Mrs Maxwell's address

[miss marple]

As there is no marriage record for Henry and Caroline and he was a Catholic, as they had only been in Spitalfields for three years is it possible they came from Ireland?

Miss Marple

[Debra A]

As there is no marriage record for Henry and Caroline and he was a Catholic, as they had only been in Spitalfields for three years is it possible they came from Ireland?

Miss Marple

Definitely one possibility I'd say, MM.
I noted that Ancestry have a database of London, Church of England deaths and burials, taken from various sources and was a bit puzzled when Henry Maxwell's death details appeared in there but the actual record was the death register of Whitechapel Infirmary and not from any C of E source.

[miss marple]

Is that because he was Catholic? If he was not C of E why would they have a record? That seems to confirm the possibility that he was not known in parish registers. So the Irish connection is looking likely. There were Maxwell's in Ireland.

Miss Marple

[Debra A]

Is that because he was Catholic? If he was not Cof E why would they have a record?

Miss Marple

There is no C of E record. Ancestry have titled the database London Church of England deaths and burials but the database includes things such as the Whitechapel Infirmary death registers, which are part of the collection of registers kept by the Infirmaries and workhouses to record deaths that occurred of inmates and patients of any religion. Ancestry's title for the database as a whole is misleading that's all, but it had me puzzled for a moment why he would be in there.

[Paddy]

The Caroline of Bermondsey was the daughter of George Maxwell a lighterman and Sarah How.
Her older brother was Henry William Maxwell also a Lighterman who married Mary Ann Steers.
Brother and Sister ?

Pat.......

[Paddy]

Henry is in Wapping with wife and three boys in 1881..

Pat..............

[miss marple]

Having reviewed all the census records i think it is very likely that Caroline Maxwell was Henry Maxwell's sister rather than wife.This my scenario. His wife Mary Ann died in 1885 leaving him with five children to raise and he called on his unmarried sister to help him. The family were all Bermondsey based. Henry had been a Thames lighterman like his father George, a lighter was a flat bottomed barge and required great skill to operate. Lighterman had their own Guild and it would have been well paid. If for some reason Henry was ill and could not continue, he died in 89, he moved to Spitalfields after 1885 [ hence three years there] with family and got a less demanding job as a lodging house keeper. Perhaps Caroline posed as his wife because the job required a husband and wife team.So to go back to the census starting 1851

1851 Bermondsey
George Maxwell 34 born Bermondsey lighterman living at Providence Place
Sarah Maxwell 33 wife born Bermondsey
George 11 Bermondsey
Henry 6
Charles J 3
Caroline 2
Thomas 0 all born Bermondsey
1861 Bermondsey
The elder children have left
George 44 lighterman born Rotherhide
Sarah wife 33 Bermondsey
Caroline 12 Bermondsey
Thomas 10 Bermondsey
By 1871 Sarah is a widow i have not find Georges death cert, i think he died in 1869 but Sarah is an annuitant. I think she received a pension on her husband's death. He might have had an accident. Need to check that. she is living at home with two of her sons, Thomas 20 an apprentice and William 11 a scholar. Caroline age 22 born Bermondsey is working as a servant to Charles Richardson, a commercial traveller age 26 and his wife Emma 29 and children.They are living in Sussex, all the family come from Bermondsey. She has a younger sister Esther,19 who is not on the earlier censuses[ she may have been at school] Esther is working as a servant to Roger Scott a solicitor, in Bermondsey
1881 Southwark living at Willow Walk
Sarah 63 Annuitant widow born Bermondsey
Caroline 32 envelope maker
Esther 29 workwoman baker in biscuit factory
Golden 22 [ i think that is a mistranscribe have not looked at the original] solicitors clerk
William 21 wharf clerk. I think this is a family on the up into the middle classes. They appear respectable and hardworking.
1881 Census for Henry Maxwell
Henry Maxwell age 36 lighterman born Bermondsey
Mary wife age 29
George age 11 [ all children born Wapping ]
Henry 6
Charles J 3
Caroline 2
Thomas 0

I think it is Caroline born Bermondsey age 39 single who appears as a matron in the 1891 census at St Michael's Stockwell Bow. She had had the skills having been a servant and a lodging house keeper, She was very respectable and would have had good references.

Miss Marple

[miss marple]

Just to add that i checked the actual census records on Ancestry and am adding more children to the 1861 Census that was over the page Thomas 10 Esther 8 Anne 4 Golden 3[ yes that is his name] and William 1. This ancestry still be wrong in that Henry in this family mayNnot be lodging house Henry.
The Henry in the infirmary is described as a Catholic, this family does not appear to be Catholic, [Golden's son married in C of E in 1911] So it still could be that Henry and Caroline came from Ireland.

Miss Marple

[MrBarnett]

Just to add that i checked the actual census records on Ancestry and am adding more children to the 1861 Census that was over the page Thomas 10 Esther 8 Anne 4 Golden 3[ yes that is his name] and William 1. This ancestry still be wrong in that Henry in this family mayNnot be lodging house Henry.
The Henry in the infirmary is described as a Catholic, this family does not appear to be Catholic, [Golden's son married in C of E in 1911] So it still could be that Henry and Caroline came from Ireland.

Miss Marple

Let us know when you’ve researched it properly. Who knows, it may be relevant.