by Kelly80 » Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:53 am
OK. So I have a nice uncommon surname here to research. Easy peasy I hear you say, but, apparently somewhat elusive on census, BMD records etc.
Here is what I know on this branch of my family.
My mothers father was Leonard George Doubtfire, b.20 Jan 1931, 42 Harman Street, Shoreditch, London.
Leonard had two brothers, John W and James, and two sisters Shirley and Irene.
Their parents were John Doubtfire b. 10th July 1907, Shoreditch London and Mary Ann Elizabeth Challis, b.7th Nov 1908, Hackney.
John's father was also called John Doubtfire. He was born 2nd October 1884 in Islington. I have his marriage and birth certificate.
John married Ann Roylance on 7th October 1906 in St Anne's Church, Shoreditch. John senior is on the 1907 census living at 85 Hours St, Haggerston, Shoreditch and working as a general labourer.
John seniors father was Richard Doubtfire who was born 20th July 1849, at 4 Teale Street, Bethnal Green, London. I have Richards birth certificate.
Richard is on the 1861 census as an 11 year old boy working with his father at 'West Yard' as a labourer. They lived at Barton Court, Shoreditch. - very poor family I'm afraid, and all illiterate as they were signing certificates with the mark 'X'.
Richard married Harriet Hemmingway on 27th December 1870 at St James the Great Church, Bethnal Green.
Richards father was also Richard Doubtfire. I believe Richard senior was born about 1821 in St Lukes, Middlesex. I can't find a birth record for him or his parents names.
Richard senior married Sarah Earl (as shown on Richard juniors birth certificate). I have a possible death record for Richard senior as Vol.1c/pg.83 Apr/May/Jun 1881, Shoreditch.
I will order this certificate.
Richard and Sarah possibly had 6 children that I'm aware of. Richard Doubtfire (my ancestor) b.1849, Mary Ann Doubtfire b. 8th November 1857 Bethnal Green, Robert and William Doubtfire (twins) born 24th February 1864 in Shoreditch, Ann and Harriet Doubtfire (also twins) born 20th November 1870 in Hoxton. I can't be sure these are all from the same family as there is another Richard and Sarah Doubtfire living in the same area at that time, but that Sarah is a Sarah Tyler. So I need to try and find birth records for all of these children to either include them in the tree of discount them. I only have entries from a baptism record for them and that doesn't show the mothers maiden name unfortunately.
Mary Ann Doubtfire is 3 years old on the 1861 census return with Richard junior, Richard senior and mother Sarah. So that looks pretty solid.
I believe Sarah Earl was born about 1831 in Shoreditch, but I'm unsure.
Now I'm struggling to find any reference of Richard Doubtfire marrying Sarah Earl. I can't find many census returns for them at all (missing 1851, 1871, 1881, 1891), and I have no parent information, birth records, baptism records etc for them. I've hit a brick wall.
I have noticed that a lot of the census returns that do come up as Doubtfire (although not related as far as I can tell) are often misread and spelt wrong on the online record. This seems to be hindering my progress a lot.
Banging my head on the wall now. Help?!