Find Ancestors

I’m having great difficulty tracking down my 2 x G Grandmother’s birth and family and any help would be much appreciated.

Clara (possibly Clara Mary Ann) Lawler nee Henwood and she gave her birth as Oct 1833 at Bristol.

A The records I’ve found and what they tell or don’t as the case may be.

1833 Birth Record not yet found but according to the 1861, 1891 and 1901 census returns she is born Bristol, St Phillips Gloucestershire
1841 Census Record not yet found for Clara – Henry is with parents at 14 Little Chesterfield St. Marylebone
1851 Census Record not yet found for Clara – Henry is with parents at 14 Little Chesterfield St. Marylebone
10 Oct 1853 Clara Henwood and Henry Lawler (Chemists asst) married at the parish church of St Martin in The Fields, London.
He was a bachelor and she was a spinster both of full age living at St Mary’s Buildings.
Her father was John a gardener and his Charles a messenger.
1855 Clara Ann Lawler (my G Grandmother) born to this couple at Bath Mar ¼ 1855 (5c, 744)
12 Nov 1856 Alice Susan Lawler born to this couple, birth record not yet located.
Alice Susan’s christening record 29 Dec 1861 gives their address as 13 Devonshire St, Marylebone, London and her mother’s name as Clara Mary Ann Lawler. Henry is still just plain Henry.
1861 Census Henry Lawler 27 and Clara Lawler 28 Dressmaker (b Bristol SOM) of 13 Devonshire St, Marylebone, London
1871 Census Record not yet found
1881 Census Record not yet found
1891 Census Aged 56 widow and tailoress of 46 Mornington Crescent, Camden, London
1901 Census Aged 56(?) widow and tailoress of 46 Mornington Crescent, Camden, London
27 Aug 1901 Death Camden, St Pancras, London aged 67 (sources; FreeBMD and London Deaths and Burials 1813- 1980

B A few blind alleys I’ve been down

1 Another Clara Henwood born is in 1833 she is the dau of a William and Clara Henwood. He is cordwainer from Falmouth, Cornwall and that Clara marries and raises a family down that way.

2 Another John Henwood with a dau Mary Ann b abt 1833 but he is in the liquor trade, and is a publican at Bath for the 1851 census living at the Lansdown Brewery pub at 6 Belle Vue Buildings. Next door at 5 Belle Vue Buildings is a William Lambert a tailor. As Henry and Clara’s first child is born in Bath, I thought that Clara might have been apprenticed to her next door neighbor, and returned to live at or near home after her marriage. She might still have worked next door but was not a dau of this John, as her father had a gardening background. I still haven’t ruled out some sort of relationship.

C Finally an enigma

Clara is the originator of the family history, beginning the tradition of keeping the birth marriage and death records on the inside fly leaf of a now ancient and battered copy of the New Testament. They begin with her own, Clara Lawler nee Henwood born October 8, 1833 and continuing to my grand nephew born just 10 days ago.
On the inside front cover in beautifully crafted copperplate script is the name, “John Goldney”, and a date and place, “May 19th 1863, Bath”.
I know of no connection between the Lawlers and the Goldneys, although a connection to the Henwoods can’t be ruled out, nor why a volume so evidently belonging to said John came to be in Clara’s possession and what might have occurred in Bath on that distant Tuesday in 1863.

I know that’s a long post; it’s been a long search… but I’ve finally admitted defeat and if I’m to get help then any kind person might need to know where I’ve looked, what I’ve found and what I’ve concluded.

