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Hi Greyghost......thanks so much for your research. The 1871 census shows Emily with her mother Hannah - I must check out this because Emily is there with her mother in 1881, along with sister Lizzie. Rhoda is referred to as Jane and I understand that she was often referred to as Jane, not Rhoda.

Rhoda born 1870, father not named on birth certificate....yes it could indicate that someone else was the father, but not necessarily so. Rhoda was the last child born to Emily and I think perhaps, she had endured enough from her roughneck husband. Constantly in and out of prison, indeed in 1870 the year that Rhoda was born, Lewis Derrett was beaten up in a fight and his assailant went to jail for a fortnight to cool off. Later on lewis himself was back in Jail......probably a love hate relationship. I was just hoping that perhaps someone from the Hancock/Derrett families might be members of this site and be able to add some personal info.
Perhaps the 1871 census will show Emily and her two girls as visitors.
The person who has gone on Wiki to say that Rhoda was illegitimate, mentions a son Thomas born 1866, and yes there was a Thomas Derrett b. 1866 in Dursley, but whether this is their son, without a birth cert, cannot be proven, BUT he does not appear in any census data that I can find, I would have thought he would show up in 1871 living with either of his parents, but cannot find him at all. I believe that Lewis fathered Rhoda Jane but that Emily spitefully did not name him as Dad.
Thank you again for all your really useful detail. Have to try and get into a site with baptism records for Wotton Under Edge and see what Emily put in church records for Rhoda...........

Looks like Emily and her daughters stayed within the Hancock family. Lewis is a lodger elsewhere in Wootton in 1881. Says married.

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Back Lane, Wotton under Edge, Dursley, Gloucestershire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Hannah Hancock Head Widow Female 60 1821 Pauper North Nibley, Gloucestershire, England
Emily Derrett Daughter Married Female 38 1843 Charwoman Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England
Lizzie Derrett Grand Daughter Single Female 16 1865 Silk Weaver Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England
Jane Derrett Grand Daughter Single Female 10 1871 Silk Winder & Scholar Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, England
Rhoda Walker Lodger Single Female 16 1865 Silk Winder Cirencester, Gloucestershire, England

Lewis is in Dursley in 1871. He is listed as Head of the Household although on his own. Could it just be that Emily was staying with her parents with 2 young children at the time?

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Sinwell Lane, Wotton under Edge, Dursley, Gloucestershire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Lewis Derrett Head - Male 48 1823 - Gloucestershire, England

It's unlikely that anyone connected will just happen by your post.

Your best bet for finding Hancocks is to use the Search facility top right of this page and then Search all members trees. If you get matches you can send a message to the tree owner - unfortunately not guaranteed to get to them or if it does, to get a reply.

Elizabeth and James were registered with the surname Derrett and mmn as Hancock.
(Elizabeth previously posted)

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname: Order:
DERRETT, ELIZABETH SARAH HANCOCK Order
GRO Reference: 1864 S Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 06A Page 185

DERRETT, JAMES HANCOCK Order
GRO Reference: 1866 J Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 06A Page 201

DERRETT, RHODA JANE - Order
GRO Reference: 1870 D Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 06A Page 202 Order
No mmn
---------------------------------
James died
Name: Age at Death (in years): Order:
DERRETT, JAMES 0 Order
GRO Reference: 1866 S Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 06A Page 118 Order

This looks to e the 1871 census. The original says Emily is Married

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Old Town Tabernacle Pitch, Wotton under Edge, Dursley, Gloucestershire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
James Hancock Head - Male 55 1816 - Devon, England
Hannah Hancock Wife - Female 55 1816 - Gloucestershire, England
Emily Derrett Daughter - Female 31 1840 - Gloucestershire, England
Elizabeth Derrett Granddaughter - Female 6 1865 - Gloucestershire, England
Rhoda J Derrett Granddaughter - Female 0 1871 - Gloucestershire, England

Rhoda listed as age 4 months

Hi folks,
have been re-reading all of the above, as a person here in NZ has published online details of my Gt. Grandmother Rhoda Jane Derrett b 1870 Wotton under Edge, and married Alfred Smith 1892. She died in 1897. Marriage cert gives her father as Lewis Derrett, b. 1822 to James and Hezibbhar. there is confusion because two cousins were named Lewis, the older one bborn 1816. The birth cert for Rhoda jane does not name a father, and Emily Hancock the mother does not give her maiden name of Hancock, just advises name is Emily Derrett. She was not able to sign any registration papers, just a mark, which is recorded on the birth cert.
Emily and Lewis seemed to be at odds, he was convicted of assaulting him, and he was a petty criminal, often in jail for several months at a time. She could have not named him out of spite. There were two previous children born prior to Rhoda jane, and I assume, although cannot accurately say, that Lewis 1822 was given as the father, as i have not sighted those birth certs. All websites give both Emily and Lewis as parents to Rhoda Jane.......
Just wondering if there are any Wotton Under Edge people out there who might come from the Hancock family who can remember older relatives speaking of this situation etc.......I cannot find any baptism record for Rhoda, nor any evidence by way of census data that this couple ever lived together on Census nights - perhaps they did at other times, just not on census nights. Just when i thought I had got the Derretts all sorted out.........

