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I’m trying to solve a family mystery and maybe track down some lost living relatives. My Great Grandmother was born in Sheffield (maybe) in 1911 and was raised by her ‘grandparents’ Harriet Ann and Alfred Charles Hine who she then cared for until their deaths in 1940 and 41. As far as we know these were her maternal grandparents but we don’t have a lot of information. After Grandma Lilian died we found a copy of Harriet Ann Hine’s (nee Holland) birth certificate in her possession but not her own birth certificate and nothing about her biological parents. We know Harriet Ann was born in Worksop in 1869 and had shares in the railway when she died. We know she was working in The Black swan on Snig hill in Sheffield in 1901 and we know she married Alfred Charles in 1907 aged 38.

*EDIT* she worked at the Black swan in 1891. I can’t find any record of her for 1901 so not sure what happened to her between 1891 and 1907

Here’s where it gets complicated. In 1911 (about a month before Lilians birth) the census lists Harriet and Alfred as married and living in Sheffield with a visitor named Beatrice Lily M Holland. We know from the 1891 census record that this is Harriets youngest sister born in 1887. However on the 1901 census Beatrice is living with another sister, Martha Ellen Holland. Her relation is listed as ‘niece’. Not sister. So which record is wrong?
We believe Beatrice may have been born to Harriet when she was only 18 and unmarried and so her parents raised her as their own recording her as their daughter on the 1891 census when she was just 4 years old.

This is just speculation but we think that Beatrice Lily may have been pregnant and staying with her mother and step father in Sheffield at the time the census was taken in 1911, giving birth shortly after and leaving her child with her parents to raise. We don’t have any other records to support the theory but we’d love to find out if any of this is true.

Great Grandma was told a story when she asked about her parents. Her father emigrated to Australia or New Zealand when she was a baby and her Mother followed him promising Harriet that she would send for Lilian when she had tracked him down and they were settled. But they never did or Lilian was never told.

The only clue we have to Lilians fathers identity is her maiden name Read. This is another point of confusion though as Great Grandma records her maiden name as Hine on her marriage certificate in 1931, then later as Read on her first child’s birth certificate in 1933.

If Beatrice is in fact Great Grandmas biological mother then it’s possible she went on to marry and have further children. We’d love to know if anyone has any information about her whereabouts or descendants after 1911. It’s been an unanswered puzzle for so long and something that upset Great Grandma her whole life. Can anyone shed any light?

Do you have the 1911 birth cert? If not, download a pdf copy from the GRO site

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp

READ, LILIAN MAY HOLLAND
GRO Reference: 1911 J Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 699

a tree on ancestry suggests
but she would have been 68 and ancestry suggests he was born 1934

Name
Beatrice Holland
Registration Date
Jan 1955
Registration Quarter
Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration district
Ince
Inferred County
Lancashire
Spouse
James H Read
Volume Number
10c
Page number
1049
Household Members

Welcome to the boards, Catherine.

Just posting these for helpers' reference:

Alfred Hine
in the 1911 England Census
Name: Alfred Hine
Age in 1911: 52
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1859
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: London, Middlesex, England
Civil Parish: Sheffield
Country: England
Street Address: 569 Attercliffe Common Sheffield
Marital status: Married
Occupation: Juier Clerk Steel Tountley
Registration District Number: 510
Sub-registration District: Attercliffe
ED, institution, or vessel: 03
Piece: 27991
Household Members:
Name Age
Alfred Hine 52
Harriet Hine 42
Eliza Hebblewhite 81 - mother
Beatrice Holland 24 - Worksop, Notts.


Beatrice L M Holland
in the 1901 England Census
Name: Beatrice L M Holland
Age: 14
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1887
Relation to Head: Niece
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Civil Parish: Ordsall
Ecclesiastical parish: Ordsall All Hallows
Town: East Retford
County/Island: Nottinghamshire
Country: England
Street Address:
Registration District: East Retford
Sub-registration District: East Retford
ED, institution, or vessel: 13
Neighbors:
Piece: 3122
Folio: 8
Page Number: 8
Household Schedule Number: 46
Household Members:
Name Age
Martha E Holland 28 - single
Beatrice L M Holland 14 - single
Phoebe Holland 2 - daughter, Retford


HOLLAND, PHOEBE -
GRO Reference: 1898 S Quarter in EAST RETFORD Volume 07B Page 18


Beatrice's birth cert would give her mother's name ,which you also seem unsure of.

