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John Thomas Pratt married Ellen Ball in 1892 whilst living in Aldershot. Had three children - one being my Grandmother - Ethel Pratt (adopted and brought up as Queenie Dear)
John served as a soldier in the Northampton Regiment and may have died in the Boer War.
Johns father was also a John Pratt and gives his profession as a Publican in 1892.
Would be grateful for any information particularly where John Thomas was born.
Many thanks

Tony

1891 England Census
about Thomas Pratt
Name: Thomas Pratt
Age: 54
Estimated birth year: abt 1837
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England

Civil parish: Bow
Ecclesiastical parish: St Marks
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Poplar
Sub-registration district: Bow
ED, institution, or vessel: 24
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Pratt 54
Ann Pratt 53
John T Pratt 23
Annie Pratt 19
Jane Pratt 15
Charlotte Pratt 15
Rose E Pratt 12


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1871 England Census
about John T Pratt
Name: John T Pratt
Age: 3
Estimated birth year: abt 1868
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Thomas
Mother's Name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: St Albans, Hertfordshire, England
Civil parish: St Peter
Town: St Albans
County/Island: Hertfordshire
Country: England
Registration district: St Albans
Sub-registration district: St Albans
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Household schedule number: 111
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Pratt 35
Ann Pratt 34
Elizabeth Pratt 13
William Pratt 7
George Pratt 5
John T Pratt 3
Sarah Bearton 17
Michael Smith 28


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1911 census
John Thomas Pratt born 1868 St Albans Herts signal fitter
wife Ellen born 1870 Haggerstone
Alfred Ernest 1894
Florence Miriam 1896
Doris Ivy 1903 Living at 17 Maryland Square West Ham

Birth corresponding to this John Thomas Pratt:- JAS 1867 St Albans Herts 3a p 339

Many thanks for the replies.
I already have the marriage certificate which gives Johns age as 23.
This certificate also names Johns Father as John (again) whos profession is a Publican.
Ellen Ball was born in 1873 in Devonport.
Tony

I haven't checked this one out thoroughly as yet:
1881 Ancestry
Name: John Pratt
Age: 39
Estimated birth year: abt 1842
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Jane
Gender: Male
Where born: Eastbourne, Sussex, England
Civil parish: Brighton
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England
Street Address: 46/7 Fredk St
Condition as to marriage: Married

Occupation: Publican
Registration district: Brighton
Sub-registration district: St Peter
ED, institution, or vessel: 62

Household Members:
Name Age
John Pratt 39
Jane Pratt 41
Georgina Pratt 19
John Pratt 13
Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 1090; Folio: 80; Page: 26

Maureen

Christina has the right birth -it is the only one for that name at the appropriate time in St Albans and that is where John Thomas says he was born in both the 1901 and 1911 censuses
I am afraid you cant rely too much on info given re father on marrriage certs (my own is wrong as to my husbands father) -it all depends on who gives the info and how good their memory is
Thomas -the father in 1891 census posted by Tania is a plate layer not a publican

That John Pratt (1868) posted by Mauren for 1881 was b Brighton not St Albans

Um-I think the one with Thomas as father is this one:
Name: John Thomas Pratt Occ:Signal Fitter
Age: 25
Estimated birth year: abt 1867
Spouse Name: Ellen Collier
Spouse Age: 22
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 14 Aug 1892
Parish: Saint Stephen, Tredegar Road
County: Middlesex
Borough: Tower Hamlets
Father Name: Thomas Pratt
Spouse Father Name: William James Collier

The one Tony wants is:
Marriages Jun 1892 (>99%)
BALL Ellen Farnham 2a 202

Pratt John Thomas Farnham 2a 202

Maureen

Just checked out the Brighton fellow and it doesn't seem to be him. He's a brass finisher married to Rose in 1901.

Maureen

Very well spotted, Maureen! and back to square one

Tony -what does the marrriage cert say for Ellen -age, address , fathers name and occupation? We might then be able to find her in 1901 even if John Thomas is in South Africa
I have found an Ellen Ball b 1873 Devonport living Aldershot 1891 with parents John and Mary but need info from the cert to confirm or otherwise

Thanks for the advice - very grateful.

I have a bit of information for Ellen Pratt (Ball.)
Working backwards - she died 19.4.1898 in Aldershot . Mother - Mary Ball present at death.
Daughter Ethel born 9.4.1898. (Two children previously - ?)
Married John Thomas Pratt 17.4.1892.
Fathers name given as John Ball.
Then have her on 1881 and 1891 census living in Aldershot

Tony

So it looks as if she is the Ellen Ball b 1873 Devonport

Hi Gillian
Yes I think she is.
Tony

This is Ethels birth
Ethel Pratt b 1898 Jun Q Farnham 2a 112

There are these Pratt births in Farnham before Ethel
Lilian Kate 1892 Dec Q 2a 94
Reginald 1894 Mar Q 2a 104
Herbert 1895 Dec Q 2a104

But I cant find Ellen Pratt in 1901( and of course I woudnt since she died 1898!) nor Ethel nor any of the other 3 children shown above

Probably the best bet is to locate the archives of the Northamptonshire regiment. I found the following info by googling
The 2nd Battalion the Northamptonshire Regimesnt left Aldershot 21/22 October 1899 sailing to South Africa -half the battalion each in SS Nubia and SS Harlech Castle
They were stationed at Bordon hants from 1902 after returning from S Africa and then in Colchester from 1904 to 1911 when posted to Malta

So JTW should it seems have been at Aldershot in 1891 but he isnt -and if he was overseas at 1901 where were the children?

Here is Ethel (Queenie Dear) with adoptive parents

1901 Aldershot military
Albert Dear 30 Driver Army Service corps b Portsmouth
Annie Dear 32 b Guernsey CI
Queenie 2 b Aldershot

Hi Gillian,
Thanks for you help and advice.
I know that there was more than one family of Pratts (!) living in Aldershot at this time and this only helps to make things even more confusing.
The children of Ellen were:
Nellie (could be - Mary Ellen and poss surname of Martin - more mystery!)
Jack (could be John Victor)
Ethel b1898
When Ellen died Nellie and Jack were brought up in orphanages and Ethel was "adopted"

I have looked in The Northampton Regiments archives but can not find any reference to John Thomas as yet.
Queenie was brought up by the Dears and knew nothing of her other family until she was traced by Nellie and Jack.