Thanks in advance, Keith

Thanks Felicity
The birth doesn't have a great priority, a baptism would be great or even a pre marriage census record.
Keith

Possible for Clara from 1881

1881 England Census
about Clara Lawley Name: Clara Lawley
Age: 47
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1834
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Bristol, Somerset, England

Civil parish: Pancras
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address: 10 Mabledon Pl
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Dressmaker

Registration district: Pancras
Sub-registration district: Tottenham Court
ED, institution, or vessel: 14b
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 189
Folio: 40
Page Number: 20
Household Members: Name Age
Clara Lawley 47



Andy

Andrew
That's a real advance, definitely fits her. How easy it for one false letter to throw one off the trail.
Thanks, Keith

Andy
I've looked at the record. Interesting that she is on her own and married not widowed. I don't have a death for Henry. I wonder where he was.
Keith

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
about Alice Susan Lawler
Name: Alice Susan Lawler
Record Type: Baptism
BIRTH 12 Nov 1856***************
Baptism Date: 29 Dec 1861
Father's name: Henry Lawler
Mother's name: Clara Mary Ann Lawler
Parish or Poor Law Union: St Marylebone
Borough: Westminster

Baptised the same day

Clara Ann Born 26 Feb 1855

Parents Henry Lawler and Clara Mary Ann. Henry is a Porter and their address is 13 Devonshire St.

A Fairy Godmother indeed,
How did I miss that? Thanks Mel. Correct address too.
Now I wonder where was Alice Susan was born. Clara Ann is born in Bath. It's not just the issue of where she was born but to try and track the families movement.
Keith

1871. Image is Lawler

1871 England Census
about Clara Laincer Name: Clara Laincer
Age: 33
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838
Relation: Head
Gender: Female
Where born: Bristol, Somerset, England
Civil parish: St Pancras
Ecclesiastical parish: Parish Church
County/Island: London
Country: England
Registration district: Pancras
Sub-registration district: Somers Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 4a
Household schedule number: 765
Piece: 221
Folio: 96
Page Number: 101
Household Members: Name Age
Clara Laincer 33
Clara Laincer 16
Alice Laincer 14


Andy

You should know where she was born as on the 1861 census it says Marylebone.

1861 England Census
about Alice Lawler
Name: Alice Lawler
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1857
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: Henry Lawler
Mother's name: Clarra Lawler
Gender: Female
Where born: St Marylebone

Civil parish: St Marylebone
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Marylebone
Sub-registration district: Christchurch
ED, institution, or vessel: 5b
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 64
Piece: 81
Folio: 12
Page Number: 16
Household Members: Name Age
Henry Lawler 27
Clarra Lawler 28
Clarra Lawler 6
Alice Lawler 4

Andy
That's great. We are slowly closing the loop holes.
Clara can't be born in 1838, unless she marries at 15.
Many Thanks
Keith

I see on your tree on ancestry the you have her father as John Henwood and a sister Emma?

There is a Mary Ann Henwood with sister Emma born Bath Somerset with a mother Maria on the 1841 census. No husband there at the time but Maria is a green grocer

Mel
I missed that too.
So they married in Oct 1853 in London, Clara Ann is born in Bath in Feb 1855 and by Nov 1856 they are back in London.
Not long in Bath and no idea what they went to Bath for.
Thanks, Keith

On the census Andy put up Clara is a widow on the 1871 census and says her age is 33.

Mel
That Ancestry tree is out of date. It was done before I got Clara Mary Ann's wedding cert. That John is the publican. I'm sure he is related but not the father and Emma isn't a sister as far as I can tell.
Keith

Probably the birth of there first child or visiting her parent??

I have to do some work now but will look in later.

Mel
Her age is never consistently reported. The original and usual dob she gives is 1833. I've tried looking for her birth about 1838 without success.

I will have a look to see if I can find a death for Henry Lawler before 1871.
Thanks, Keith

Three possibilities in London between 1861 and 1871 but the other two have death ages and one seems too old and one seems too young.
So maybe this one? .....

Name Henry Lawler
Year of Registration 1869
Quarter of Registration Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration District Westminster St. Margaret
Registration County London
Volume Number 1A
Volume Page 318

I take it the death registered for St Pancras Workhouse in 1901 is her?

Mel
Clara’s age shown through Censuses 1861-1901
1861 (28), 1871 (33), 1881 (47), 1891 56, 1901 (56)
Age shown on Death Cert Aug 1901 (67)
Keith

Hi Keely
Yes that's her.
Keith