HOLLAND, BEATRICE LILY MAUD -
GRO Reference: 1887 M Quarter in WORKSOP Volume 07B Page 26

Thanks for your help. I’ve just ordered a copy. I’m excited to see what it says. Fingers crossed it’ll provide some clues ??

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census

Station Road, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
William Holland Head Married Male 46 1845 Foreman Railway Shunter Retford, Nottinghamshire, England
Elizabeth Holland Wife Married Female 48 1843 - Retford, Nottinghamshire, England
Charles W Holland Son Single Male 24 1867 2nd Derbyshire Army Reserve Retford, Nottinghamshire, England
Martha Holland Daughter Single Female 20 1871 - Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Albert Holland Son - Male 10 1881 Scholar Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Beatrice Holland Daughter - Female 4 1887 - Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England

Martha Ellen
Last name Holland
Birth quarter 2
Birth year 1872
Mother's maiden name Cole
District Worksop
County Nottinghamshire
Country England
Volume 7B
Page 28

Albert Beckst
Last name Holland
Birth quarter 3
Birth year 1879
Mother's maiden name Cole
District Worksop

Beatrice Holland
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Beatrice Holland
Gender: Female
Age: 4
Relationship: Daughter
Birth Year: 1887
Father: William Holland
Mother: Elizabeth Holland
Birth Place: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Civil Parish: Worksop
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
Residence Place: Worksop, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Registration District: Worksop
Sub registration district: Worksop
ED, Institution or Vessel: 7
Neighbors:
Piece: 2643
Folio: 131
Household Members:
Name Age
William Holland 46
Elizabeth Holland 48
Charles W Holland 24
Martha Holland 20
Albert Holland 10
Beatrice Holland 4 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



HOLLAND, HARRIET ANN mmn COLE
GRO Reference: 1869 M Quarter in WORKSOP Volume 07B Page 28

HOLLAND, ALBERT BECKET mmn COLE
GRO Reference: 1879 S Quarter in WORKSOP Volume 07B Page 23

HOLLAND, JOHN WILLIAM mmn COLE
GRO Reference: 1881 M Quarter in WORKSOP Volume 07B Page 26



Harriet A. Holland
in the 1881 England Census
Name: Harriet A. Holland
Age: 12
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Relationship to Head: Daughter
Father: William Holland
Mother: Elizabeth Holland
Gender: Female
Where born: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Civil Parish: Worksop
County/Island: Nottinghamshire
Country: England
Street Address: Railway Station
Education:
Employment status:
View image
Occupation: Scholar
Registration District: Worksop
ED, institution, or vessel: 9
Neighbors:
Piece: 3306
Folio: 8
Page Number: 9
Household Members:
Name Age
William Holland 38
Elizabeth Holland 40
Caroline B. Holland 13
Harriet A. Holland 12
Martha E. Holland 7
Jane Holland 6
Albert B. Holland 1
John W. Holland

Harriet was working at the Black Swan in 1891, not 1901:

Harriet Holland
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Harriet Holland
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Relationship: Servant
Birth Year: 1868
Birth Place: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Civil Parish: Sheffield
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
Residence Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Registration District: Sheffield
Sub registration district: West Sheffield
ED, Institution or Vessel: 1
Neighbors:
Piece: 3814
Folio: 9


I don't see her in 1901.

William
Last name Holland
Marriage quarter 1
Marriage year 1862
Registration month -

William Holland married one of these people

Elizabeth Cole, Caroline Wright
District East Retford
District number -

Throwing this into the mix.

https://billiongraves.com/grave/Beatrice-Lily-Maud-Holland-Jeffery/24117574

Birth is 3 years off but there is the NZ connection.

