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Looking for parents of Amelia Smith

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ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date
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Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 12:50

Amelia Smith was born 2 Dec 1881 in Birmingham, I am having trouble tracing her parents. Am sure I have found her at the age of 9 in the 1891 census for "Cottage homes for Pauper children from the Birmingham workhouse" Piece 2440. Folio 138. There are a few other "Smith" children on the record, but being a common name they may or may not be related to each other.

Then in the 1901 census at the age of 19, she is a servant, Longford Cottages?? Foleshill, Warwickshire. Piece 2904. Folio 60.Page 21. Schedule no. 135. Where (if it is her) she is living with a married man (no wife mentioned) Richard Coley. Richard is 32 years of age, born appx. 1869, Dawley Green, Shropshire.

I found what could be a birth record for Richard, which shows 2 possible spellings, Coley and Colley. The reason I mention Richard is that Amelia seemed to go on to marry a few gentleman and have quite a lot of children, but the reason I think this may be her is that she gave all but 2 of her children the middle name of Colley. I am thinking that she named her children after him because he helped her when she was in hard times.

I know that she lived with a man called Robert Willets, then married John Drinnan in 1908, and William Barson in 1920.

Also found her on the 1939 register at 777 Foleshill Road, Warwickshire, widow, and with one of her daughters, Edna Colley, single.

What I would really like to know is what happened to her parents,if I can, as, if she was orphaned/ abandoned, this could confirm or explain how or if she started off life in the workhouse.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 12:58

One of these two ?

Births Mar 1882 (>99%)
Smith Amelia Aston 6d 251
Smith Amelia Mary A Birmingham 6d 226

SMITH, AMELIA BARNETT
GRO Reference: 1882 M Quarter in ASTON Volume 06D Page 251
SMITH, AMELIA MARY ANN PULLEY
GRO Reference: 1882 M Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 226

Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 13:03

Could be, but I havn't found any reference to a "middle" name for her.

Also have her with John Drinnan and her/their children in 1911 census, Court house green, Foleshill, Coventry. Age 29.

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 13:36

Just for ref the birth of Edna

SMITH, EDNA COLLEY -
GRO Reference: 1901 S Quarter in FOLESHILL Volume 06D Page 529

Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 13:43

Could be the family, I am assuming that is the 1881 census. Will have a look for Alfred Arthur Smith.

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 13:50

This is the Amelia to Smith/Barnett ( mother remarried, but other siblings confirm mmn as Barnett)

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Victoria Street, Bordesley, Aston, Warwickshire, England

Robert Willitts Head Married Male 47 1844 Railway Servant Worcestershire, England
Sarah Willitts Wife Married Female 39 1852 - Warwickshire, England
Frank Willitts Son Single Male 17 1874 Railway Servant Staffordshire, England
Amy J Willitts Daughter Single Female 15 1876 - Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Laura Smith Daughter Single Female 15 1876 Dressmaker Warwickshire, England
Richard Smith Son - Male 12 1879 Scholar Warwickshire, England
Amelia Smith Daughter -

Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 14:02

So thats where my "Robert Willets" fits in. I was given the wrong spelling for his name.

Would I be right in saying that Amelia's Mother was Sarah Barnett, who became Sarah Willitts.

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 14:04

the Smith/Pulley marriage

Marriages Dec 1872 (>99%)

Pulley Marina Jane Birmingham 6d 35
SMITH Abraham Birmingham 6d 35

Marina is a pauper in 1891, there are other children to that marriage

SMITH, AMELIA MARY ANN PULLEY
GRO Reference: 1882 M Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 226
SMITH, HARRIET PULLEY
GRO Reference: 1885 J Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 166
SMITH, MARINA JANE PULLEY
GRO Reference: 1883 D Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 200

the daughter Marina is on the same page as the entry you have for Amelia 1891 !

Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 14:07

Yes, just seen it, its right next to it. I was hoping I was going to be wrong about this.

