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I’m trying to locate my great grandfather. He was John Sewell and a civil engineer in London. Family lore has it that he attended Charterhouse School and Cambridge University but I have no way of knowing if this is accurate.

The reason for my uncertainty is that my great grandmother (Emma Alfreda Staples b. 1856 St Lukes London) and Mr Sewell never married.

They had 4 children Victor Albert Staples (1876), John Sewell Staples (1878), George Sewell Staples (1880) and Louise Alfreda Sewell Staples (1882).

The original entry in the baptism register of the St Marylebone Parish Church for Victor Albert (Page 50, 3 Oct 1876) has been crossed out. That record had him as Victor Albert son of John and Emma Sewell and the father’s occupation as Civil Engineer. The subsequent entry on the next page (page 51) has him as Victor Albert son of Emma Alfreda Staples, the place for the father’s occupation is left blank.

For the following 3 children the name Sewell is included on their birth certificates as a given name and all spaces for the father’s details are left blank.

I can’t locate Emma in the 1861 and 1871 Census, but for the 1881 census she is living in Edgware Rd Paddington, London and calling herself Emily Staples but John Sewell is not recorded as being present, so I assume that he either had another family or he was unable to marry and live with her for social reasons. Emma has a servant at this time so she is quite well off.

For the 1891 Census she is at 91 Judd Street St Pancras and declares herself a widow. It is possible that John Sewell had died between 1882 and 1891 as in April 1891 Emma marries Edward Henry Kickham.

There must be records but I have yet to find a John Sewell who fits the bill and if he was a civil engineer he must have left an estate but that also has so far escaped me.

Any thoughts clues, hints or leads are welcome.

Hi Kerith. Just been trying to help with this, but confused as you say 1881 she is calling herself Kate.
I have looked on the 1881 and she appears to be shown as EMILY. aged 24. born St Lukes. with John aged 2 born St Lukes and Geolrge. 11 months. born Marylebone, and living edgware rd.

Is this the correct ones. Ethel.

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
about Emma Alfreda Staples
Name: Emma Alfreda Staples
Record Type: Baptism
Date: 12 Apr 1857
Father's Name: John Staples
Mother's Name: Louisa Staples
Parish: St Luke, Old Street
Borough: Islington
County: Middlesex

Is this any good to you?

Sorry Ethel
Yes youv'e got the right one, she used Kate, Emily and Emma at different times. I wrote off the top of my head and should have checked.
Thanks, Keith

Hi Helen
That record for her birth at 105 Brick lane (now Central Street) and one in 1857 for her baptism at the nearby St Lukes are the only records I can find for her until the 1881 Census.
Cheers, Keith

1861 Census

Name: Emma Staples
Age: 4
Estimated birth year: abt 1857
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: John
Mother's Name: Eliza
Gender: Female
Where born: Islington, Middlesex, England

Civil parish: Islington St Mary
Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephen
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street Address: 22 Paradise Place

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Islington
Sub-registration district: Islington East
ED, institution, or vessel: 28
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 317
Household Members: Name Age
John Staples 29 Boot maker
Eliza Staples 32
John Staples 7
Mary Staples 5
Eliza Staples 1
William Staples 2
Emma Staples 4
George Staples 3days


Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 144; Folio: 76; Page: 60; GSU roll: 542581

Hi Keith,

just listing the possibles for John Sewell from 1881;

1881 England Census about John Sewell
Name: John Sewell
Age: 63
Estimated birth year: abt 1818
Relation: Lodger
Gender: Male
Where born: Scotland
Civil parish: St James Clerkenwell
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street Address: 41 Claremont Sqre
Condition as to marriage: Widow
Education:

Employment status:

View image
Occupation: Engineer C E
Registration district: Holborn
Sub-registration district: Goswell Street
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
John Lawrence Jenkins 30
Jane Honor Lawrence Jenkins 25
John Sewell 63
John Kingley 57



1881 England Census about John Sewell
Name: John Sewell
Age: 31
Estimated birth year: abt 1850
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Mary Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Easton, Suffolk, England
Civil parish: Kingston On Thames
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Street Address: Dickerage Lane New Malden In Brickfields
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status:

View image
Occupation: Engineer
Registration district: Kingston
Sub-registration district: Kingston
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
John Sewell 31
Mary Ann Sewell 32
Caroline R. Sewell 8
Lilian Sewell 6
Joseph Sewell 3
William Sewell

EDIT>>>>>>>> This 1 is still with his family in 1891

I'll look to see if I can see these chaps in 1891??