Rose

?????

Name: Beatrice Holland
Event Type: Immigration
Event Date: 8 Jul 1913
Event Place: Wellington, New Zealand
Event Place (Original): Wellington, New Zealand
Age: 25
Occupation: domestic
Birth Year (Estimated): 1888
Departure Date: 1913
Departure Place: London
Departure Port: London
Arrival Port: Wellington (other ports also listed)
Ship Name: Arawa

Digital Folder Number: 004466026
Image Number: 00033

Rose

This must be Stanley. HIs probate record lists him as a retired printer:

Name: Stanley F Jeffery
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1911
Event Place: Tonbridge, Kent, England, United Kingdom
County: Kent
Parish: Tonbridge Urban
Sub-District: Tonbridge
Sub-District Number: 2
District Number: 50
Enumeration District: 7
Registration District: Tonbridge
Sex: Male
Age: 15
Marital Status: Single
Marital Status (Original): SINGLE
Occupation: PRINTER ASS
Number in Family: 8
Birth Year (Estimated): 1896
Birthplace: Bexley, Kent
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Schedule Type: 23
Page Number: 1
Registration Number: RG14
Piece/Folio: 45
Affiliate Record Identifier: GBC/1911/RG14/04080/0045/4


Household Role Sex Age Birthplace
Frederick W Jeffery Head M 45 Tonbridge, Kent
Emily James Jeffery Wife F 48 Leigh, Kent
Laura E Jeffery Daughter F 20 Croydon, Surrey
Stanley F Jeffery Son M 15 Bexley, Kent
Young Kitty P Jeffery Daughter F 10 Tonbridge, Kent
William E Morgan Boarder M 30 Cardiff Wales, Glamorganshire
Ritchard Minn Boarder M 28 Beccles, Suffolk
Amyr Mor Hett Boarder F 50 Buckenden, Kent

Record Type: Household
Line Number: 4

Rose.

Beatrice Lily Maud Holland
in the New Zealand, Marriage Index, 1840-1937
Name: Beatrice Lily Maud Holland
Gender: Female
Marriage Year: 1917
Marriage Place: New Zealand
Spouse: Stanley Fred Jeffery
Relation: Bride (Wife)
Folio Number: 2430



Stanley Fred Jeffrey
in the New Zealand, Cemetery Records, 1800-2007
Name: Stanley Fred Jeffrey
Burial Place: Wellington
Spouse: Beatrice Lily Maud Jeffrey

In one grave:
Stanley Fred Jeffery died 5 Oct 1962 at 68 years, also his beloved wife Beatrice Lily Maud, died 18 April 1967 at 77 years.
Betty Laura Howes, died 11 Sept 1975 at 44 years. A loved wife and mother.



Don't know if Betty is a relation or not.

Betty Laura Howes
in the New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-1981
Name: Betty Laura Howes
Electoral Year: 1969
District: Western Hutt
Region or Province: Wellington

With Frank Howes, flooring contractor, at 47 Poto Road, Normandale.


Frank Howes
in the Australia and New Zealand, Find a Grave Index, 1800s-Current
Name: Frank Howes
Birth Date: 1924
Death Date: 29 Nov 1988
Cemetery: Karori Cemetery and Crematorium
Burial or Cremation Place: Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, New Zealand

Thanks ArgyllGran. That’s really interesting. It doesn’t explain the name Read but it definitely fits the story and timeline Grandma was told. Looks like Betty was maybe their daughter too. I wish there was a way to confirm any of it. I wonder if Betty had any children that might know their family history?

The cemetery record does say "A loved wife and mother".

Can't find any birth records, though.

Aha!
I posted the 1969 ER for Betty and Frank .

In 1981 Frank is at 47 Poto Road, and also a Trevor Stanley Howes.

In 1978 Trevor Stanley (a student) is at 47 Poto Road - and so is Frank, but interestingly, one on each of two different ER documents.



ADDED:
If you Google his name, there's a 2019 record for someone of that name in Napier applying to the Licensing Committee for a Manager's Certificate.