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 14:20

Abraham the father is also in the workhouse 1891

Abraham
Last name Smith
Relationship Pauper
Marital status Married
Sex Male
Age 35
Birth year 1856
Birth town Wolverhampton
Birth town as transcribed WOLVERHAMPTON
Birth county Staffordshire
Birth county as transcribed STAFFORDSHIRE
Birth place England
Occupation Gun Action Filer
Street -
Town -
Parish Birmingham
City Birmingham
County Warwickshire

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 14:27

PULLEY, MARINA JANE mmn HULSTON
GRO Reference: 1854 S Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 110

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 14:29

Probably the death of the daughter born 1885, same qtr Deaths Jun 1885 (>99%)
SMITH Harriet 0 Birmingham 6d 112

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 14:39

SMITH, LAURA PULLEY
GRO Reference: 1889 D Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 132

1891
First name(s) Laura
Last name Smith
Relationship Patient
Marital status -
Sex Female
Age 2
Birth year 1889
Birth town -
Birth county Warwickshire
Birth county as transcribed WARWICKSHIRE
Birth place England
Occupation -
Street -
Town -
Parish Birmingham
City Birmingham
County Warwickshire
Country England
Registration district Birmingham
Archive reference RG12
Piece number 2401
Folio 128
Page 44

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 14:39

SMITH, JOHN ABRAHAM PULLEY
GRO Reference: 1887 D Quarter in BIRMINGHAM Volume 06D Page 201

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 22 May 2019 14:50

Which Amelia are you investigating, Deborah?

How have you worked back to her?
If you've found her via Robert Willetts, ( you talk about "my Robert Willetts") then she's the Smith/Barnett child, who is with her mother and stepfather in 1891.

And the trail via Willetts - Drennan - Barson follows on logically.

So (trying to make sense of all this!) her mother was Sarah 1852 Warwickshire, per the 1891 census.

Therefore this should be her marriage:

Marriages Sep 1873
BARNETT Sarah Aston 6d 392
SMITH Richard Aston 6d 392

Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 14:51

Thank you for all this, its all beginning to fit together now.

ArgyllGran

ArgyllGran Report 22 May 2019 14:58


???

Richard Smith
in the 1881 England Census
Name: Richard Smith
Age: 30
Estimated birth year: abt 1851
Relationship to Head: Head
Spouse: Sarah Smith
Gender: Male
Where born: Birmingham
Civil Parish: Birmingham
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Street address: 6 H 4 CT Granville St
Marital status: Married
Occupation: Tin Burnisher
Registration district: Birmingham
Sub registration district: St Thomas
ED, institution, or vessel: 29
Neighbors:
Piece: 2978
Folio: 58
Page Number: 13
Household Members:
Name Age
Richard Smith 30
Sarah Smith 29 - Birmingham, wife
Isaac Ward 19 - lodger

Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 15:02

Amelia Smith. 2nd Dec 1881.

I already knew about the Drinnan and Barson marriages, and I thought Robert Willetts was another husband, but now know it was her step father. I had also already found Amelia in the poor house, what I didnt know was how she came to get there, I didn't have any names for her parents or siblings, and I couldnt find them, but you have now found them for me.

Didn't mean "my" Robert Willetts , it was just a figure of speech, I knew of him only from a family member.

We thought he was a husband, not her step father, this is why I couldnt find her parents, was looking for the name Smith, not Willetts.

Rambling

Rambling Report 22 May 2019 15:06

If as Argyll Gran says you are sure on the Willetts connection then it is the Barnett/Smith marriage

I have just got interested in what happened to the family in the workhouse though, and how it turned out for them but they seem to disappear. :-(

Deborah

Deborah Report 22 May 2019 15:17

Definately sure about the Willetts bit, this information came to me via the grandaughter of Amelia, she told me Amelia was married several times, and that the first man she lived with was called Robert Willets (she spelt it differant) we assumed it was a relationship and not a step father.

The Drinnan, and Barson marriages, we already knew about, we know that is correct.

What we didnt know was who Amelias parents were, so that section we were starting from scratch, I found who I thought was Amelia in the workhouse, turns out it was her.

In summary, what I was trying to find out was how she and her siblings ended up in the workhouse in the first place, who her parents were, and what happened to them.