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I would like some help in clarifying the parents of John Relf. I have just received a copy of his birth certificate saying his mother is Charlotte and father Obediah. On the 1871 census it states that he was living with Obediah and Harriett Relf as was the same on the 1881 census. On the other hand in 1871 Charlotte Relf was living with her father (Surname Allen). I have checked other records and cannot find any other John Relf being born in 1870. On the 1891 census John (who is now a milkman) is living with Thomas and Charlotte Relf. On another page on the 1891 census Obediah, Hannah are living with children John, Carrie etc. I have a copy of the marriage certificate of Obediah marrying Harriett in 1866. Another Obediah married a Charlotte Allen in 1867. Please help to clarify this.

Is this him .

England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906
about John George Relf
Name: John George Relf
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1870
Christening Date: 15 Aug 1870
Christening Place: Brightling, Sussex, England
Father's Name: Obadiah Relf
Mother's Name: Charlotte

Hi could this be his father

1871 census

Name Obediah Relf
Age 24
Estimated Year of Birth 1847
Relationship to Head of Household Patient
Occupation
Address Infirmary
District Hastings, St Mary In The Castle
Parish St Mary Magdalen
Administrative County Sussex
Birth Place Sussex
Birth County Sussex
RG 10 / 1031
on census says he is married ( farm labourer )

1911 census

Household information
Address Boarders Cottages Etchingham Sussex
Parish Etchingham
Town Etchingham
Type of Building Private House
Number of Rooms Three
Inhabited Y
Reference RG14PN4899 RG78PN212 RD73 SD1 ED13 SN62
Administrative County Sussex
Registration District Ticehurst
Registration Sub District Ticehurst
Enumeration District 13
Householder 1
Name Obediah Relf
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Condition / Years Married Married
Gender M
Age 66
Estimated Year of Birth 1845
Occupation Farm Labourer
Employed Y
Working at Home N
Place of Birth Sussex Brightling
Householder 2
Name Charlotte Relf
Relationship to Head of Household Wife
Condition / Years Married Married / 41 Years
Total Children Born Alive 6
Children Still Living 3
Children Who Have Died 3
Gender F
Age 65
Estimated Year of Birth 1846
Employed N
Working at Home N
Place of Birth Sussex Brightling
Householder 3
Name Irene Weston
Relationship to Head of Household Granddaughter
Condition / Years Married Married
Gender F
Age 6
Estimated Year of Birth 1905
Occupation Juvenile
Employed N
Working at Home N
Place of Birth Sussex Etchingham

Still uncertain as to his parents. I thought his parents were Obediah and Harriett. Cannot seem to find when John was born to them.

Which of these was the birth cert you sent for?


Births Sep 1870 (>99%)
Relf John Battle 2b 49


Births Jun 1871 (>99%)
Relf John Brighton 2b 199


The one registered in Battle died soon after birth and is probably the son of Charlotte & Obediah.


Deaths Sep 1870 (>99%)
Relf John 0 Battle 2b 31


The one registered in Brighton is probably the son of Harriet & Obediah as he is only one month old on the 1871 census.

I have a copy of John Relf's birth cert. 1870 in Battle. If he died as a baby who was the John living with Thomas and Charlotte in 1891? Do you thing Obediah was a bigamist????? John's wife was called Annie, even though her name was Margaret Annie.

No he is not a bigamist. There are two Obediahs. One married to Charlotte and the other married to Harriet.

1881 England Census
about Obadiah Relf
Name: Obadiah Relf
Age: 37
Estimated birth year: abt 1844
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Charlotte
Gender: Male
Where born: Brightling, Sussex, England

Civil parish: Brightling
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England

Street Address: Furnace C
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Farm Labour

Registration district: Battle
Sub-registration district: Battle
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Obadiah Relf 37
Charlotte Relf 35
Albert Relf 16
Jane Relf 12
Mary M. Relf 6
Philadalpha Relf 2
Ester Baldock 55



1881 England Census
about Obadiah Relf
Name: Obadiah Relf
Age: 43
Estimated birth year: abt 1838
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Harriett
Gender: Male
Where born: Withyham, Sussex, England

