Genealogy Chat

My grandfather Donald Esme Innes was born in November 1888 in Bristol to Donald Isaacs and Anne Issacs (formerly Stewart). By the 1891 census he had been adopted by two sisters Annie and Catherine Isaacson and was living in Oxford. His surname was now stated as Isaacs-Innes. He changed his surname by deed poll to Innes in 1924.

I can find no further records of Donald or Anne Isaacs and have little to go on to narrow down Anne Stewart. Also I can find no reason why Innes was added to the surname in 1891.

Can anyone help?

Welcome to the boards, Donald.

I'm posting the 1891 census, for the helpers' reference:

Donald E Isaacs Innes
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Donald E Isaacs Innes
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: abt 1889
Relation: Adopted
Gender: Male
Where born: Clifton, Gloucestershire, England
Civil Parish: Cowley
Ecclesiastical parish: Cowley St John
Town: Oxford
County/Island: Oxfordshire
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Registration district: Headington
ED, institution, or vessel: 11
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1164
Folio: 14
Page Number: 21
Household Members:
Name Age
Annie E Isaacson 39
Catherine S Isaacson 36
Donald E Isaacs Innes 2
Julia Jones 18


and his birth and baptism:

ISAACS, DONALD ESME mms STEWART
GRO Reference: 1888 D Quarter in BARTON REGIS Volume 06A Page 60


Donald Esme Isaacs
in the Bristol, England, Select Church of England Parish Registers, 1720-1933
Name: Donald Esme Isaacs
Baptism Date: 19 Dec 1888
Baptism Place: Clifton, St John the Evangelist, Gloucestershire, England
Father: Donald Isaacs
Mother: Anne Isaacs

I'm afraid I've drawn a blank, too!

No marriage of a Donald Isaac(s) (or Innes, or McInnes, or McIsaac, or MacIsaac) to an Ann* Stewart / Stuart, in England, Wales, or Scotland.

Donald Esme's is the earliest Donald Isaac(s) (or Innes) birth showing on FreeBMD or ScotlandsPeople.

Someone else will know the legalities - is it possible that his mother fabricated a husband for the purposes of registering her son's birth?
On the other hand, "Donald Isaacs" probably isn't the first name that would spring to mind if inventing a husband.

Perhaps he was a seaman from some other country, if Anne was in Bristol ?? Wild clutching at straws!

The name Esme presumably had some family significance.

Although of other origin, the surname would appear to be mainly of Jewish origin and the name Isaacs and Isaacson are derivatives so there could be some connection between the parents and "adoptive" ladies

forebears.co.uk/surnames/isaac
Definition: From the Hebrew yishaq, "he laugheth,' the name given to the son of ..... Ultimately it gave rise to the various surnames of Isaacs, Isacke, Isaacson, ...

www.hebrewsurnames.com/ISAACS
ISAACS family genealogy and meaning of the Jewish surname ISAACS.

Donald E Innes
mentioned in the record of Isaacson and Donald E Innes
Name
Donald E Innes
Event Type
Marriage Registration
Registration Quarter
Apr-May-Jun
Registration Year
1925
Registration District
Kensington
County
London
Event Place
Kensington, London, England
Spouse Name (available after 1911)
Isaacson
Volume
1A
Page
290
Line Number
75
 
Donald E Innes probably married one of the following people
Name
Lilian G Isaacson

Thanks for looking. You are right about my grandmother Lilian. She was the niece of the Isaacson sisters.

What was the occupation of father and address on the birth certificate?

Occupation was Gentleman and address was 9 Melrose Place, Clifton. The Isaacs must have been renting as the property was owned by the same people in the 1881 and 1891 census and there is no mention of any Isaacs/Stewart on either

British Army Service Records Transcription

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Print transcription
First name(s) Donald Esme
Last name Isaac-Innes
Rank Lieutenant
Regiment Royal Engineers
Year 1914-21
Archive The National Archives
Archive reference WO 374/36401
Series WO 374
Series description Wo 374 - Officers' Services, First World War, Personal Files
Record set British Army Service Records
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory Service Records
Collections from Great Britain, UK None

