Genealogy Chat

Apologies for the length of this post. I would very much like to know your thoughts regarding my problem.

Known facts about my g grandmother :- Born 1870 Ann/ie McNeil. Known as Harley. Her children were taken in to care late 1911. She never married my g grandfather (Ben Hipwell b.1865 Rugby) Died Leicester Jan 1915 aged 44 years. Located on 1901 census in Warwick with my g grandfather & grandfather under name of Hipwell (mis-enumerated as Benhipnel) where it is stated she was born in Ireland.

I found what I believed to be her marriage to a Samuel Henry Harley in B’ham 1890 – which would explain why she was known as Harley (as were the children).
I then located Annie & Samuel on the 1891 census living with Annie’s family in B’ham . On the census (as with previous ones) this Annie was born in Dudley.
With them in 1891, is Annie’s illegitimate son Henry McNeil. On14/09/1900 Samuel Harley died. On 31/10/1900. Little Henry McNeil along with his ‘brother / step-brother’ (aged 8 yrs) was admitted to Marston Green Cottage Homes on the grounds of desertion.
As my grandfather (Annie & Ben’s oldest child) was born 1899, I assumed that Annie must have left her husband & two sons around this time and when her husband died, she did not go to claim the boys – hence the desertion.
If I put the born in Ireland on the 1901 census down as a mistake (after all they were in a Lodging House) everything else fitted and I was sure I had got the right family. Only problem is, on the 1911 census she is still saying she was born in Ireland – Dublin to be exact.
What do you think – have I got the wrong family?

Thought I'd put this on to nudge it up -

Births Sep 1870 (>99%)
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McNeal Ann Dudley 6c 114

1881

Benjamin HIPWELL Head M Male 34 Rugby, Warwick, England Bricklayers Labourer
Eliza HIPWELL Wife M Female 35 Stratford On Avon, Warwick, England Keeps The House
Annie HIPWELL Daur Female 11 Rugby, Warwick, England Scholar
William HIPWELL Son Male 10 Rugby, Warwick, England Scholar
Edith HIPWELL Daur Female 9 Rugby, Warwick, England Scholar
Charles STANTON Father In Law W Male 71 Atterbury, Oxford, England Shoemaker


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Source Information:
Dwelling 7 Rosefield Ter.
Census Place Leamington Priors, Warwick, England
Family History Library Film 1341737
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 3092 / 67
Page Number 17

1881

Benjamin HIPWELL Head M Male 57 Carthorpe, Warwick, England Bricklayer
Hannah HIPWELL Wife M Female 55 Walsall, Stafford, England Gun Stock Polisher
Louisa BIRCH Daur U Female 16 Bham, Warwick, England Factory Hand (Lab)
Charles STACY Boarder U Male 42 London, Middlesex, England Dealer General


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Source Information:
Dwelling No9 Ct 17 Price St
Census Place Birmingham, Warwick, England
Family History Library Film 1341717
Public Records Office Reference RG11
Piece / Folio 3000 / 137
Page Number 37

Wilma - The reference you have found is the one I have the cert for. Date of birth 22/06/1870 (n.b. 2 days after her parents' marriage) Registered on 01/08/1870 and the place of birth was 5 Belper ?? Yard Dudley.
Ann - The Benjamin Hipwell you have found on the 1881 census living at Price St. Is my gg grandfather with his second wife and one of her daughters. His first wife (my gg grandmother) died in 1874 after which, I am unable to trace my g grandfather (also Ben Hipwell) untill the birth of my grandfather in 1899.

As there is no birth registered in the Dudley area for a Ann or Annie McNeil around 1870, or any McNeil in fact. Also she doesn't seem to Appear on any census forms 1871/1881 it is likely she could have been born in Ireland

But there is this one -

Surnames were often mis-transcribed -

Births Sep 1870 (>99%)
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McNeal Ann Dudley 6c 114

Wilma I missed that one, I have now found a NcNeal family living in Dudley
Lodgers with the Conry family from Ireland

Henry Mc Neal 1843 Born Dudley occ Labourer
Mary Mcneal 1849 Born Dudley
Ann Mcneal 1870 Born Dudley

1881 census

Henry McNale age 39 b 1842 Bricklayers Labourer b Dudley
Mary McNale age 33 b 1848 b Dudley
Annie McNale age 11 b 1870 b Dudley
Mary McNale age 7 b 1874 b Dudley
Julia McNale age 4 b 1877 b Dudley
Sarah McNale age 1 b 1880 b Dudley

Living 4, Court, 1 Belper Yard, Dudley

Angela,

looks as though Jean may have found the correct 1881 census. The address more or less ties with the birth certificate address you mentioned.