Genealogy Chat

I am researching the Quested family for a friend of mine, Terry Quested, whose ancestor was a Walter Quested, born in the Ashford area. However, I have only found one birth for a Walter Quested around the right time, and that is the March quarter, 1859 in Thanet. This I found both on a Quested site, and on Ancestry. However, there is also a death record in 1863 for a Walter Quested, aged 4, in that area.

I have census records in Ashford for 1891 and 1911 for a Walter Quested born about 1863 in Brabourne (1891), and Willesborough (1911). Here he has a wife named Clara and several children, one of whom was Henry/Harry Quested, who was Terry's Grandfather. Henry married a Gladys Butcher, born 1902 in Ashford.

I found no earlier census records for that Walter, but I have found 1861 and 1871 census records in Ashford for a Walter Quested born in 1855 in Stowting, Kent, parents Stephen and Mary Anne Quested.

Thus far I haven't found any 1901 census records for Walter.

Hence I am wondering if these two Walters might actually be the same person, and wondering if you might be able to throw any light on this?

The Thanet birth record seems a bit far away for the Walters, both born in the Ashford area.

I'd be very grateful for any help you might be able to offer!

Have you both Henry/Harry's birth and marriage certificates?

If so, what occupations does it state for his father, and do these agree with the occupations that you have found for Walter on the censuses?

Also, what is his mother;s name from the birth certificate?

Thank-you

Hello Janet, do also bear in mind that penalties for non-registrations of births were not really enforced until 1874/5 so before that many births weren't recorded (and I suspect there were also still a great many thereafter).

Here's Walter's family in 1901, but he's not with them:


1901 England Census about Rose Quested
Name: Rose Quested
Age: 3
Estimated birth year: abt 1898
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Mother: Clara Quested
Birth Place: Ashford, Kent, England
Civil Parish: Ashford
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary the Virgin
County/Island: Kent
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: West Ashford
Sub-registration district: Ashford
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 782
Folio: 153
Page Number: 38
Household schedule number: 223
Household Members:
Name Age
Clara Quested 32
Alice Quested 15
Mary Quested 12
John Quested 8
James Quested 6
Rose Quested 3
George Quested 1

In case it's of interest:

Publication:Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald
Publication date:Saturday 24 March 1894

Article text:"Frank Simpson, of Woodchurch, was summoned by Walter Quested, of Ashford, for assaulting him at Ashford on March 13th.—Mr. Ellis appeared for the defendant and pleaded not guilty. Was found guilty and fined."

1881 (not much help) ?

Name: W. Quested
Age: 23
Estimated birth year: abt 1858
Gender: Male

Civil Parish: Ashford
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Street address: Marlborough Shades Low Lodging House

Registration district: West Ashford
Sub-registration district: Ashford
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 946
Folio: 41
Page Number: 31
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Gibbon 34
Emily Gibbon 35
Amy Gibbon 6
George Gibbon 2
Eliza Gibbon
George Wood 50
Thomas Glabestere 22
Henry Barton 24
Mary Barton 21
Mary Harly 21
W. Quested 23 <<<<<<<<<
W. Barton 22
F. Barton 22
G. Barton 21
J. Heyday 53
John Dowland 53
John Baker 58
Jane Baker 28
Henry Baker 3
May Baker 2
S. Baker

????
i wonder if they waited a while or if one of them was already married

Marriages Sep 1934 (>99%)
Dungey Clara A Quested Maidstone 2a 3288 xxxxxxx
Hughes Florence E Whibley Maidstone 2a 32
Quested Walter Dungey Maidstone 2a 3288 xxxxxxx
Whibley Albert K Hughes Maidstone 2a 3288

Burial (Find My Past)
Day:9
Month:Aug
Year:1863
Forename(s):Walter
Surname:Quested
Age:4
Place:St Lawrence in Thanet, St Lawrence
County:Kent
Archive Reference:U3/19/1/22
Year Range:1843-1867
Record source:Canterbury Burials - Transcripts
Data provider:Canterbury Cathedral Archives
(abode, Ramsgate)

Chris :)

County Kent
Place Ashford
Church St Mary Tr
RegisterNumber
MarriageDate 13 Jun 1842
GroomForename Stephen
GroomSurname Quested
GroomAge
GroomParish
GroomCondition
GroomOccupation
GroomAbode
BrideForename Mary Ann
BrideSurname Greenstreet

(above on below link)

http://www.freereg.org.uk/cgi/Search.pl

If this Walter is the son of Stephen and Mary Ann, I find it a little bit suspect that he didn't name a son Stephen.

