ARC tbc - Disappearing Judds
Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 3:43 pm
I have struggled with this for a couple of years now and would welcome any help
My great grandfather was called Walter Richard Judd and I have located him on the 1881 and 1891 census, the last one shows him as a 19 year old living at home and working as a railway porter. The next bit of paper trail I have is his marriage certificate showing him marrying an Emily French in 1892 and his occupation as a porter and the birth certificate of their son, Walter Ernest Judd arriving a couple of months later. I traced back Emily in the 1881 and 1891 census as well. Both are from London.
At this point the trail ends for both Walter Richard Judd and Emily Judd (nee French) until 1915 when my grandfather, Walter Ernest Judd marries and his father, Walter Richard Judd is shown as deceased. I have searched through the 1901 and 1911 census and they don't appear there and I have searched the death register between 1892, the date of his marriage to Emily, to 1915, the date of the marriage of his son and I can't find a death record for a Walter Richard Judd (or variations) or Emily Judd. It is possible that Walter Richard Judd died first and Emily remarried and this makes tracing her very difficult. I did search the marriage registers for an Emily Judd but found nothing.
The 1901 census shows Walter Ernest Judd as a 9-year-old now living in Dover as a 'boarder' in a house occupied by people with no known connection to the Judd or French family that I know of. This begs the question: is his mother now dead and, if so, why hadn't the extended families of the parents look after the child?
The final clue I have is that Walter Richard Judd's occupation is shown on his son's marriage certificate as a 'Bell Diver' - a hazardous occupation. The male householder of the house in Dover in 1901 where my grandfather lived is shown as being a diver. Coincidence? There was a lot of work going on in Dover constructing the harbour over a couple of decades.
I have come up against a brick wall. Any ideas please?
My great grandfather was called Walter Richard Judd and I have located him on the 1881 and 1891 census, the last one shows him as a 19 year old living at home and working as a railway porter. The next bit of paper trail I have is his marriage certificate showing him marrying an Emily French in 1892 and his occupation as a porter and the birth certificate of their son, Walter Ernest Judd arriving a couple of months later. I traced back Emily in the 1881 and 1891 census as well. Both are from London.
At this point the trail ends for both Walter Richard Judd and Emily Judd (nee French) until 1915 when my grandfather, Walter Ernest Judd marries and his father, Walter Richard Judd is shown as deceased. I have searched through the 1901 and 1911 census and they don't appear there and I have searched the death register between 1892, the date of his marriage to Emily, to 1915, the date of the marriage of his son and I can't find a death record for a Walter Richard Judd (or variations) or Emily Judd. It is possible that Walter Richard Judd died first and Emily remarried and this makes tracing her very difficult. I did search the marriage registers for an Emily Judd but found nothing.
The 1901 census shows Walter Ernest Judd as a 9-year-old now living in Dover as a 'boarder' in a house occupied by people with no known connection to the Judd or French family that I know of. This begs the question: is his mother now dead and, if so, why hadn't the extended families of the parents look after the child?
The final clue I have is that Walter Richard Judd's occupation is shown on his son's marriage certificate as a 'Bell Diver' - a hazardous occupation. The male householder of the house in Dover in 1901 where my grandfather lived is shown as being a diver. Coincidence? There was a lot of work going on in Dover constructing the harbour over a couple of decades.
I have come up against a brick wall. Any ideas please?
Is this Walter Ernest