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I would guess that town is Aberystwyth Cardiganshire/Ceredifion

Though confusingly there is also an Aberystruth, a division of Abergavenny

I would say that Emmeline and Anna Maria were both actually called ALLEN - their occupations tally with those of the other two Allens in the household

The Prosser wife's birthplace of Ireland with origin as English is perfectly feasible - Ireland was part of the UK.

I think it is more the occupation that puts me off rather than the nationality. Especially as in some cases people from the then Monmouthshire border did not always consider themselves as Welsh. It just seemed odd that it is the only place he is described as a mechanic

I would guess that town is Aberystwyth Cardiganshire/Ceredifion

BBC do tend to talk about large areas - eg North of England when they really mean Liverpool, Manchester or Blackburn/Bolton. Even Lancashire though we are all in extra lockdown some ares such as ours nave a considerably lower rate than others in the county norough.

It does seem a bit of a stretch of the imagination that Isaac would start calling himself Algernon Gordon.

Algernon was born in Wales, per 1871 Canada census, and his death record says he was born in "Aberiphucth" per the transcription.
The handwriting is hard to decipher, but it looks more like Aberystwyth than Abergavenny to me - seems to be spelled Aberystuith or Aberystwith.


Emeline C Prosser and Anna Maria Prosser, born c1853 and 1851, per 1871 census, are a mystery.
The census doesn't say they are Algernon's sisters. No relationship is given.
It does say they were born in Nova Scotia

Emeline's surname was written as Allen, and then possibly scored out, but no correction written, so maybe she's Allen and not Prosser..
On the next line there's Margt F Allen, 16, and then Henry J Allen, 24.
The Allens were born in NS.


I wouldn't put too much faith in nationalities as stated on old censuses or travel records, especially in Canada or USA.
Just as one example, for Algernon's presumed wife Maria in the 1871 census, it says that her birthplace is Ireland, but that her origin is English.

Even nowadays, in other contexts, too many people say "England" or "English" when they should say the UK, or "Britain", or "British", let alone Scottish, Welsh or Irish!
Or vice versa - in the BBC news, when they talk about coronavirus restrictions or statistics in England, too often they say "the UK".

Thank you

I am still not convinced that the Isaac who immigrated in 1863 is mine. He always described himself as an iron moulder or just moulder never as a mechanic and he was born in Wales not England. The trouble is there were quite a few Isaac Prossers born in a similar age range though I have only found the one whose father was Roger a wheelwright/carpenter.

I certainly do not think that the Isaac Gordon Algernon is mine even though he appears in so many trees which I suspect were just copied as no-one has proof. I have never found any record where Isaac has more than one name, marriage, children's birth certificates and census 1841 & 1851 and Harriet's death certificate where she is described a 'widow of Isaac Prosser an iron moulder'

I have not been looking at further Prosser families in detail as so far as my direct line is through Isaac's daughter Emma so have just been generally looking at his brothers and sisters hoping they will give me further clues.
I mentioned the Bermonsey connection for his brothers as I have never found the marriage for Emma's in-laws. Even though her father in law was from Monmouthshire and they appear to have lived there from at least 1854 her mother in law always (apart from 1 census) claimed she was from Bermondsey.

Most of these URLs have image links

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W7JY-6N2M
[John Edwards was a Capt in army]

Weymouth (Digby Co) is 75km up the Fundy coast from Yarmouth
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCHK-LPL

Using https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/United_States_Census_Online_Genealogy_Records
and https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/list/?fcs=placeId%3A52&ec=region%3AUNITED_STATES%2CplaceId%3A52

1910 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M22F-HGS
Event Place: Bolton, Worcester, Massachusetts
Immigration Year: 1887
[Addy: 161 Main St Boston]
Harry C Prosser Male 42 Married White 1868 Canada 1887 England England Head A 10 25409
Annie L Prosser Female 41 Married White 1869 Canada 1898 Canada Canada Wife A 10 25410
Clara L Prosser Female 13 Single White 1897 Canada 1898 Canada Canada Daughter A 10 25411
Ernest W Prosser Male 6 Single White 1904 Massachusetts Canada Canada Son A 10 25412
Mona P Prosser Female 4 Single White 1906 Massachusetts Canada Canada Daughter A 10 25413
Mildred F Prosser Female 2 Single White 1908 Massachusetts Canada Canada Daughter A 10 25414
Algen G Prosser Male 0 Single White 1910 Massachusetts Canada Canada Son A 10 25415

marr 27/8/1905 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FH7S-1VS
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4H8-92W

Blanch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXNK-HJ5
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N7NW-8FF

Ernie G https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXFN-X6Y
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NWFH-SBJ

Ernie W https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4XF-HRZ
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3327491/ernest-w-prosser

