Genealogy Chat

During a house clearance I found a beautiful vellum Apprenticeship Indenture. Dated 16th March 1893 it was for the apprenticeship of William Edwards of 13, 'A' Block, Peabody Buildings, Roscoe Street London EC. Born in 1879 he was apprenticed to William Dempster and Isabella MacDonald (Executors of the late William Jones) of 26 Playhouse Yard off Golden Lane EC, as a compositor. On the back is the statement dated 26th May 1900 that he completed his apprenticeship.

My first thought was to put this on Ebay but then I thought wouldn't it be nice to trace a family member who would appreciate it. I found William and his family on the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses but couldn't match any of the family members to a tree on GenesReunited.

Would anybody out there like to take the baton and find a relative or descendant of William so I can hand the document over?

Here's the census detail to get you started.


1891 Census

ROSCOE STREET ST LUKE EAST FINSBURY HOLBORN

Person 1
THOMAS EDWARDS
Birth Year 1846
Age 45
Birth County LONDON
Occupation CARMAN

Person 2
CHARLOTTE EDWARDS
Birth Year 1848
Age 43
Birth County LONDON
Occupation ARTIFICIAL FLORIST

Person 3
CHARLOTTE EDWARDS
Birth Year 1866
Age 25
Birth County LONDON
Occupation UNDER CLOTHING FOLDER

Person 4
CAROLINE EDWARDS
Birth Year 1874
Age 17
Birth County LONDON
Occupation ENVELOPE CEMENTER

Person 5
THOMAS EDWARDS
Birth Year 1876
Age 15
Birth County LONDON
Occupation CARMANS BOY

Person 6
WILLIAM EDWARDS
Birth Year 1879
Age 12
Birth County LONDON
Occupation SCHOLAR

Person 7
ALFRED EDWARDS
Birth Year 1881
Age 10
Birth County LONDON
Occupation SCHOLAR

Person 8
LOUISA EDWARDS
Birth Year 1883
Age 8
Birth County LONDON
Occupation SCHOLAR

Person 9
GEORGE EDWARDS
Birth Year 1888
Age 3
Birth County LONDON

1901 Census

ROSCOE STREET ST LUKE ST MARY WEST FINSBURY HOLBORN

Person 1
THOMAS EDWARDS
Birth Year 1846
Age 55
Birth Town CITY
Occupation MARKET PORTER
Condition WIDOWER

Person 2
CAROLINE EDWARDS
Birth Year 1875
Age 26
Birth Town CLERKENWELL

Person 3
THOMAS EDWARDS
Birth Year 1877
Age 24
Birth Town CLERKENWELL
Occupation GENERAL CARMAN

Person 4
WILLIAM EDWARDS
Birth Year 1879
Age 22
Birth Town ST GILES
Occupation PRINTER

Person 5
LOUISA EDWARDS
Birth Year 1883
Age 18
Birth Town CITY
Occupation SEWING MACHINIST

Person 6
GEORGE EDWARDS
Birth Year 1888
Age 13
Birth Town ST LUKE
Occupation SCHOLAR

1911 Census

81 BARRETTS GROVE STOKE NEWINGTON LONDON N

Person 1
WILLIAM EDWARDS
Birth Year 1879
Age 32
Where Born ST GILES LONDON
Occupation COMPOSITOR

Person 2

RUBY HELENA EDWARDS
Birth Year 1882
Age 29
Where Born VICTORIA PARK LONDON NE
Year Of Marriage 1907

Person 3
GWENDOLEN RUBY EDWARDS
Birth Year 1908
Age 3
Where Born STOKE NEWINGTON NE

1911 from FMP - shows 1 child born 1 still living

1911 census transcription details for: 81 Barretts Grove Stoke Newington London -N-

