2nd opinions please - Genealogists' Forum

samesizedfeet · #1 17-11-09, 00:55

I've asked advice on this family before but I've now found a possible marriage on LMA so I've started looking at it again.

My main concern is the change of occupation for the father right at the vital time. I have him on his sons marriage cert as a Labourer in Dec 1871 and father and son together in 1871 census where he's a Bricklayer's Labourer.

On everything earlier than that which I believe is them based on names/places he is a Shoemaker.

It's quite long so here goes (in reverse which is the way I did it)

Marriage of John Walker to Kate Cooley 25 Dec 1871 http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?...c=&pid=4562824

1871

RG10; Piece: 222; Folio: 59; Page: 20

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...5081081_g32768

13 Drummond Crescent, St Pancras
Thomas Walker 59 Bricklayers Labourer B: Hereford
John Walker 23 Carman B: St Pancras Middlesex

1861

Class: RG9; Piece: 112; Folio: 133; Page: 39

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...5081081_g32768

30 Brill Row, Marylebone

Thomas Walker 45, Boot Maker B: Herefordshire
Charles Walker son 14, B: Pancras middlesex
John Walker son 13, B: Pancras MIddlesex

1851

HO107; Piece: 1553; Folio: 353; Page: 5

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin...5081081_g32768

12 West STreet, Stepney

Thomas Walker 39 Shoemaker. B: All Saints
Eliza Walker 42 Laundress. St Clement Danes
harriet Walker 6 Pancras
Charles Walker 4 Pancras
John Walker 2 Pancras

1841 possible for Thomas and Eliza

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?..._l&pid=7284327

POSSIBLE marriage for Thomas Walker, a shoemaker, to Eliza

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?...c=&pid=4019938

Any input would be greatly appreciated as this line has been dead-ended for about 4 years.

marquette · #2 17-11-09, 08:39

If its the change of occupation that is bothering you - in our family, Alfred Collis was a butcher from 1841 to 1859, but later was always described as a gardener until he died in1905. He and his wife had only one child in 1859, and the wife lived until 1925.

I have wondered for a while, if Alfred suffered some kind of injury which prevented him working as a butcher. After becoming a gardener, he and his family lived in very close proximity to his brother Edmund.

Diane

kiterunner · #3 17-11-09, 09:10

Yes, it certainly does look as if it must be him. He may have had to retire from bootmaking for some reason - failing eyesight or dexterity, perhaps?

Phoenix · #4 17-11-09, 10:04

Consider, too, the increasing mechanisation. We had a steam boot factory in Croydon. The trade (and many of the workers) moved up to Northants. It may be that he simply could not make them cheaply enough for it to be worthwhile.

samesizedfeet · #5 17-11-09, 11:58

Steam Boots????? The mind boggles

It occurred to me (in the middle of aqua aerobics - very inconvenient) that if I could work out possible certs for the three children then of course Eliza's maiden name would be on there. So I'm going to look at that and order something as soon as.

If only they weren't so blooming common!