Isabella Shepherd.
 

Hi All,
I have hit another brick wall and would like some help please!!

My Great grandmother was Isabella Shepherd. Born In Garston, Liverpool.
(i believe she was disowned at some point after 1891, by her family, although i don't know why)

On the 1911 Census, I've found her married to my paternal Great grandfather Benjamin Davies.
his occupation was a carter and he was born in Prestatyn, Flintshire.
They had been married for 8 years.
And where living in Shore Cottage, Fulwood Park, Aigburth. with George Baker age 70 who was a brickmaker.
They have two children already Mary Davies aged 5 and Edward Davies aged 2.
And she pregnant with my granddad at the time as he was born on November 11th 1911. His name was George Frederick Davies
Her age on this census was 29. so i guess her birth year was 1882.

Then I can't find her anywhere on the 1901 Census. It is this census that has me completly stumped!

I have on the 1901 Census, who i think was her father William Shepherd. at High Park street, Toxteth Park,
Which i know from my dad was a at some point a family address.
His occupation was a Ship Smith,
he is also living with his sons William J Shepherd aged 21, John Shepherd aged 18
and his daughter Ann Jane Shepherd 31 (who was from a previous marrage, i believe William married 3 times to 1st to Ellen, then Ann and then finally to suzannah)

When i trace William Shepherd to the 1891 Census, (he is the only Shepherd i could find in the census living with a daughter called Isabella)
the rest of the names and William Shepherds occupation of shipsmith would tie in to the 1901 census
However her age on this census Isabellas age is 14, making her birth year about 1877

Is it possible that her age could be our by about 5 years? this seems like a lot.

I have tried to include all the information i know incase someone out there knows something!
Any help finding her in the 1901 Census would be great!
Thanks
Alison

By the time of the 1901 census, Isabella would be a teenager. She could well be out in service somewhere,so not easily spotted as her employers may have been less than accurate when entering her details on the census.

btw, you don't say, have you got her marriage cert, to confirm father's name?

It's quite common to find that people, especially women, have knocked a few years off their age on the census. I've come across a few who have knocked off more than 10 years! Usually, the younger they are the more accurate their age is, especially children.

Hi Phoenix,
No i don't have her marrage or birth cert,
but i am fairly certain that William Shepherd is her father,
I have traced him back quite some way and birth places and names and occupations tie in with things my dad remembers hearing as a child.
Isabella was his grandmother so he spent a lot of time with her when he a child.

If you get the marriage certificate then it should give you Isabella's age when she got married, though it may well just say "Full age" which means 21 or over. Of course it wasn't unknown for people to lie about their age on the marriage certificate too, though.

Alison, you need to buy the certificate to avoid wild goose chases!

Marriages Mar 1903
DAVIES Benjamin
Shepherd Isabella
W. Derby 8b 780

On the 1911 census, Isabella had three living children, but only two with her. Do you know who the third one was?

Even if the details your family give you tally with what you've found on censuses, certificates may give you extra details.

My guess would be that Isabella is in Toxeth area in 1901, just hiding!

As Phoenix says, certificates can provide interesting extra details - the witnesses, the fathers' names and occupations, etc. Also the occupations of the spouses.

I agree with everyone else about getting the marriage certificate to be certain about William.

If her place of birth is correct though, this is the only birth reg I can find 1875 -1885:

Births Sep 1876
SHEPHERD Isabella W. Derby 8b 620

which fits with this 1881 census:

William SHEPHERD Head M 42 Shipsmith Liverpool, Lancashire
Ann Jane SHEPHERD Wife M 30 Dressmaker Liverpool, Lancashire
William J. SHEPHERD Son U 19 m Liverpool, Lancashire
Isabella SHEPHERD Dau U 4 Liverpool, Lancashire
Catherine BRIDSON Boarder U 51 Dressmaker Liverpool, Lancashire

7 Head St Toxteth Park, Liverpool