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Hi,
i am trying to link my family's history to that of Robert Abel as my grandfather used to tell us stories about his relative being a famous cricketer for England.

I have got back to as far as i can go but I am stumped without a birthdate for my ancestor Thomas Abel.
I know Thomas Abel married Emma Snell in 1876 at St Olave Southwark.
they had three sons Albert, Robert and John.
Albert Abel was born in 1884. He married Alice Elizabeth Nutt, 14/07/1908 at Camberwell registry office.
One of their children Albert Edward Abel, my grandfather, was born 25/08/1908.

The cricketer
Robert Abel born: 30/11/1857 died: 10/12/1936.married:Sarah Reffell 31/01/1981
his father was Thomas and mother was Elizabeth Highland

If someone could help me to find the birthdate of Thomas I would appreciate it. Then i may be able to link our family to Robert the cricketer.
Thanking you in anticipation
phil

To start us off :


1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census
8, St Helena Place, Rotherhithe, St Olave Southwark, London & Surrey, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Thomas Abel Head Married Male 40 1841 Laborer Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Emma Abel Wife Married Female 24 1857 - Hadley, Suffolk, England
Thomas Abel Son Single Male 16 1865 Laborer Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Alfred Abel Son Single Male 14 1867 Telegraph Messenger (C S M) Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
John Abel Son Single Male 4 1877 - Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Emma Abel Daughter Single Female 2 1879 - Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Robert Abel Son Single Male 0 1881 - Rotherhithe, Surrey, England



This looks like him in 1871?

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Baltic Place, Rotherhithe, St Olave Southwark, London & Surrey, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Thomas Abel Head - Male 56 1815 - Middlesex, England
Elizabeth Abel Wife - Female 55 1816 - Surrey, England
Thomas Abel Son - Male 30 1841 - Surrey, England
William Abel Son - Male 28 1843 - Surrey, England
George Abel Son - Male 22 1849 - Surrey, England
Sarah Abel Daughter - Female 16 1855 - Surrey, England
Thomas Abel Grandson - Male 6 1865 - Surrey, England
Robert Abel Son - Male 13 1858 - Surrey, England
Alfred Abel Grandson - Male 4 1867 - Surrey, England
Thomas Abel's Census Details
Details taken from the original census record.

He was a widower when he married Emma so I will see if I can find details of his first marriage....................

Dea x

Marriages Jun 1864
Abel Thomas Bermondsey 1d 87 Scan available - click to view
Oughton Martha Bermondsey 1d 87 Scan available - click to view


This looks like Martha's death, probably in childbirth:

Deaths Mar 1870 (>99%)
Abel Martha 25 St. Olave 1d 226
Abel Martha Elizabeth 0 St. Olave

Dea x

This would appear to show his birth date:

Name: Thomas Abel
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 6 Feb 1841
Baptism Date: 14 Mar 1841
Baptism Place: St Mary,Rotherhithe,London,England
Father: Thomas Abel
Mother: Elizabeth
FHL Film Number: 254548, 254549

There is a brother 'Robert' shown on that 1871 census - would he have been 'your cricketer' ?

Dea x

When Robert died, the executors of his will were these 2 people:

1939
Abel Household (2 People) 43 Handforth Road , Lambeth, London, England
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First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Occupation
Albert E Abel 05 Sep 1900 Cricket Bat Maker
Ada F Abel 31 Jan 1894 Unpaid Domestic Duties
NB - These two are not married - I believe they are brother and sister (2 of Robert & Sarah's children) ??



This is the family on 1911:

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
43 Handforth Road Brixton S W, Lambeth, London & Surrey, England

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Birth place Occupation
Sarah Abel Head Married Female 51 1860 Bermondsey London -
Transcription
Robert H Abel Son Single Male 28 1883 Rotherhithe London Professional Cricketer
Transcription
William J Abel Son Single Male 23 1888 Bermondsey London Professional Cricketer
Transcription
George A Abel Son Single Male 21 1890 Bermondsey London Professional Cricketer
Transcription
Thomas E Abel Son Single Male 20 1891 Kennington London Handle Maker
Transcription
Alfred C Abel Son Single Male 15 1896 Kennington London Office Lad
Transcription
Albert E Abel Son - Male 10 1901 Kennington London School
Transcription
Ada F Abel Daughter Single Female 17 1894 Kennington London -
Transcription
Alice E Abel Daughter - Female 13 1898 Kennington London School
Transcription
Lily A Abel Daughter - Female 12 1899 Kennington London School
Transcription
Violet A Abel Daughter - Female 8 1903 Kennington London School

Dea x

The Robert Abel from the 1871 census

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census
14, Pedworth Road, Rotherhithe, St Olave Southwark, London & Surrey, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Robert Abel Head Married Male 22 1859 Hop Porter Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Sarah Abel Wife Married Female 20 1861 - Bermondsey, Surrey, England

