Mary Ann Edwards Explanation

5. William Edwards 1805 Woolwich [1861 Census Camberwell Tailor]. 5. Mary Ann Edwards Cr 7 Feb 1836 Born in Dullingham, Cambridge to 6 July 1930 in Plumstead. ..6. Frederick William Edwards 1862 Born in Chatham, Kent to 4th Jan 1939 in Plumstead. ..6. Charles Edwards 1869 Born in Plumstead, Woolwich, Kent to 16th June 1953 in Plumstead.

All relatives descending from Frederick William Edwards and Charles Edwards appear to be factual. There are no apparent birth certificates proving that Mary Ann Edwards is the mother of the two boys Frederick William and Charles Edwards. Therefore, other than Mary's word on the census documents, there is no proof they are her sons or that they are brothers [full, half or neither]. There is of yet, no proof of any marriage undertook by Mary. Although it has not been positively proved it is more than a probability that we have the correct Mary Anne due to the link with Dullingham in Cambridge. All parish records have been trawled to eliminate other Mary's that were recorded. Parish records for Dullingham   Name Born Died Married Household         James Edwards 1811 1846 1830 Head         Susan Edwards 1809   1830 Wife         Francis Edwards 1829     Son         James Giles Edwards 1833     Son         Mary Ann Edwards 1836     Daughter         Elizabeth Edwards 1839     Daughter         William Edwards 1844     Son       Census Name Location Age Year Household Condition Occupation Place of Birth   1841 James Edwards Dullingham 25 1816   Agricultural Labourer Dullingham   Susan Edwards   25 1816     Dullingham   James Edwards   5 1836     Dullingham   Mary Edwards   3 1838     Dullingham   Elizabeth Edwards   1 1840     Dullingham   1851 Susan Edwards Dullingham 41 1811 Head Widower Pauper Dullingham   James Edwards 17 1834 Son Unmarried Agriculture Labourer Dullingham   Mary Ann Edwards   15 1836 Daughter Unmarried   Dullingham   Elizabeth Edwards   11 1840 Daughter Unmarried Scholar Dullingham   William Edwards 7 1834 Son Unmarried Scholar Dullingham   1861 William Edwards Camberwell 56 1805 Head Widower Tailor Woolwich   Mary Ann Edwards   25 1836 Daughter* Unmarried None Dullingham, Cambridge   1871 Margaret Gordon Plumstead 58 1813 Head Female Washerwoman Cork, Ireland   Mary Ann Edwards   25 1836 Daughter Widow None Cambridge   Frederick Edwards   9 1863 Son*   None Chatham, Kent   Charles Edwards   2 1869 Son*   None Plumstead, Kent   1881 Mary A Edwards Plumstead 42 1838 Head Widow Tailoress Cambridge, Cambs   Frederick Edwards   19 1862 Son Unmarried Labourer Chatham, Kent   Charles Edwards   12 1869 Son Unmarried Scholar Plumstead, Kent   1891 Mary Ann Edwards Plumstead 49 1842 Head Widow Washerwoman Dullingham, Cambridge   Charles Edwards   22 1869 Son Unmarried Scholar Plumstead, Kent   1901 Mary Ann Edwards Plumstead 60 1841 Head Widow Retired Newmarket, Cambridge Before making any assumptions, there is something to bear in mind regarding any entry post 1871 of any certificate or census. That is, by the 1871 census, Mary Ann was seemingly widowed making her two boys aged nine and two years of age at this time. All information later stemming from the two boys, in relation to their father, has obviously come from Mary herself. For example, when they came to fill in their Wedding Certificates and when Frederick witnessed Mary's death certificate, they relied on information supplied verbally from Mary. From the search of the Parish records of Dullingham it revealed that Mary Ann Edwards was christened on 7th February 1836. On her death certificate she appears to have died 6 July 1930. This makes Mary's life span at least 94 years. However, on her Death Certificate she has been noted as being 88 years old by her eldest son Frederick William Edwards. Transcription errors* Enumeration forms were issued to all households a couple of days before 31st March 1901 and the completed forms were collected the next day. All of the details from the individual forms were later sorted and copied into enumerators' books, which are the records upon which research is based. The original householders forms were destroyed. There occurs many transcription errors whereby that the enumerator had often altered the entry onto the schedules or placed marks across important information when he was forming his count. There are two such alterations pertaining to Mary and her two boys. a. In the 1861 census it appears as though he was about to write 'wife' for Mary and changed his mind to Daughter, perhaps after running his eye across the disparity in ages. b. The entry in the 1871 census describing the boys status has been written over indicating the Enumerator was having problems identifying the relationship with them and the Head of the Household. The closest conclusion I have arrived at is that the word 'Sons' were first entered and then overlapped with the words 'infant' by the Enumerator [to correct the obvious error of the relationship with Margaret] although one of the entries does seem to suggest 'adopt'. I have trawled on many occasions looking for the wedding certificate of Mary Ann Edwards and William Edwards without success. This is not conclusive, even though suspicious. As with the birth of her sons, it could be the wedding took place and was never registered. Family rumour suggests he was a musician, but if we are to suggest from the 1861 census that this William was the Father, then his occupation was that of Tailor at this point in time. There are however, two birth certificates that fit the period for both Frederick and Charles with different sets of parents. There are then a variety of scenarios for either or both these certificates to fit. So far, I cannot establish any marital information or proof related to these certificates. The parents of this Charles are Thomas Edwards and Mary Ann Wilson. For Frederick it has been partially more hopeful. It can be seen that the parents of this particular Fredrick were called William Edwards and Maria Baker. Back in my early days this was one of the first Birth Certificates I purchased. Intitally I thought perhaps there was a mistake on the Registrar for Maria instead of Mary A and guess there is still an outside chance. In 1871, Mary Ann Edwards is living a few streets away from her brother Francis in Plumstead. Both have seemingly travelled from Cambridge with Francis possibly arriving a few years ahead of Mary Ann and marrying Sarah Cheesman from Sevenoaks in Kent. In 1861 Francis is living at Essex Place in Plumstead, enjoys a stay in Villas Road, Plumstead, is resident in the area for the 1861 and 1871 Census and by the 1881 Census has moved to Hampstead.

Registration Districts Lewisham Created 1st July 1837. In Kent until 1889. Sub-districts : Eltham; Lee; Lewisham; Lewisham Village; Plumstead; Sydenham. GRO volumes : V (1837-51); 1d (1852-1930). Charlton (1837-68), Eltham, Kidbrooke (1837-68), Lee, Lewisham, Mottingham (1837-87), Plumstead (1837-68), Sydenham. Registers now in Lewisham, Greenwich and Bromley districts. Woolwich Created 1st July 1868 (out of Greenwich and Lewisham districts). In Kent until 1889. Sub-districts : Charlton; Plumstead East; Plumstead West; Woolwich; Woolwich Arsenal; Woolwich Dockyard. GRO volumes : 1d (1868-1930). Charlton, Kidbrooke, Plumstead, Woolwich. Registers now in Greenwich district. Greenwich Created 1st July 1837. In Kent and Surrey until 1889. Sub-districts : Deptford Central; Deptford East; Deptford North; Deptford South; Greenwich East; Greenwich West; St. Nicholas Deptford; St. Paul Deptford; Woolwich Dockyard; Woolwich Arsenal. GRO volumes : V (1837-51); 1d (1852-1930). Deptford St. Nicholas, Deptford St. Paul, Greenwich, Hatcham, Woolwich (1837-68) Registers now in Greenwich and Lewisham districts. Roger Edwards