there are trees on ancestry with lewis derrett etc
father of lewis
Name James Derrett
Gender Male
Event Type Baptism
Father James Derrett
Mother Prudence Derrett
Baptism Date Sep 1787
Baptism Place Dursley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England
Denomination Independent
Piece Title Piece 0771: Dursley, The Tabernacle (Independent), 1754-1825

Name James Derrett
Gender Male
Event Type Marriage
Marriage Date 25 Sep 1807
Marriage Place Kingswood, Gloucestershire, England
Parish as it Appears Kingswood
Register Type Bishop's Transcripts
Spouse Ebsee Wright
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Map 3092

his parents
Name James Derrett
Birth Year abt 1753
Death Year abt 1837
Death Age 84
Burial Date 10 Jan 1837
Parish Kingswood, Gloucestershire, England
Register Type Bishop's Transcripts
Household Members
Name Age
James Derrett

Name James Derrett
Gender Male
Marriage Date 17 Dec 1775
Event Type Marriage
Parish Kingswood, near Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire
Parish as it Appears Kingswood
Register Type Parish Registers
Household Members
Name Age
James Derrett
Prudence Hale

Name Prudence Derrett
Birth Year abt 1755
Death Year abt 1830
Death Age 75
Burial Date 29 Oct 1830
Parish Kingswood, near Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire, England
Parish as it Appears Kingswood
Register Type Parish Registers
Household Members
Name Age
Prudence Derrett

EMILY
Last name HANCOCK
Marriage quarter 1
Marriage year 1864
Registration month -
MarriageFinder™ EMILY HANCOCK married one of these people
, Lewis Derrett
District Dursley
District number -
County Gloucestershire
Country England
Volume 6A
Page 315
Record set England & Wales Marriages 1837-2005
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Marriages & divorces
Collections from Great Britain, England
© brightsolid online publishing ltd

So her husband had the same parents as Llewelyn

Lewis
Last name Derrett
Birth year 1822
Birth date 11 Jul 1822
Baptism year 1822
Baptism date 10 Nov 1822
Place Wootton under Edge
Denomination Presbyterian
Father's first name(s) James
Mother's first name(s) Hephseh
County Gloucestershire
Country England
The National Archives reference TNA/RG/4/712
Description GLOUCESTER: Wootton under Edge, Old Town Meeting House (Presbyterian): Births & Baptisms
Record set England & Wales Non-Conformist Births And Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain, England
© DC Thomson Family History

So in the same area

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
The Steep, Wotton under Edge, Dursley, Gloucestershire, England


Emily Derrett Head Married Female 50 1841 Charwoman Gloucestershire, England
Rhoda Derrett Daughter Single Female 20. 1871. Silk cleaner Gloucestershire England


Looks like mum was single

Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
DERRETT, RHODA JANE -
GRO Reference: 1870 D Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 06A Page 202

But sister Elizabeth

DERRETT, ELIZABETH SARAH HANCOCK
GRO Reference: 1864 S Quarter in DURSLEY Volume 06A Page 185

You say you have done extensive research so what are you looking for exactly so we don't duplicate what you already know

Just a quick look found this


First name(s) Llewelin
Last name Derrett
Birth year 1826
Birth date 14 Nov 1826
Baptism year 1826
Baptism date 05 Dec 1826
Place Wootton under Edge
Birth place as transcribed Wotton Underedge
Denomination Calvinistic Methodist
Father's first name(s) James
Mother's first name(s) Hephzibah
County Gloucestershire
Country England
The National Archives reference TNA/RG/4/396
Description GLOUCESTER: Wootton under Edge, Tabernacle (Calvinistic Methodist): Births & Baptisms
Record set England & Wales Non-Conformist Births And Baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain, England
© DC Thomson Family History

I have done quite extensive research for other family members who have Rhoda Jane Derrett in their family tree. she was briefly married to Alfred Edward Smith and my grandmother flora was their daughter. Are there are any other researchers out there who have any of the Derretts, Hancocks or Smiths in their family tree. I have a forebear named Llewellyn Derrett, and was surprised to find that there was another chap of this name, right here in NZ who gave his place of birth as Edge, Gloucestershire.......so wonder just where he fitted in. There is even a Derretts Cottage which is run as a B&B.
Any info would be appreciated.....