The National Archives

Mr Donald Esme Innes

in the Fife, Scotland, Cupar Library Newspaper Index Cards, 1833-19

Name: Mr Donald Esme Innes
Publication: Courier & Advertiser, General Index
Publication Date: 24 Apr 1936
appointed to the chair of geology
University Court of St Andrews

not much help

Donald Esme Innes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Prof Donald Esme Innes FRSE MC was a 20th century Scottish geologist.
Life

Born Donald Esme Isaacs on 22nd November 1888 to Donald Isaacs and Anne Isaacs (formerly Stewart) in Clifton, Bristol. He was bought up by Annie and Catherine Isaacson in Oxford from a very early age. He went to Repton and studied Sciences at Oxford University and graduated in 1911 with 1st class honours, specialising in Geology. He was awarded the Burden Coutts scholarship for post-graduate work and he later became Professor of Geology at St Andrews University.

He won the Military Cross in the First World War.

He gained his hockey blue while a student at Oxford and played for St Andrews university from 1920 to 1924. He played for Scotland from 1922 to 1924 and captained the side in 1923 and 1924.

In June 1924 he changed his name by Deed poll to Donald Esme Innes. At this time he was living at 23 Lathbury Road in Oxford.[1]

In 1925 he married Lilian Grace Isaacson, and they had one son, Donald John, born in 1932.

In 1936 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Thomas James Jehu, Sir D’Arcy Wentworth Thompson, Robert Campbell and Robert Meldrum Craig. . He resigned from the Society in 1953.[2]

In 1901 he's listed as Leonard, without the Isaacs. Doesn't make any difference, I know - clearly just a mistake by the census clerk:

Leonard E Innes
in the 1901 England Census
Name: Leonard E Innes
Age: 12
Estimated birth year: abt 1889
Relation to Head: Adopted Son
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Clifton, Gloucestershire, England
Civil Parish: St Giles
Ecclesiastical parish: St Phillip and St James
Town: Oxford
County/Island: Oxfordshire
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Registration district: Headington
Sub-registration district: St Clement
ED, institution, or vessel: 30
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1381
Folio: 101
Page Number: 13
Household schedule number: 68
Household Members:
Name Age
Annie E Isaacson 49
Mary R Isaacson 51
Catherine S Isaacson 46
Leonard E Innes 12
Kate Pearman 19
Fanny Urry 14

an Innes connection, probably donald

1901

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
30, Warnborough Road, Oxford, Oxford St Giles, Headington, Oxfordshire,
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Annie E Isaacson Head Single Female 49 1852 Living On Own Means Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England
Transcription
Mary R Isaacson Sister Single Female 51 1850 Living On Own Means Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England
Transcription
Catherine S Isaacson Sister Single Female 46 1855 Living On Own Means Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England
Transcription
Leonard E Innes Adopted Son Single Male 12 1889 - Clifton, Gloucestershire, England --------------------------------------------------------
Transcription
Kate Pearman Servant Single Female 19 1882 - Kirtlington, Oxfordshire, England
Transcription
Fanny Urry Servant Single Female 14 1887 - Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England

I wonder if Annie Isaacson was actually his mother. I've not done any digging yet, but wonder is the father was Donald Stewart?

Annie's late father was a Reverend. The family seemed well known, well off, and connected. Having an 'adopted' child wouldn't have damaged her social status- an illegitimate child would have been a little embarrassing within her social circle and family.

Don't know what truth there is in this:

"Born Donald Esme Isaacs, little is known of his life, but he appears to be a Jew of Scottish descent. "

http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Donald_Esme_Innes

annie in isle of white 1881

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
The Rectory, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
John F Isaacson Head Widower Male 79 1802 Rector Of Freshwater Lidgate, Suffolk, England
Transcription
Mary R Isaacson Daughter Single Female 31 1850 - Hampshire, England
Transcription
Annie E Isaacson Daughter Single Female 29 1852 - Hampshire, England
Transcription
Catherine S Isaacson Daughter Single Female 26 1855 - Hampshire, England
Transcription
Alfred H Isaacson Grand Son Single Male 5 1876 Scholar United States
Transcription
Bessie A Parkhouse Servant Single Female 24 1857 Ladys Maid Domestic Servant Littleham, Devon, England
Transcription
Clara B Farmer Servant Single Female 18 1863 Parlor Maid Domestic Servant Hampshire, England
Transcription
Fanny Hills Servant Single Female 16 1865 Housemaid Domestic Servt Hampshire, England
Transcription
Alice Hills Servant Single Female 13 1868 Nursemaid Domestic Servt Hampshire, England

father died 1886

Baptism of the lass he married.

