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My husband is trying to find his great grandfather Robert Gardiner born c1852, place unknown.

His wife was Grace Scullin 1856 from Greenock, Scotland but they married in Canning Town, East London. On the marriage certificate his father is named as John Gardiner a rigger. Robert was a sailmaker.
Robert and Grace had 5 children, the last, James Lawrence, being born in 1890. By James's birth Robert has become a ship's steward.

We can find Grace on all the relevant censuses but Robert does not appear on any of them with her. She is widowed by 1901.

Would a sailmaker have been part of a ship's crew as late as the 1880's and if so is there any way of discovering any more about the elusive Robert?

Many Thanks Pam

for ref;;

Marriages Jun 1876 (>99%)
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Brinn Eliza Jane W.Ham 4a 136
Gardiner Robert W. Ham 4a 136
Scullin Grace W. Ham 4a 136
SKITTRELL Frederick David W Ham 4a 136



The district W. Ham is an alternative name for West Ham and it spans the boundaries of the counties of Essex and Greater London

I would have thought sail makers would have been needed aboard vessels.

Births Jun 1852
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Gardiner Robert St Saviour Southwark 1d 29


The district St Saviour Southwark spans the boundaries of the counties of London and Surrey

Births Mar 1853
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Gardiner Robert William Pancras 1b 37


The district Pancras spans the boundaries of the counties of London and Middlesex

Thanks Nerine - that certainly appears to be one worth looking into

Pam

or this one

Births Dec 1851
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Gardiner Robert Stepney 2 542


The district Stepney spans the boundaries of the counties of London and Middlesex

JJL
Thanks for that information. So he could have been in the Royal Navy, Merchant Navy or any shipping company in operation at that time.
That should make life interesting!
Pam

age 38
Deaths Mar 1890
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Gardiner Robert Islington 1b 232


The district Islington spans the boundaries of the counties of Greater London, London and Middlesex

This Robert Gardiner's starting to look expensive

sorry,,,there is a lot about but the death could be him ,the age is about right

You say robert is never on the census with his wife,that could be because he is away at sea on census nights

I'm not convinced by that death, I know the age is possibly about right but his youngest son was born in Nov 1890 (I realize that's still possible) but the rest of the family were living in Plaistow, West Ham in 1890.
Wouldn't it say 'deceased' on his son's birth certificate if he was already dead by then?
Pam

Yes - we had thought that he was probably at sea on census nights
Pam

i don't know about that one Pam it is possible.They could have moved after his death ,were they living there on other census?

Sorry - just been to pick up a take-away

1881,1891,1901 they were at various addresses in West Ham
Pam

Going to eat it now - back later

Very nice it was too!

Have you his son birth certificate.

Hello Fire

We have Robert and Grace's marriage cert - 17/4/1876
the birth certificates of their first child, Robert Patrick - 17/8/1879, Mary Josephine - 15/3/1882 (grandmother) and the youngest child James Lawrence - 5/11/1890