National Archive Reference:
RG14PN1022 RG78PN34 RD11 SD1 ED18 SN84
Reg. District: Hackney
Sub District: Stoke Newington
Parish: Stoke Newington
Enum. District: 18
Address: 81 Barretts Grove Stoke Newington London -N-
County: London
Name Relation Condition/
Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born
EDWARDS, William Head Married M 32 1879 Compositor St Giles London
EDWARDS, Ruby Helena Wife Married 4 years F 29 1882 Victoria Park London NE
EDWARDS, Gwendolen Ruby Daughter F 3 1908 Stoke Newington NE

------------------------------------------------
Marriages Sep 1907 (>99%)
EDWARDS William Shoreditch 1c 166 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
JENNINGS Kate Shoreditch 1c 166
JORDAN Ruby Helena Shoreditch 1c 166 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
JUDD William Shoreditch 1c 166

--------------------------------------------------
Unless a child born between 1911 census and start of mmn being recorded from Sept Qtr 1911 - 1920, then no definite other child, however there are Edwards/Jordan births in other areas in that period.

There are also possible EDWARDS if they stayed in Hackney RD - see freebmd http://www.freebmd.org.uk/

Possible marriage for William's daughter (although this would make her about 38/39 at marriage):-

MarriageFinder: Gwendoline R Edwards married Ernest S Berkhauer
Name: EDWARDS, Gwendoline R
Registration district: Stoke Newington
County: London
Year of registration: 1947
Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Spouse's last name: Berkhauer
Volume no: 5D
Page no: 1413

Name: BERKHAUER, Ernest S
Registration district: Stoke Newington
County: London
Year of registration: 1947
Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Spouse's last name: Edwards
Volume no: 5D
Page no: 1413

(could it be that she married a prisoner of war and went abroad with him???)

Kath. x

There is a public tree on Ancestry with William Edwards, born 1879 in St. Giles, London. His father is Thomas, mother unknown and siblings Louisa, Thomas and George. This might be worth a look.

Annie

KB,
Good find, however the daughter did not marry.

1949 Electoral Roll
Edwards, Gwendolen R
Edwards, Ruby H
58 Old Park Road, N13 (Southgate)

1965 Electoral Roll
Edwards, Gwendolen R
Edwards, Ruby H
58 Old Park Road, N13 (Enfield/Southgate)

Name: Ruby Helena Edwards
Birth: 21 Oct 1881
Death: Sep 1973 - Enfield, Greater London, England


Name: Gwendolen Ruby Edwards
Birth: 5 May 1908
Death: Jun 1989 - Enfield, Middlesex, England

I wonder if this is sister Louisa's marriage - father given as Thomas, Porter, deceased:

Name:Louisa Edwards
Estimated birth year:abt 1884
Age:26
Spouse Name:William Oliver Twist
Spouse Age:23
Record Type:Marriage
Event Date:4 Jan 1910
Parish:Arlington Square St Philip the Evangelist
Borough:Islington
Father Name:Thomas Edwards
Spouse Father:William Oliver Twist
Register Type:Parish Register

Thanks Potty. I have sent a message to Jane Twist who is on GR and has William Twist on her tree to see if she is in contact with any of the Edwards family.

This is William' probate



England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

Name:William Edwards 58 Old Park Road Palmers Green

Probate Date:12 Oct 1945

Death Date:19 May 1945

Death Place:London, England

Registry:Llandudno

Probate to: Ruby Helena & Gwendolen Ruby Edwards £1562 3s

I'm thinking there were no other children to the couple. I guess you could get the probate office to check if Gwendolen left a Will and see who was named in it, if she did.

That will cost you £6 and as it's not your family you might be reluctant to do that

You might have to follow the 'Jordon' line



London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921

Name:Ruby Helena Jordan

Estimated birth year:abt 1882

Age:25

Spouse Name:William Edwards

Spouse Age:28

Record Type:Marriage

Event Date:8 Sep 1907

Parish:Hoxton St John

Borough:Hackney

Father Name:William Jordan

Spouse Father:Thomas Edwards

Register Type:Parish Register