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Sorry haven't been around for a few days -

I also noticed that Mary Collins appears with Mahala in 1841 and 51. I thought she may be Mahalas sister as they are similar in age but so far I've found nothing to confirm it. Mary is unmarried so I looked for any records of a Mahala Collins and also for a Collins marriage but zilch. I suppose they could just have been friends - Mary is recorded as a visitor so possibly not related to Mahala.

I'll keep checking to see if anyone comes up with anything else - off to have another look now - its bugging me. X

Interesting that Mary Collins is with Mahala in both the 1841 census & the 1851 census.

1841 England Census
Name: Mahala Lewis
Age: 27
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814
Gender: Female
Civil parish: St Anne Soho
Hundred: Westminster
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street Address: 9 Litchfield St

Occupation: Epalette Maker

Registration district: Strand
Sub-registration district: St Anne Westminster
Piece: 730
Book: 7
Folio: 18
Page Number: 29
Household Members:
Name Age
Mahala Lewis 27
Henry Lewis 2 MO
Same address, next household.
Mary Collins 33 dressmaker


and
1851 England Census
Name: Mahala Lewis
Age: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1815
Relation: Wife
Gender: F (Female)
Where born: Gratbourn, Sussex, England
Civil parish: St George Hanover Square
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street Address: 15 Up'r Belgrave Place

Registration district: St George Hanover Square
Sub-registration district: Belgrave
Piece: 1477
Folio: 611
Page Number: 4
Household Members:
Name Age
Mahala Lewis 36
Henry F Lewis 9
Emily R Lewis 5
Mary A Collins 42 - visitor; dressmaker; Hampshire

You can say that again - I'll find her - she cant get away!!

x

ps got to go now but will check in again later if anyone has any brain waves x

These ancestors are not very helpful are they Rosie :-)

Hi Ginny

Oh dear - not much chance of regaining my little grey cells then

I suppose I might send off for Emily or Henry's birth certificate but she may have used the name Lewis on that as well - why does she want to confuse me !! Even Emily's birth has been added after the page was completed and squashed inbetween another two births and is barely readable - even the transcriber has asked for any ideas !!

Thanks for your thoughts anyway

Rosie x

As Ginny says, using Lewis means nothing. By co-incidence, my husband's grandmother had 5 children by a Mr. Lewis and used that name for them and herself from the time she left her husband for him - but they never married. She was buried as a Lewis.
Jan

Hi Rosie

Records back then are not like today, you could pretty much say anything as there was little chance of anyone in authority finding out

She may well have just assumed the name Lewis

x

UPDATE ON JAMES HENRY FREDERICK LEWIS AND MAHALA

I have been looking into my grt grt grandmothers relationship with James H F Lewis my grt grt grandfather.

Last year we thought that Mahala and James were not married and that Mahala took Lewis as her surname. She had 2 children - Henry FredericeW b 1841 and Emily Rowena b 1845 both Lewis but she does not appear on any census forms with James.In 1871 Mahala is recorded as being a widow.

We found a marriage for James in 1845 to Elizabeth Maddison but not one to a Mahala. After finding a death record for a Mahala Lewis in 1903 in Lewisham I am sure that she was married to James as she couldn't have been recorded officially as Lewis if she wasn't married.

As my greart grandmother Emily Rowena and brother Henry F W were born before James' marriage to Elizabeth it is possible that Mahala was his first wife and separated or divorced. James and Elizabeth had their first child Henry was born in 1846 so the dates fit in.

Please , if anyone can find a marriage for james and Mahala I would be very grateful - I have even looked for births, christenings etc in the event of Mahala's maiden name also being Lewis but nothing. Its the death record that makes me think that Lewis was her married name - what do you think?

I've used up all my brain cells trying to solve this one - help !! Its driving me mad.

Thanks in advance

Cheers

Rosie

Goodnight everyone - thanks again for your cotributions - very much appreciated

Rosie x

okie dokie - I'd never heard of the name Mahala before I started looking for JHF- BUT HOW DO YOU TELL!! I need a " top - up " !

Be careful as there are a few Mahala _________ born on the Sussex coast at that time.

Eastbourne doesn't look like its on the CLDS site although it is in their catalogue.

It's definitely time for Emily or Henry's birth cert.

I think all my previous research for Mahla has been a bit wild so this could be her. Cheers x

Might have to look through old documents again and see what I can find or send off for birth certificates.

I've looked on that web site Anne- Marie - interesting that the other guys name was Louis Lewis.

Thanks everyone - once again you've all excelled yourselves - i've got plenty to keep me busy for a while - will let you know how I get on - cheers guys x

Wild speculation......

England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906
about Mahala Brown Daniel
Name: Mahala Brown Daniel
Gender: Female
Birth Date: abt 1812
Christening Date: 9 Aug 1812
Christening Place: Hastings, Sussex, England
Father's name: Thomas Daniel
Mother's name: Maria

Andy

Her maiden name would be on her childrens birth certificates

Well it looks like she was born in or very near to Eastbourne. You'll need to see the parish records.

Ozi

Well done to Andy who found him in 1841.


Ozi

Info does point towards James having 2 families.James H F is at 28 Essex Rd, Strand in the 1861 census as listed in the PO directory - how do I solve the problem of Mahala's maiden name ? - or is my brain not working now! - or rather her birth name

This is what the birthplace for 1851 could be.

Name James Henry Lewis
Gender Male
Baptism/Christening Date 17 Sep 1786
Baptism/Christening Place STONEHOUSE,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND
Father's Name James Lewis
Mother's Name Sarah

Indexing Project (Batch) Number C03631-2
System Origin England-ODM
Source Film Number 856954

Same family in 1851.

1851 England Census
Name: Jas Henr Lewis
Age: 61
Estimated birth year: abt 1790
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Cecila Lewis [This is what is on the image.]
Father's name: Robt Cutter [Actually in the next household]
Gender: Male
Where born: Stanlane, Gloucestershire, England
Civil Parish: Savoy
Town: London
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England
Street address: 113 Strand

Occupation: Short Hand Writer [I bet he's some kind of clerk in the courts, recording the proceedings.]

Registration district: Strand
Sub-registration district: St Mary
Household Members: Name Age
Jas Henr Lewis 61
Cecila Lewis 34
Rowena Maria Lewis 30
Emily Clarissa Lewis 21 - Private Governess
Alfd Lionel Lewis 8
Cathe Shearn 19 - servant

Mistranscribed by Ancestry - actually at No. 114
Mr Ann Cutter 31
Robt Cutter 53
Willm Cutter 21
Richd Cutter 11
Ann Robins 23
Ann Martin 19
Fredk Scott 15