Westminster Baptisms Transcription

First name(s) Lilian Grace
Last name Isaacson
Birth year 1890
Birth date 28 Jul 1890
Baptism year 1890
Baptism date 24 Aug 1890
Father's first name(s) Robert Fraser
Mother's first name(s) Hannah Maria
Parish Holy Trinity, Vauxhall Bridge Road
County Middlesex
Country England
Page 163
Archive City of Westminster Archives Centre
Record set Westminster Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms

With her family in 1891

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Bessborough Gardens, Westminster, St George Hanover Square, London, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Robert F Isaacson Head Married Male 43 1848 Clerk Public Record Office Hampshire, England
Hannah M Isaacson Wife Married Female 43 1848 - -
Gladys B Isaacson Daughter - Female 5 1886 - London, Middlesex, England
Sybyl M Isaacson Daughter - Female 3 1888 - London, Middlesex, England
Lilian G Isaacson Daughter - Female 0 1891 - London, Middlesex, England
Elizabeth Smith Servant Widow Female 58 1833 Domestic Servant Cook Norfolk, England
Ada L Dodds Servant Single Female 21 1870 Domestic Nurse London, Middlesex, England
Sarah A Mann Servant Single Female 22 1869 Domestic Parlour Maid London, Middlesex, England

Her Father in 1861 with his parents and sisters - the ladies who adopted Donald

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Rectory, Stroud, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, Hampshire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
John F Isaacson Head Married Male 49 1812 Rector Of Freshwater Lidgate, Suffolk, England
Rebecca Isaacson Wife Married Female 45 1816 - Clifton Campville, Staffordshire, England Transcription
John F Isaacson Son Unmarried Male 19 1842 Pupil St Johns Coll Cambridge Hampshire, England
Thomas F Isaacson Son Unmarried Male 16 1845 Scholar Hampshire, England
Robert A Isaacson Son Unmarried Male 13 1848 Scholar Hampshire, England
Mary K Isaacson Daughter Unmarried Female 11 1850 Scholar Hampshire, England
Anna E Isaacson Daughter Unmarried Female 9 1852 Scholar Hampshire, England
Catherine Isaacson Daughter Unmarried Female 6 1855 Scholar Hampshire, England
George Baird ... Unmarried Male 18 1843 Private Pupil Russia Transcription
Mary A Jolliffe Servant Unmarried Female 27 1834 Cook Hampshire, England
Martha Powditch Servant Unmarried Female 22 1839 Parlourmaid Lynn, Norfolk, England
Emily L Page Servant Unmarried Female 23 1838 House Maid Southampton, Hampshire, England
Louisa ... Servant Unmarried Female 10 1851 Nurse Maid Southampton, Hampshire, England

Robert F was a brother of Annie, Catherine and the others.

The Alfred Isaacson, grandson, who is with the family in 1881, was born in Peru, and was the son of another brother, Henry, even though the Ancestry transcription says Catherine was his mother:

[Greyghost has already posted the FMP version, but here's Ancestry's]

Alfred H. Isaacson
in the 1881 England Census
Name: Alfred H. Isaacson
Age: 5
Estimated birth year: abt 1876
Relationship to Head: Grandson
Mother: Catherine S. Isaacson
Gender: Male
Where born: Peru Lima (British Subject), America
Civil Parish: Freshwater
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Street address: The Rectory
Occupation: Scholar
Registration district: Isle Of Wight
ED, institution, or vessel: 17
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 1188
Folio: 49
Page Number: 4
Household Members:
Name Age
John F. Isaacson 79
Mary R. Isaacson 31
Annie E. Isaacson 29
Catherine S. Isaacson 26
Alfred H. Isaacson 5
Bessie A. Parkhouse 24
Clara B. Farmer 18
Fanny Hills 16
Alice Hills 13

There are various travel records for Henry to and from Peru, Panama, Mollendo, etc, and Alfred's with him in at least one record. Henry's on the UK 1911 census, described as a "South American merchant".

perhaps issacs is a shortened version of issacson.
I wonder what made the girls move to oxfordshire, i presume after fathers death