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Hi, I'm trying to find any information on my grandmother's father Reigo Delmattie. He is not named on my gran's birth certificate, but given as the father when her mother Annie E Vowles of Priston Somerset placed her into thomas conram hospital for foundlings in 1903. He was supposedly living and working as a waiter in London at the time but disappeared before the baby was born. He was Italian, but I can find no trace of him anywhere. Can anyone give me some advise or hints on why he may not be on the 1901 census for example? Or perhaps I am following a dead lead as maybe my great gran invented the name?! any help would be much appreciated

Here is annie on the 1891 census: (changed later from 1881!!)

Name: Annie Elizabeth Vowles
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Albert
Mother's Name: Ann
Gender: Female
Where born: Priston, Somerset, England

Civil parish: Priston
Town: Priston
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Keynsham
Sub-registration district: Newton
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Albert Vowles 47
Ann Vowles 37
Annie Elizabeth Vowles 13
Mabel Vowles 11
Earnest E Vowles 9
Martha S Vowles 2

It may be best to give us any other details you have regarding your gran, birth dates etc, and then take it from there.
Regards Linda :)

This is going completely outside the square, but??Name: Francesco Delamorte
Age: 22
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1879
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Male
Where born: Italian Subj, Italy

Civil parish: St Pancras
Ecclesiastical parish: St John the Evangelist
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: St Pancras
Sub-registration district: Tottenham Court
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 100
Household Members: Name Age
Germana Dalpiaz 28
Maria Dalpiaz 31
Germana Dalpiaz 4
Antonia Dalpiaz 24
Lorenzo 20
Ling 18
Guiseppe Frasca 40
Luigi Alotta 18
Lorenzo Galandra 19
Fauline Batiste 20
Georavis Meaza 23
Batista Quarelle 25
Tobia French 22
G Eduardo 33
Meraco 19
Meraco 26
Luigi Valenzano 23
Matinz 28
Guiseppe Buore 20
Luis 32
Arvich 50
Neveau 40
Linge 36
Mario 26
Annato 31
Germina 43
Casin 36
Porta 40
Marius 27
Giacomo 25
Francesco Delamorte 22 Francesco's occupation is given as a waiter, and here is a birth record :

Winifred Delamotte
1900
Jul-Aug-Sep
Derby
Derbyshire
7b
601 (click to see others on page)

Probably completely unrelated but there is no reigo/delmattie coming up on the 1901 census.

Regards Linda :)

Hi Linda,
Thanks so much for helping-it's so very kind. Annie Elizabeth Vowles was employed by Mrs Griffiths of 41, Great Russell Street, Russell Square London in about 1901. I've no idea where she is in 1901 census. She met Reigo Delmattie who was supposedly living at 20, Air Street, Regent Street. They visited a music hall in the Tottenham Court Road and a few months later became engaged and after she found out she was pregnant he disappeared. A court summons was issued but could not be served. She gave birth 2nd November, 1903, and the baby was put into the Thomas Conram hospital December 1903. She was renamed Clara Vallance by the home. Her mother made repeated petitions to restore her to her care , but all were refused, even when in1913 she married a Mr. Hunt. I think I have found her marriage certificate and she is calling herself Elizabeth Vowles at this time. Her husband fully supported her efforts. They did not have any children of their own and I think she died in the 1920s. It is perhaps possible Annie misspelt Reigo's name or maybe he was an illegal immigrant? Thanks again for your help.
Kind regards, Carina

Not sure if it is possible but will try the address on ancestry. Regards Linda :)

Update: on the 1911 census we have an 18 and 22 air st regent st but no 20???!!!

Got him!!! 1901 census has a 20 air st:

158 OSBORNE, George Head Married M 36 1865 Wine Merchants Assist
Pimlico
London VIEW
158 OSBORNE, Elizabeth Wife Married F 37 1864
Barnsbury
London VIEW
158 OSBORNE, George Son Single M 8 1893
St James's
London VIEW
158 BLAN, George Boarder Single M 47 1854 Waiter Restaurant
Germany VIEW
158 MENTI, Mario Boarder Married M 31 1870 Waiter Restaurant
Italy VIEW
158 LANIEL Boarder Single M 34 1867 Pastry Cook
France VIEW
158 ROSE, John Boarder Single M 32 1869 Chiropodist
Italian VIEW
158 VOLOGUSSA, Henri Boarder Single M 24 1877 Restaurant Waiter
St Georges
London VIEW
158 WILCOX, Thomas W Boarder Single M 34 1867 Hosier's Clerk
St Georges
London VIEW
158 ADAM, Robert Boarder Married M 42 1859 House Decorator
Scotland VIEW
158 SADLER, John Boarder Single M 32 1869 Waiter Restaurant
St James's
London
so I reckon mario menti is your ( married) man!!

Regards LInda :))))

although he may have considered being engaged as being married, because in 1903:

Marriages Jun 1903 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beretta Margherita Strand 1b 1212
Edwards Ellen Strand 1b 1212
Menti Mauro Strand 1b 1212
Reardon John Strand 1b 1212


Oh what a web!! Regards Linda :)

Hi
How can i thank you for all your efforts? As I've said before I'm new to all this and didn't even know you could research addresses. I feel this is our man and had a hunch his name was not quite right. The details of his address come from records from the Thomas conram home and I've been in touch to see if they can tell me anything else. I think he may have been married in 1901 and maybe married again in 1903. At least i have a name I can research as 'Reigo Delmattie' was a dead end. It seems poor Annie E Vowles coming from a tiny village in somerset was very unworldy upon arrivivng in London and soon fell victim to Italian charms! Not much changes in this world! thank you once again, you are obviously a very kind person. Keep in touch
Kind regars, Carina x

Looks like he's still about in 1911;

HOUSEHOLD MENTI MAURO M 1870 41 St Pancras London
(born Italy)


HOUSEHOLD MENTI CARLO M 1904 7 St Pancras London
HOUSEHOLD MENTI IRENE F 1910 1 St Pancras London
HOUSEHOLD MENTI MARGHRIETA F 1872 39 St Pancras London

PM'ing you with some info

Well it looks like this girl netted him unlike my great grandmother! His first child is born 1904 and he married in 1903 so maybe baby was on the way! This is so exciting and very addictive. thanks so much, Carina x

Hi Carina, so glad to be of help. If you go to findmypast youcan just do a place search in the census, which I only learnt this week. Shall have a quick look at the 1901 and see if we can't find annie. Regards Linda :) PS I'm in oz so hence the time delay!!