And in 1891 - Father and son (from 1911 census) both Professional Cricketers

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Trigon Road, Lambeth, London & Surrey, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Robert Abel Head Married Male 32 1859 Professional Cricketer London, Middlesex, England
Sarah Abel Wife Married Female 30 1861 - London, Middlesex, England
Robert Abel Son - Male 8 1883 - London, Middlesex, England
William Abel Son - Male 3 1888 - London, Middlesex, England
George Abel Son - Male 2 1889 - London, Middlesex, England
Thomas E Abel Son - Male 0 1891 - London, Middlesex, England

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname: Order:
ABEL, ROBERT HENRY REFFELL Order
GRO Reference: 1882 S Quarter in SAINT OLAVE SOUTHWARK Volume 01D Page 298

The marriage of Thomas Abel and Emma Snell to confirm father's name:

Name: Emma Snell
Gender: Female
Record Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 13 Jan 1876
Marriage Place: Christ Church, Bermondsey, Southwark, England
Father: John Snell
Spouse: Thomas Abel
Register Type: Parish Register

Image says Thomas Abel is of full age and a widower, a gasman of 23 Church St.
His father is also a Thomas Abel, gasman.

Bride Emma is a spinster of full age of the same address, her father John Snell hs occupation column left blank.

Witnesses were Michael Lane and Mary Ann Timner or Limner.


The first marriage:

Name: Marthe Oughton
Marriage Age: 20
Record Type: Marriage
Birth Date: abt 1844
Marriage Date: 15 May 1864
Marriage Place: St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, Southwark, England
Father: William Oughton
Spouse: Thoms Abel
Register Type: Parish Register

Thomas a gas lighter, father Thomas Abel a labourer. bachelor aged 23
Bride spinster aged 20, father William Oughton labourer.

Witnesses, Thos Abbott (? hard to read) and Benjamin Phillips.

His age ties in very well with the baptism and other information Dea has posted.

Cricketer Robert Abel's dates are 1857-1936, so a good match, he also played for Surrey and England.

Name: Thomas Abel
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 6 Feb 1841
Baptism Date: 14 Mar 1841
Baptism Place: St Mary,Rotherhithe,London,England
Father: Thomas Abel
Mother: Elizabeth

1851
Name: Thos Able
Age: 10
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Relation: Son
Father's name: Thomas Able
Mother's name: Elizth Able
Gender: Male
Where born: Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Civil Parish: Rotherhithe
Ecclesiastical parish: Rotherhithe All Saints
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Maps:
View related Ecclesiastical Parish
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Registration district: Rotherhithe
Sub-registration district: Rotherhithe
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 90
Piece: 1583
Folio: 383
Page Number: 21
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Able 37
Elizth Able 30
Elizth Able 12
Thos Able 10
Willm Able 8
Mary Able 6
George Able 2
James Able 6 Wks

1861
Name: Thomas Able
Age: 20
Estimated Birth Year: 1841
Relation: Son
Father's name: Thomas Able
Mother's name: Elizabeth Able
Gender: Male
Where born: Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Civil Parish: Rotherhithe
Ecclesiastical parish: All Saints
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Registration district: Rotherhithe
Sub-registration district: Rotherhithe
ED, institution, or vessel: 14
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 390
Folio: 193
Page Number: 47
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Able 46
Elizabeth Able 44
Thomas Able 20
William Able 17
Mary Able 15
George Able 12
Sarah Able 5
Robert Able 3
William Gower 22
Elizabeth Gowers 22
Joseph Davidson 27

http://www.reffell.org.uk/people/cricketer.php

Name: Thomas Abel***************Widower
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Relation: Son
Father's name: Thomas Abel
Mother's name: Elizabeth Abel
Gender: Male
Where born: Rotherhithe, Surrey, England
Civil Parish: Rotherhithe
Ecclesiastical parish: All Saints
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Registration district: St Olave Southwark
Sub-registration district: Rotherhithe
ED, institution, or vessel: 15
Household schedule number: 34
Piece: 644
Folio: 94
Page Number: 8
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Abel 56
Elizabeth Abel 55
Thomas Abel 30
William Abel 28
George Abel 22
Sarah Abel 16
Thomas Abel 6
Robert Abel 13
Alfred Abel 4

Thanks heaps people!
It is looking like Thomas is the link.
Thomas born in 1841 was Robert's brother and my direct relation.
So my grandfather's stories are true.
thanks for your help. Sorry it took me so long to get back to you but even though I am a member of genes reunited UK i live in Australia and the timing is somewhat of a problem.

Name: Elizabeth Highland
Gender: Female
Record Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 5 Dec 1836
Marriage Place: St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, Southwark, England
Spouse: Thomas Abel
Register Type: Parish Register