Civil parish: Tonbridge
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Street Address: 1 Little Culverden Farm
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Farmer Of 11 Acres Employing 1 Boy

Registration district: Tunbridge
Sub-registration district: Tunbridge Wells
ED, institution, or vessel: 19
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Obadiah Relf 43
Harriett Relf 37
Harriett Relf 13
Anne Relf 11
John Relf 10
Carrie Relf 7
Harry Relf 5
William Relf 3
Charles Relf 1
Anne Till 88

This looks like Odediah & Harriet's marriage on BVRI:

RELF, Obed Age: 28 Marriage
Wife: Harriett BENNETT Age: 22
Marriage Date: 23 Sep 1866 Recorded in: Brighton, Sussex, England
Collection: St Nicholas
Husband's Father: John RELF
Wife's Father: Henry BENNETT
Source: FHL Film 1067130 Dates: 1865 - 1869

John George Relf
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1870
Christening Date: 15 Aug 1870
Christening Place: Brightling, Sussex, England
Father's Name: Obadiah Relf
Mother's Name: Charlotte

This John Relf is not the son of either Obediah....he is from a completely different family. It's just a coincidence that his mother is Charlotte.


1891 England Census
about John Relf
Name: John Relf
Age: 21
Estimated birth year: abt 1870
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Thomas
Mother's Name: Charlotte
Gender: Male
Where born: Burwash, Sussex, England

Civil parish: Burwash
Ecclesiastical parish: St Phillip
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Ticehurst
Sub-registration district: Ticehurst
ED, institution, or vessel: 11
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Relf 52
Charlotte Relf 52
Mary Relf 25
John Relf 21
George Relf 19
Sarah Relf 16
Thomas Relf 14
Harry Relf 12
Frederick Relf 9
Charles Relf 8

How have you got back to 'your' John. Who did he marry & have you got a copy of his marriage certificate?

From BVRI:

Children Of Obadiah & Harriet:

RELF, Harriett Chr 1867 Engl Suss Bright
Fa: Obed RELF
Mo: Harriett
RELPH, Annie Chr 1869 Engl Suss Bright
Fa: Obadiah RELPH
Mo: Harriett

Children of Obadiah & Charlotte:

RELF, Jane Chr 1868 Engl Suss Bright
Fa: Obadiah RELF
Mo: Charlotte
RELF, John George Chr 1870 Engl Suss Bright
Fa: Obadiah RELF
Mo: Charlotte
RELF, Harriett Matilda Chr 1872 Engl Suss Bright
Fa: Obadiah RELF
Mo: Charlotte
RELF, Mary Maria Chr 1874 Engl Suss Bright
Fa: Obadiah RELF
Mo: Charlotte
RELF, Philadelphia Chr 1878 Engl Suss Bright
Fa: Obadiah RELF
Mo: Charlotte

There are two John Relf's on the 1901 census, both married to an Annie.....


This one born in Brighton is the son of Obediah & Harriet....

1901 England Census
about John Relf
Name: John Relf
Age: 30
Estimated birth year: abt 1871
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Annie
Gender: Male
Where born: Brighton, Sussex, England

Civil parish: Bexhill
Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephen
Town: Bexhill
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England

Street Address:

Registration district: Battle
Sub-registration district: Bexhill
ED, institution, or vessel: 11
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 67
Household Members: Name Age
John Relf 30
Annie Relf 32
Dora Relf 8
Edgar Relf 7
Willie Relf 3
Erie Relf 1



And this one born in Burwash is the son of Thomas & Charlotte.....

1901 England Census
about John Relf
Name: John Relf
Age: 31
Estimated birth year: abt 1870
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Annie
Gender: Male
Where born: Burwash, Sussex, England

Civil parish: Wadhurst
Ecclesiastical parish: Wadhurst St Peter and St Paul
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England

Street Address:

Registration district: Ticehurst
Sub-registration district: Wadhurst
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 33
Household Members: Name Age
John Relf 31
Annie Relf 27
John Relf 6
Edith A Relf 4
Matilda S Relf 2
Charlotte M Relf 2


Which one is yours?