Also a Linkedin record of someone ( no middle name given) who went to school in Hutt Valley and whose CV sounds like the man in Napier.
There's an email address.

the brother
Name: Albert Beckett Holland
Age in 1911: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1880
Relation to Head: Head
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England
Civil Parish: Ordsall
Search Photos: Search for 'Ordsall' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Country: England
Street Address: 6 Tunnel Road Retford
Marital status: Married
Occupation: Goods Depty
Registration District Number: 426
Sub-registration District: East Retford
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Piece: 20206
Household Members:
Name Age
Albert Beckett Holland 31
Jane Holland 33
Florence Holland 9
Gladys Maude Holland 5
Elsie Holland


daughter elsie 1939
Name: Elsie Shaw
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 16 Apr 1909
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 19
Residence Place: East Retford, Nottinghamshire, England
Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
Line Number: 17
Schedule Number: 131
Sub Schedule Number: 2
Enumeration District: RNFE
Borough: East Retford
Registration district: 426/1.
Inferred Spouse:
Joseph Shaw

possble a son born in nottiinham in 1941

florence 1939
Name: Florence Blythe
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Married
Birth Date: 29 Jun 1901
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 11 Northfield Way.
Residence Place: East Retford, Nottinghamshire, England
Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
Line Number: 4
Schedule Number: 127
Sub Schedule Number: 2
Enumeration District: RNFE
Borough: East Retford
Registration district: 426/1.
Inferred Spouse:
Roy Blythe
Household Members Age
Roy Blythe
42
Florence Blythe 38
Albert B Holland
60

there does not appear to be any children

gladyis

1939
2 Northfield Way, Retford, East Retford M.B., Nottinghamshire, England
Robert C Doughty ? ? 1906 Male L N E Railway Fireman Married 147 1
Gladys M Doughty 12 Feb 1906 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 147 2
Alfred J Muxlow 03 Jun 1914 Male Called Up, Lne - Railway Single 147 3

cant see any children

brother john w
Name: John William Holland
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1881
Registration Year: 1881
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Age at Death: 0
Registration District: Worksop

a tree on acestry suggests these are beatrices children


Betty Laura Jeffery
1931–1975
Birth 1931 • Wellington, New Zealand
Death 11 SEP 1975 • Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand

spouse frank howes


Joan Jeffery
–2015
Birth Unknown
Death 24 MAR 2015 • Wellington, New Zealand


Muriel Emily Bunnie Jeffery
–1988
Birth Unknown
Death 12 NOV 1988 • Wellington, New Zealand



Stanley William Jeffery
–1992
Birth 15 DEC • Newtown, Wellington, New Zealand
Death 12 AUG 1992 • Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand


tree owner
Catherine K*****
Stapenhill, Burton, Staffordshire,
is that your tree

1939
"fairview" Uppingham Road, Houghton On The Hill, Billesdon R.D., Leicestershire, England
Albert E Spencer 25 Apr 1910 Male Working Confectioner (Cake Maker) Married 142 1
Lilian M Spencer 27 May 1911 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 142 2
Audrey Measom (Spencer) 02 Feb 1933 Female At School Single 142 3
Alfred C Hine 27 Apr 1858 Male Retired Married 142 4


Marriages Dec 1931 (>99%)
Hine Lilian M Spencer Sheffield 9c 1064
Spencer Albert E Hine Sheffield 9c 1064

Her marriage cert won't help - get the birth cert,and hope that the person registering it was truthful

So I now have my great grandmothers birth certificate and I was right! Beatrice is grandmas mother!
Her father is listed as a John Henry Read and his occupation is recorded as Valet.
I wonder if they shared a workplace?
I’ve pretty much confirmed that Beatrice did in fact go to Wellington and Beatrice Lily Maud Jeffery is Grandmas Mother.
Now that leaves me questioning what happened to John Henry Read? If Beatrice followed him to New Zealand then what happened between then and 1917 when she marries Stanley F Jeffery?
I’d love to trace Grandmas Father and see if that offers any clues but I’ve hit a wall. Any suggestions?