What were they running, an Orphanage?

[Bob Spiers]

I am not often surprised these days, but when attempting to assist someone asking me to judge whether a 'Stella Adams' connected to my own Adams line, I found in the 1891 Census in Birmingham a total mystery making me ask whether her parents ran an Orphanage..except of course negated somewhat by the fact they are labelled as sons and daughters...and all Adams of course.

Take a peek at the Census extract and you will see what I mean. Make note of where parents and children were born.



In case not clear to view from the extract birth places top to bottom are:

London, Lambeth FATHER
Yorkshire,. Sheffield MOTHER
West Indies (British Subject) DAUGHTER
ditto ditto DAUGHTER
Lancashire (Salford) SON
Ireland DAUGHTER...this is the Stella Evelyn Adams I was investigating and find she was born Ireland?
ditto DAUGHTER
Warwickshire, Birmingham SON (and Birmingham is where they resided in 1891 and thereafter I believe)

The father's occupation appears to be a Guns Maker (why plural) and eldest daughter Matilda (West Indies) a Dress Maker.

I am fairly sure my answer to the other Researcher will be negative ((not related) but I am curious to explain the diversity of birth locations, the son/daughter relationships, were they Foster Parents or much travelled perhaps?

What do others think?

 

[peter]

Presumably the father was in the Army?

 

[Tim]

Birmingham is where BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) was based. Maybe he travelled with work doing commissions?

 

[peter]

Guns Maker (why plural)

He was possibly going to write Gunsmith.

 

[Helen7]

I am curious to explain the diversity of birth locations, the son/daughter relationships, were they Foster Parents or much travelled perhaps?

Probably much travelled with father's work, as has been suggested.

My 2x great-grandfather, his wife and all their 4 children were all born in different parts of the country - Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, London, Lincolnshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire. I thought this odd but it seems he moved around for work (he was a saddler) and the family were living in Derbyshire when he died.

 

[At home in NZ]

What do others think?

In the 1901 census Jane is widowed and her occupation is 'taking in boarders'. However, she has her 80 year old mother living with her and only one person noted as Boarder..
Daughter Matilda has become Melita born in India.
Son Percy is a gunsmith, more than likely following in his father's footsteps. I have instances of that in my own trees.
Daughter Stella born Ireland has changed to Curragh, Ireland. I have found her birth record in irishgenealogy.ie, her father was William Edward Adams, a Staff Armourer with the Liverpool Regiment.
Birthplace Curragh, County Kildare. Therein lies the answer, I believe.

 

[jorghes]

What do others think?

There's also plenty of time between the ages of each of the children to allow for travel time - if they were born at the same time or were the same ages, perhaps it would be a different matter?

 

[Bob Spiers]

In the 1901 census Jane is widowed and her occupation is 'taking in boarders'. However, she has her 80 year old mother living with her and only one person noted as Boarder..
Daughter Matilda has become Melita born in India.
Son Percy is a gunsmith, more than likely following in his father's footsteps. I have instances of that in my own trees.
Daughter Stella born Ireland has changed to Curragh, Ireland. I have found her birth record in irishgenealogy.ie, her father was William Edward Adams, a Staff Armourer with the Liverpool Regiment.
Birthplace Curragh, County Kildare. Therein lies the answer, I believe.

Although I too discovered the 1901 Census ( and the 1911 also although with reduced detail) allowing me to uncover the additional detail, your final revelation from additional research that her father being a Staff Armourer answers - as you say - it all. It also confirms Peter believing an Army connection and Tim's BSA conjecture (I have other ancestors employed there) would have provided food for thought.. But now thanks to you I can dot the 'I's' and cross the 'T's'.

Sadly not a match to my Tree but I will report back to my Contact and see if he has the detail now discovered, so thanks to all.

 

[peter]

More information on Staff Armourers here.

 

[Bob Spiers]

It may be of interest to explain the reason I pursued the question of whether my contact and I had an Adams connection is that there is one on my Spiers side - and supported by DNA. So when asked was there it possible there was also a tie in on my Adams side when one of their marriage connections featured Stella Evelyn Adams, I said although I doubted it very much (I've lost count of the number of times I have pursued similar) I would check it out. The rest you know but I believe the information regarding her parents and siblings will be of interest to my contact.