For INFO

1911 census


Person: QUESTED, Henry Address: 33 Gravel Walk Ashford Kent

QUESTED, Walter Head Married M 48 1863 Bricklayers Labourer Kent Willesborough Res VIEW
QUESTED, Clara Wife F 43 1868 Kent Ashford Res VIEW
QUESTED, James Son Single M 16 1895 Coal Porter Kent Ashford Res VIEW
QUESTED, Rose Daughter F 13 1898 At School Kent Ashford Res VIEW
QUESTED, George Son M 11 1900 At School Kent Ashford Res VIEW
QUESTED, Henry Son M 8 1903 At School Kent Ashford Res VIEW
QUESTED, Lily Daughter F 4 1907 At School Kent Ashford Res VIEW
QUESTED, Frederick Son M 1 1910 Kent Ashford Res

1891 census

Person: QUESTED, Walter Address: 3, Norwood Cottages, Godington Road, Ashford

QUESTED, Walter Head Married M 28 1863 Farm Labourer
Brabourne, Kent VIEW
QUESTED, Clara Wife Married F 22 1869
Ashford, Kent VIEW
QUESTED, Alice Daughter F 5 1886 Scholar
Ashford, Kent VIEW
QUESTED, Mary A Daughter F 3 1888
Ashford, Kent VIEW
QUESTED, Walter Son M 0 (11M) 1891
Ashford, Kent

Clara's maiden name will be on this cert............

Births Jun 1890 (>99%)
Quested Walter W. Ashford 2a 760

he died.........so the 1934 marriage isn't his

Deaths Mar 1892 (>99%)
Quested Walter 1 W. Ashford 2a 70[38]

Deaths Dec 1939 (>99%)
Quested Clara 69 W.Ashford 2a 2474

Deaths Jun 1944 (>99%)
QUESTED Walter 88 Ashford 2a 1639 (born 1855/6)

IF that is Walter's death, he was quite a bit older than Clara.............perhaps he lied about his age to the census enumerator

Purely for interest............

Name: Nellie Quested
Gender: Female
Burial Date: 11 Feb 1905
Burial Place: Ashford, Kent, England

Father's Name: Walter Quested
Father's Birthplace:
Mother's Name: Clara Quested
Mother's Birthplace:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01393-7
System Origin: England-EASy
GS Film number: 1785976
Reference ID: 7679


Births Mar 1905 (>99%)
Quested Nellie W. Ashford 2a 947

Not sure if Safc was on to something with that marriage - there may be another child, registered W.Ashford in JAS 1912, Ernest - mmn is Dungate

Clara Dungate was with her mother Mary & siblings on 1881 census in Ashford - then no obvious marriage or death, nor does she appear on later census.

Thank you so much, everyone, for all your speedy and fascinating replies, and for all the extra records you have added.

I have not bought any bmd records as yet, though I will at some point, am just collecting as much evidence as possible first.

Walter is recorded as a labourer in the 1891 and 1911 census records. I had looked at the 1881 record for the Marlborough Shades Low Lodging house (wonderful name!), which could indeed be him, although no birth town, but there's nothing else appropriate for 1881.

There is a Tree on Ancestry which gives Clara's maiden name as Dungate, but no sources given. (Have emailed the owner, no reply as yet). However, a Clara Dungate was living in Gravel Walk, Ashford, in the 1881 census, where Stephen and Mary Ann were also living. I was intrigued by the marriage in 1934 with a Clara Dungey, very similar, could they really have waited until they were in their sixties/seventies? But no marriage record for Clara Dungate and Walter Quested.

I like the idea that Walter lied about his age to the enumerator because Clara was much younger! Seems quite likely, which would solve the problem, and maybe he genuinely didn't know when he was born-the earlier census records were informed by Stephen, presumably?

I have found birth records for nearly all of the children of Stephen and Mary Ann Quested (her maiden name Greenstreet). Have also found christening records for a number of them, which makes it even more curious that there is nothing for Walter. I'm doubtful that the Thanet birth could be the one I need, as none of his siblings were born there, and it's quite a way from Ashford. I've even tried a search for a birth record with no Christian name, in case he had two forenames and Walter was the second one.

The 1863 Thanet death for a Walter I'm fairly certain is the Walter who was born in 1859 in Thanet.

It is curious that Walter (1863) didn't name one of his sons Stephen-unless there was one who died, but again no records.

The newspaper article about the assault could well be him!

Will continue researching, and many thanks again. :-)

This might seem far-fetched - but I have heard of it happening before. Could Walter born 1863 actually have been born and named Harry - this birth:-

Name: QUESTED, Harry
Registration district: East Ashford
County: Kent
Year of registration: 1863
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume no: 2A
Page no: 563

Then his brother Walter dies just after his birth and the parents decide to call him Walter in memory of the baby who has just died.

I can't find a Harry born 1863 in any census afterwards or a death for him.

Just a possibility to think about really.

Kath. x

4 people on this site have Clara Dungate on their trees, you could try contacting them as well. And Kath may be right about Harry - I've also found this happening. Parents sometimes even change their minds between registration and christening - our ancestors never liked to make it easy ;-)

I will certainly contact the Tree owners who have Clara in their records, and report back if and when they reply.

The possibility of Walter having been registered as Harry is also worth considering, as Harry/Henry is a name which occurs elsewhere in the family.

Another thought just occurred to me-the name Quested is often mis transcribed in the records, hence Walter may be under a different surname. I've already found many variations!