Dee x

Hi Dee
Thanks very much, maybe one will turn up trumps.
Keith

Hi Keith,

I'm struggling to see the 1 that states he was born in Scotland on the 1871 census, I'll keep looking.


Dee x

Hi rootgatherer
I've tried this record before and even checked it with living family members and they don't think it is the same family, but it looks very close.
Cheers, Keith

Hi Dee
You're a dynamo, you can check so much so quickly.
Keith

Keith,

I'm still looking and came across this;

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906 about Louisa Alfreda Sewell Staples
Name: Louisa Alfreda Sewell Staples
Record Type: Baptism
Date: 24 Mar 1894
Father's Name: John Staples >> Civil Engineer
Mother's Name: Emma Alfreda Staples
Parish: St Pancras Parish Church
Borough: Camden
County: Middlesex

91 Judd Street



Dee x

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 about John Sewell Staples
Name: John Sewell Staples
Age: 17
Estimated birth year: abt 1878
Spouse Name: Elizabeth Kirkham
Spouse Age: 19
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 6 May 1895
Parish: St Paul, Clerkenwell
County: Middlesex
Borough: Islington
Father Name: John Sewell Staples


Winesses; Kate Kirkham, Joseph Greenfield and Louis Sewell staples


??????????????????



Dee x

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 about George Samiuel Peters
Name: George Samiuel Peters
Age: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1877
Spouse Name: Louise Alfreda Sewell-Staples
Spouse Age: 17
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 2 Apr 1899
Parish: St Pancras Parish Church
County: Middlesex
Borough: Camden
Father Name: Obediah Peters
Spouse Father Name: John Sewell-Staples >> Engineer (deceased)


91 Judd street is the address given by both.


Dee x

A few comments Dee
Firstly Louise wasn't baptised til she was 12 for some unknown reason.

Emma's son John marries Edward Henry Kickham's daughter Elizabeth who is a child of his first marriage and Emma is his third wife. That took some working out I can tell you.

I think the John Sewell-Staples (father) is a fictitious name to hide the fact that he was a Sewell and they were Staples.

The first use I can find of the Sewell-Staples name is for John jnr's 1895 marriage. He uses it and gives it to his father. On that cert I have his sister Louise as one of the witnesses.

Emma lives at 91 Judd Street until at least 1907 when her husband Edward dies. She is at another address during WW1 and in 1921 is at 53 Richmond Road Barnsbury, London. At some stage moves to Whittlesford Cambridge where her daughter Louise has gone with her husband. This is where the Peters family come from. Both Louise and her mother are buried in the Church yard at Whittlesford.
Keith

Still looking for John Sewell

Hi Keith,

not found anything yet other than the 1881 census returns I posted earlier.

I'll be having another look about in a mo, do you want me to concentrate on the Sewell or Staples side??

The problem we have with John Sewell is he is just (not meant funnily) a name... we have no other details bar his occupation, so finding him and getting him to "stick" to your tree will be very difficult, but on the flip side of that Emma/Emily/Kate is real and we have more to work with there. I'm thinking that John Staples died and mum either remarried or took up with someone else. At least the Granddaughter carries her name which is a positive for knowing she probably played a part in her daughters life??


Dee x

Hi Dee

Thanks so much for sticking with it. I think we can go either way. I suspect if we could locate Emma/Emily/Kate/whatever in the 1871 Census then John Sewell might not be that far away.

I also think that John probably died and that is why he can't be located. Louisa, Emma's mother's maiden name was Nyman if that helps. She got in some trouble with the law in 1864 and I found a record but no conviction was recorded. I've always wondered if she had lost John and was desperate.

Keith

Dee

I've just thought of some further information that may or may not help.
John Staples and Louisa Nyman Bunney wed at Duffield, Derbyshire in 1847. I've got no idea where John was born but Louisa is born in Fetter lane in the City of London. Louisa had been married before in 1840 at Leicester to a John Bunney who I assume died though I've no idea what she was doing so far from home.

The reason I mention this is that a John Staples dies at Belper, Derbyshire in 1863 and the Belper District includes Duffield. It's possible that they returned to the East Midlands after 1857 although I have not been able to find any trace of them either in London or Derbyshire.

Keith

Well Keith it seems I helped out previously with Louisa, I thought that Louisa Nyman Bunney rang a bell. I was just plain Denise then and then I morphed into my board name.

Anyway back onto the search,

Dee x