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My Gt Grandfather, Percy H Allen, appears on the 1901 census along with his mother, Emma, older brother Albert and older sister, Ellen. I also have WW1 military records for Percy.

However, I can not find any trace of them on the 1891 census and I can not find any birth records for the three siblings. They were all born in Hoddesdon, Herts. Emma was born in Yeldham (could be Dedham), in Essex but I don't know her maiden name.

Any tips on where I search from here?

Many thanks, Steve

1891 England Census
about Percy Purr
Name: Percy Purr
Age: 2
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1889
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Emma S
Gender: Male
Where born: Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England

Civil Parish: Hoddesdon
Ecclesiastical parish: St Catherine
Town: Hoddesdon
County/Island: Hertfordshire
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Ware
Sub registration district: Hoddesdon
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Albert Purr 3
Ellen E Purr 8
Emma S Purr 36
Percy Purr 2

birth
Albert Purr 1887 Jul-Aug-Sep Ware Hertfordshire
View Record
Ellen Elizabeth Purr 1885 Jul-Aug-Sep Ware Hertfordshire
View Record
Percy Purr 1889 Jan-Feb-Mar Ware Hertfordshire

Looks as if this is the family, so maybe Emma married someone called Allen and they took that name

1891 England Census
about Percy Purr
Name: Percy Purr
Age: 2
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1889
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Emma S
Gender: Male
Where born: Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England

Civil Parish: Hoddesdon
Ecclesiastical parish: St Catherine
Town: Hoddesdon
County/Island: Hertfordshire
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Ware
Sub registration district: Hoddesdon
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Albert Purr 3
Ellen E Purr 8
Emma S Purr 36
Percy Purr 2


Source Citation: Class: RG12; Piece: 1092; Folio 102; Page 12

Christine

birth
Emma Sarah Spurgin 1853 Jan-Feb-Mar Lexden Essex
1861
Emma Spurgin Henry,
Sarah abt 1853 Dedham, Essex, England Daughter Dedham, Essex
marriage
Emma Sarah Spurgin 1879 Jul-Aug-Sep Lexden Essex
Joel Purr

Emma Spurgin born in Dedham Essex married Joel Purr in 1879 registered in Lexden Essex 3rd qtr ref. 4a 479
Percy Purr birth Ware Herts 1889 1st qtr ref. 3a 450
Albert Purr Ware 1887 3rd qtr ref. 3a 421
Ellen Elizabeth Ware1885 3rd qtr ref. 3a 397.

Can see no marriage for Purr and Allen but will just check for a death for Joel Purr.

Have looked for a Joel Purr death but cannot see one. I cannot find Emma and Joel on the 1881 census either.

Birth reference for Emma Sarah Spurgin 1853 1st qtr Lexden Essex ref. 4a 233

Hope this all helps you. I will continue looking for you later this morning.

Thanks to everyone for your replies. Certainly came as a shock to learn about the Purr connection. Nobody in my family has ever mentioned this before.

The only way to go on this is to buy the marriage cert for Emma and Joel.

Can see no record of Joel before his wedding, either on census or birth reg. Once you have the cert you can find his fathers name and his own age to try and trace back. Certainly no record of a death for him unless he is under another name.

I have looked on the complete death index from 1889 when Percy was born thro to 1891 census where Emma is showing as a widow and the only male Purr death I can see is a James Purr in Mildenhall Suffolk age 55 1891 1st qtr. ???

A baby boy Percy Frederick W Purr died in Stow Suffolk 1st qtr of 1900 age 0 so under a year. Possibly born to Ellen.

There is a marriage for Ellen Elizabeth Purr in 1902 Stow Suffolk 4th qtr ref. 4a 1809. As there are two marriages listed on the page I cannot tell which groom was hers. Its either Robert Armstrong or Clarence Abner Bailey.

My own g grandmother used a different name to the one she should have done and it too came as a shock to me when I found out 2 years ago. She died in 1946 aged 91 having conned her own daughter and grandchildren one of whom was my mum.

Thanks Julie.

I have found Joel's parents - William Purr and Elizabeth radford. Like you though, I can find nothing on Joel's death. Maybe he and Emma divorced. The Allen bit is still a mystery!

Steve

Is this who you think is Joel and his parents?

1861 England Census
about Jall Purr
Name: Jall Purr
Age: 9
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1852
Relation: Son
Father's Name: William P
Mother's Name: Elizabeth
Gender: Male
Where born: Chippenham, Cambridgeshire, England

Civil Parish: Chippenham
Ecclesiastical parish: Ely
County/Island: Cambridgeshire
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Newmarket
Sub registration district: Soham
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 28
Household Members: Name Age
Cornelius Purr 2
Eliza Purr 19
Elizabeth Purr 45
Isabella Purr 17
Jall Purr 9
William P Purr 43


Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 1035; Folio: 6; Page: 6;

Christine

Thanks Christine.

Whoever tranferred the information from the official census onto the typed version, incorrectly spelt his name. I have a copy of the 1861 census and it shows the name as Joel. I've also been informed that he died in India around1890 hence why no death record can be found for him.

Still no trace of who the step-father was though.

Steve