Alg https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXJR-WP9

1920 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MF9V-SJV
Event Place: Clinton, Worcester, Massachusetts
Immigration Year: 1920
[Addy: 36 Nelson St Clinton]
Harry A Prosser Male 52 Married White Yes Yes Rent 1868 Nova Scotia 1900 England Ireland Head A 3 34907
Annie L Prosser Female 49 Married White Yes Yes 1871 Nova Scotia 1900 Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Wife A 3 34908
Ernest W Prosser Male 16 Single White Yes Yes 1904 Massachusetts Nova Scotia Nova Scotia Son A 3 34909
Mona G P Prosser Female 13 Single White Yes Yes 1907 Massachusetts Nova Soctia Canada Nova Soctia Canada Daughter A 3 34910
Mildred I Prosser Female 11 Single White Yes Yes 1909 Massachusetts Nova Soctia Canada Nova Soctia Canada Daughter A 3 34911
Gordon H Prosser Male 9 Single White 1911 Massachusetts Nova Soctia Canada Nova Soctia Canada Son A 3 34912

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXVM-1MQ

The more I look at this family the more diverse it gets. This afternoon I found isaac’s brother James in abergavenny in 1861. His 2 sons age 8 & 5 were born in N America, the younger one in Port Providence.

Two of his other brothers went to Bermondsey and married there.

Quoted his mother's husband's first name when marrying

Name:
Albert Charles Parsons Ballard
Event Type:
Marriage
Event Date:
17 Aug 1874
Event Place:
Doncaster, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Event Place (Original):
Doncaster, York, England
Gender:
Male
Age:
22
Birth Year (Estimated):
1852
Father's Name:
Isaac Ballard
Spouse's Name:
Ann Johnson
Spouse's Gender:
Female
Spouse's Age:
24
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated):
1850
Spouse's Father's Name:
Henry Johnson

For info for helpers

Name:
Albert Charles Parsins Ballard
Event Type:
Christening
Event Date:
20 Jun 1852
Event Place:
Bromham, Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom
Event Place (Original):
Bromham, Wiltshire, England
Gender:
Male
Mother's Name:
Harriet Ballard

That would certainly fit with the iillegitimate birth posted earlier

I found Albert Charles Parson Ballard christening 20-6-1852 mother Harriet but there is something written above Harriet's name which I can't interpret

edit
I think the first word is Base so presumably the other word is born though it does not look much like it

Good point Erika.

I only have Emma's birth certificate as until yesterday I did not realise there may be others. Isaac registered Emma.

So that means they did go to Abergavenny before Isaac disappeared. Isaac still an iron moulder

Who registered the births of Hannah’s children?

You can purchase higher resolution images - see: samples and info at:
https://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/Samples.aspx

Since 1 GBP = C$1.71, hey should cost 6-7 GBP each (nearer 7)

https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/Pages/census.aspx

1871 https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1871&op=pdf&id=4396323_00288
The census image is also available as a jpg:
https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1871&op=&img&id=4396323_00288



https://www.novascotiagenealogy.com/

H. Gordon Prosser, born 1867 in Yarmouth, Yarmouth County
Item can be found in Registration Year: 1867 - Book: 1823 - Page: 47 - Number: 448

This looks like his NS widow (a=39)
He was a moulder from Londonderry and a widower
Maria Prosser and John Havlin married 1873 in Yarmouth County
Item can be found in Registration Year: 1873 - Book: 1839 - Page: 74 - Number: 90

Algernon J. G. Prosser, died 1872 in Yarmouth, Yarmouth County
Item can be found in Registration Year: 1872 - Book: 1818 - Page: 77 - Number: 209

Thank you ArgyllGran for all your input. It has certainly given me a few points to think about.

Yes - ‘go back’ was the wrong phrase. Blame my slip on the fact that my father’s family came from the Abergavenny area for generations

Emma’s in-laws were slightly different. Her father in law was from an Abergavenny area family but her mother in law in all census returns (Except 1) said she was from Bermondsey which strangely I found this afternoon at least 2 of isaac’s brothers went to and married. I have never found her in-laws marriage in spite of trying one or two certificates.

More likely in those days, they didn't divorce, as it was expensive and difficult, but only separated.

I agree Harriet probably said she was a widow for respectability.
Probably she didn't know if Isaac was alive or dead once he'd gone off to Canada - if she even knew where he'd gone.

Harriet was born in Wiltshire, so she she didn't "go back" to Abergavenny..
Perhaps they had moved to Abergavenny before Isaac left (in fact, before Emma was born), and then she just stayed there, near her in-laws.

I did wonder if Isaac and Harriet divorced and Harriet just went back to Abergavenny and pretended to be a widow.

Emma's is the last Prosser/Ballard birth, so presumably Isaac departed for Canada some time between the summer of 1858 and January 1863.

Probably before the 1861 census, as I don't see him anywhere in England/Wales then.