband's grandmother for the past year+. I have tried all the censuses, bmd, suffolk registeries and have had no luck. I have used variations of her name and used specific and wide year dates and search areas. I have found her marriage in 1911 to Charles W Scowen, from this I ordered the marriage certificate which states that she was a widow aged 31 or 37. Her father was Frederick Barrett deceased. Residence at time of marriage was Newbourn Suffolk. I know she died 3rd quarter 1935 in the district of Ipswich Suffolk, dob approx 1886. I still can't find her anywhere can anyone please help me, I am desperate as I can't proceed any further with her side of the family.

Tengahblues

[junkers]

Do you mean that Rosina was born as Barrett rather than Hammond which may be the name of her former husband. The only Rosina Beatrice Barrett was born and died in Pontefract registration district in 1885.

[tengahblues]

Hi Junkers

Thanks for the help, I would presume that if she stated her father was Frederick Barrett on her marriage certificate this was the name she was given at birth. Hammond is from her presumed 1st marriage to a Mr Hammond, of which I can find no reference. Question is, if this is the correct Rosina how did she get from Pontefract to Newbourn in Suffolk, she does not show on any census between 1886 and 1911. Any other ideas welcomed.

Tengahblues

[ColinB]

Hi,

The Rosina Beatrice Barrett b in Pontefract appears to have died there as an infant . (Junkers did say she died there). Was an occupation given for Frederick Barrett on the marriage certificate , or does it just say deceased and were any Barrett family members witnesses to the marriage or do the names offer any clues ?

Colin

[tengahblues]

Hi

Marriage certificate says that Frederick was a labourer, the only witnesses were Caroline Scowen sister to Charles and a George ? can't read the name. Date of marriage was 19.6.1911, banns were read by Thomas Sewell Wontner Rector. If this helps anyone.

Tangahblues

[junkers]

According to wikipedia Newbourn/e was small (141 people in 1881) so it should be easy to establish about Mr Hammond as he should be in a burial register. If she was resident in the village (why was she there?, given that there was apparently little work)for the reading of the banns (and not married by licence) then that should help. I think you need to establish how she ended up in the village and the second question is given her age were there any children?, if not what job did she do.

In my view you need to look at the local registrar records for the Hammond death and for the census of 1901 and by that I mean look foe the microfilm of that census at a local library or the Suffolk archives office and do it the old way of going through it page by page, I have done a similar search in Gloucestershire and I am sure she will be there. I would suggest getting a copy of her death certificate to see who registered it as that may help in identifying someone else in the Hammond family and you can trace her through them. Have you looked in the Suffolk archives office for a personal name index as there may be a reference to her.

What I don't understand is why she is not in the records (except as a death) as Rosina Beatrice, she should appear by that name at some other stage. Even if she left the UK for a while she would have to appear in an inward-bound passenger list.

[Sylcec]

I have trawled the 1911 census summary book for Newbourn - there are still very few occupied premises in the village. There is no householder by the name of Hammond or Barrett. Mr C Scowen has a house in Fen Lane at which there are 2 males and 5 females resident. Trawls of earlier censuses for Newbourn also do not show a Barrett or Hammond resident.

The C Scowen found above in 1911 would appear to be Charley Scowen, 56, a farm labourer, his wife Mary - married for 27 years and their children Charles 26, Caroline, Nellie, Mabel and Violet. Mary Scowen's death was registered in the December qtr of 1911. So - hopefully it was Charles Scowen junior who married Rosina! If Rosina was resident in or near Newbourn at the time of the 1911 census, then my guess is that she would have been a domestic servant or visitor in that village or Hemley or Waldringfield which seem to be closely associated.

It does seem that Rosina's year of birth is unclear from the evidence - age at death suggests b.1886, age at marriage suggests 1880 (if read as 31) or even 1874 (if age read as 37). Unfortunately a search for her birth on first names only does not reveal any Rosina Beatrice or Beatrice Rosina with a surname remotely like Barrett in the right time frame (other than the one prev referred to in Pontefract).

Unfortunately people - men and women did change their names, and those born shortly before their parents' marriage would have been registered under the mother's maiden name, but later assumed the new husband's and father (or stepfather!) surname. My advice would be to persist in trawling the 1911 census for villages/hamlets nearby Newbourne until you find her.
Good hunting! Sylvia

[tengahblues]

Hi Junkers and Sylvia

Thank you for the help and advice, looks like a weekend away in Suffolk then.

Tengahblues

[GregScowen]

I am sorry to also be unable to help with Rosina.

But as someone searching for a Scowen, you may be interested in the Scowen Family History website and also in completing the big Scowen study (a simple online survey) which is talked about on the site.

If I find any information on Rosina, I will get in touch here on the forum again.