Got a copy of John Relf's marriage cert. to Margaret Anne Lewis on 2/3/1892. John's father's name is Obediah a Greengrocer. I have a copy of Frank Beresford Relf's (my grandfather) birth certificate. His parents John Relf and Margaret Relf (formerly Lewis). I have also a copy of Obediah (Obed) Relf's (age 28, which would make him being born in approximately 1837) marriage certificate to Harriett Bennett in 23/9/1866. Obed's father was a John Relf. Hopefully John's father is Obediah and Harriett. If not will have to sort my tree out again!

My John Relf is the father of 13 children including Thoedora, Edgar, Christabelle, Robert, William, Eric, Geoffrey, Dortothy, Frank (my grandfather), Lawrence, Kenneth and Kathleen. Also as far as I have been told Frank is the 7th son of a 7th son!

1911. Married 19 years 10 children born and 10 living. Is it possible that Dora (Theodora) and Dorothy have been confused and are the same person?


RELF, John Head Married M 40 1871 Carpenter And Joiner Brighton Sussex VIEW
RELF, Anne Wife Married
19 years F 42 1869 Usk Mon VIEW
RELF, Edgar Son Single M 17 1894 Clerk Tunbridge Wells Kent VIEW
RELF, Chrisia Daughter Single F 15 1896 Florist Tunbridge Wells Kent VIEW
RELF, William Son M 13 1898 Tunbridge Wells Kent VIEW
RELF, Eric Son M 10 1901 Bexhill on Sea VIEW
RELF, Geoffrey Son M 9 1902 Bexhill on Sussex VIEW
RELF, Frank Son M 6 1905 Eastbourne VIEW
RELF, Lawrence Son M 4 1907 Eastbourne VIEW
RELF, Kenneth Son M 2 1909 Eastbourne VIEW
RELF, Kathleen Daughter F 0 (2 MONTHS) 1911 Eastbourne VIEW
RICHMOND, Henry William Visitor Single M 50 1861 None Pensioner Clapham Surrey VIEW

Registration District:
Eastbourne Sub District:
Eastbourne Enumeration District:
8 Parish:
Eastbourne

Address:
294 Seaside Eastbourne County:
Sussex


Looks as though there was one more birth

Births Jun 1915 (>99%)
Relf Edmund J Lewis Eastbourne 2b 121


Dora (Theodora) in 1911. She was born in Tunbridge Wells

DINES, William Head Married M 58 1853 Retired Builder Maldon Essex VIEW
DINES, Emily Wife Married
33 years F 63 1848 Plaistow Essex VIEW
DINES, Emily Mary Daughter Single F 27 1884 Assists At Home Maldon Essex VIEW
KIRBY, Gertrude Ellen Boarder Single F 22 1889 Milliner Maldon Essex VIEW
RELF, Dora Boarder Single F 18 1893 Shop Assistant Tunbridge Wells VIEW

Registration District:
Tendring Sub District:
Clacton Enumeration District:
4 Parish:
Great Clacton

Address:
35 Hayes Road Clacton County:
Essex


Annie's death?

Deaths Mar 1943 (98%)
Relf Annie M 74 Eastbourne 2b 167

So this one is your John in 1891.......


1891 England Census
about John Relf
Name: John Relf
Age: 20
Estimated birth year: abt 1871
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Obadiah
Mother's Name: Harriett
Gender: Male
Where born: Brighton, Sussex, England

Civil parish: Tunbridge
Ecclesiastical parish: Trinity
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Street Address:......106 Calverley Road

Occupation:

Registration district: Tunbridge
Sub-registration district: Tunbridge Wells
ED, institution, or vessel: 11
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Obadiah Relf 52........Greengrocer....Withyham, Sussex.
Harriett Relf 46.....West Ham, Sussex
John Relf 20
Carrie Relf 16.....Tonbridge, Kent
Harry Relf 14.....Tonbridge, Kent
Charles Relf 10....Tunbridge Wells
Edith Relf 8....Tunbridge Wells

If my John Relf was born in 1871 and not the one born in 1870. Can anyone find out which one he is: Ap/Jn 1871 in Brighton or Oct/Dec 1871 in Uckfield which is also in Sussex. He has his age down as 21 on his marriage certificate on 2/3/1892