I'm not convinced Maria Menti is Reigo Delmattie. Even allowing for spelling errors they are not similar.

Could the name be something like Luigi Delamotte? I assume you're trying to read old handwriting.

Rose

Hi my great grandmother Annie E Vowles born 1877 Priston, somerset gave Reigo Delmattie as the name of the father of her illigitmate baby Winifred Delmattie born 2nd November 1903 to the thomas conram hospital for foundlings in london. She gave his address as 20, Air Street, Regent street and he had supposedly been living there for a few years. I can find no trace of Reigo Delmattie and have wondered if a) he gave a fasle name to my great gran b) she relayed the name to the best of her ability or lied. I wonder if Reigos are sometimes called Mauro? Look at our Edwards becoming Ted for example. Perhaps somebody with Italian knowledge could let me know. Also the Del of Delmattie could be like the Irish O' in O' conner for example? x

and here is annie on the 1891, you're right, she's not coming up too easily on the 1901 but that again could be a transcribers error, in the spelling of her name:

Name: Annie Elizabeth Vowles
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Albert
Mother's Name: Ann
Gender: Female
Where born: Priston, Somerset, England

Civil parish: Priston
Town: Priston
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Keynsham
Sub-registration district: Newton
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Albert Vowles 47
Ann Vowles 37
Annie Elizabeth Vowles 13
Mabel Vowles 11
Earnest E Vowles 9
Martha S Vowles 2

I still think mario is your man, given that annie must have been there at some stage she had to have had the address right, and if he was married he probably did lead her astray as to his name. I don't think annie invented the name, but was led astray. If he knew he was married (maybe his wife/fiance was still in Italy) he's not going to be completely honest is he? :)))) regards Linda :)

Hi Linda
Thanks again! Yes, I think its an incredible coincidence. He is the only likely contender at this address, and the address is definitely correct. I think he altered his name as he was probably engaged and just wanted a bit of fun. He was definitely a waiter and I've checked old London maps and all the places mentioned, Air Street, off Regent Street, Russell Square, Tottenham Road, Euston road are incredibly close together (So, rather sadly, is the foundling hospital) There is definitely no trace of Reigo Delmattie anywhere. I know that Annie E Vowles was employed in domestic service by Mrs Grittiths of 41, Great Russle Street, Russell Square in 1902. Where she is in 1901 is a mystery. Her sisters are all in service but have remained close to home, two working for the same family. I wonder if there is a chance she had married before she left for London and is registered under a married name. Perhaps she went to London to escape an unhappy marriage? I think I've lots of research to keep me busy! Your help is very much appreciated., Carina x

Hi Carina

I have been doing a little research for you but I cannot find the surname Delmattie past or preasent in Italy I think it has been changed or your ggrandmother invented the name. There are quite a few Menti s still living in Italy, most of them in the Vento Region.

As for Reigo I cant find that name either here is a link to the Italian first name site.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/8783/givename.html#M

I will let you know if I find out anymore.

Lynne

Hi Carina

I hope I dont confuse you to much but here is a reply from an Italian site that I am a member of.

The surname is most likely MATTEIS based upon the base surname Mattei appearing inthe Italian surname dictionary and mattie is a variant of that base surname. The De or Del means "Of or of the". The first name could possibly be REMIGIO derived from Saint Remigius (LATIN).

Regards Lynne

Carina (and Linda)

Here is Annie in the 1901. I've used both Find My Past and Ancestry to cross check the census as Ancestry has been incorrectly transcribed as follows, as indicated with asterix and in UPPER CASE. She is living with the Willis-Fleming family in Clifton, Bristol (posh part of town!!!) as a cook (domestic). The head of Willis-Fleming family is from Paddington, London and his wife is from Switzerland. More interesting stuff...

If you don't have access to Find My Past or Ancestry, and want copies of the census, then private message me with your e-mail address.

Taking nothing away from the hard work that Linda has put in, I would politely warn against jumping to conclusions as the Menti fellow could quite possibly be a 100% honest gentleman with no connections whatsover with Annie.

Name: Annie Vowles
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Relation: Mother *** SHOULD READ SERVANT
Gender: Female
Where born: Gravesend, Kent, England *** SHOULD READ PRISTON

Civil parish: Bristol
Ecclesiastical parish: Clifton All Saints
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Bristol
Sub-registration district: Clifton
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 146
Household Members: Name Age
Cecil Willis Fleming 34
Hannah Willis Fleming 33
Donald Willis Fleming 9
Edward Willis Fleming 8
Robert Fleming 4
Caroline Fleming 73
Maude Scott 29
Annie Vowles 23
Florence Hancox 21
Alice Griffiths 28

I also note that the final entry in the household in the 1901 is Alice Griffiths (aged 28).

Perhaps this is a coincidence but it states in the census that she is a visitor (rather than a servant) and she was born in Brixton, London.

Pure speculation here but there 'may' be some tenuous link to the 'Mrs Griffiths' that you state Annie was employed by in 1901.