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My family tree research has come to an abrupt halt. William Downham (born 1865 Lambeth) was married to Martha Harris on 25th December 1888 & had 5 known children - William, James, Frederick, Albert & Charles. William Downhham's father on his wedding certificate is noted as John Downham who had already died by 1888. No trace of a relevant birth certificate, nor any entries on the 1871 or 1881 census returns. Any help/info appreciated!!!

Cheers,
Martin..............

Hi Martin,
Its always good to start with Search Trees (Dark green bar on the top of the page)

There are 2 other members with this person ,birth year, and of this location in their trees.

send them a personal message (pm) telling them how you are related to this person and asking for what you want.
They possibly have other Downham family too.

Thanks for replying! Already done that with no success alas - one just has the info taken from my tree with no further information. He must be out there somewhere!!!!!!!

Well, there's no obvious sign of him in censuses before 1888.

I found him in 1891 and it looks like he was born between April1864 and December 1864 - if that helps a bit?

Maybe he lied about his father. Perhaps he was illegitimate and just invented a name?

Jill

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915 about William Downham
Name: William Downham
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1865
Registration district: Lambeth
Inferred County: Greater London, London, Surrey
Volume: 1d
Page: 289 (click to see

have you eliminated this one ?


England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915

Name: William Downham
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1865
Registration district: Lambeth
Inferred County: Greater London, London, Surrey
Volume: 1d
Page: 289

best idea would be to order the birth cert for the above reference
GRO vol 1d page 289

that will tell you his father;s name etc

Hi, Choccy,

I actually ordered that certificate a while ago, full of expectation...and the parents are 'wrong' (i.e. his father is not listed as John Downham). Maybe I'm placing too much trust in John as being his actual father? Maybe he was illegitimate & made up a name? Or maybe William was his middle name? It's so frustrating as my mum's side of the tree I've traced back to Germany with ease! But can I find a London ancestor? No...!

if you go to free bdm

Enter surname Downham (leave first name blank)
select all types,
district Lambeth

and the years you want, lots of Downhams come up.

martin
what names were on the cert

I suppose, if his father died when he was relatively young, he may not have known his forename.

Or, he may not have known his father's forename anyway. If he never heard anyone call his father by his first name ... that might have happened.

I keep coming across a John of about the right age with a father James ...

Jill

there seems to be only two Downham births in Lambeth for the year 1865

Georgina
and
William

what names are on the cert for his parents, please?

Hi,

Thanks everybody for the responses - much appreciated. I dip in & out of this family research thing. I've had a house move since I obtained the certificate so can I find it now? No...I've just checked all my box files of research but it's not there. FROM MEMORY, I think it was George but I could be wrong.

It's odd that William isn't on the logical census returns from 1871 onwards? He makes an appearance, fully formed with the family in 1901 & 1911 though!!

The father's name wasn't Richard was it?

I keep wondering about this family:
1881 England Census about William Walker
Name: William Walker
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1865
Relation: Son
Father's Name: John Walker
Mother's Name: Mary Ann Walker
Gender: Male
Where born: Lambeth, Surrey, England
Civil parish: Camberwell
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street Address: 42 Leo Street
Occupation: Office Boy
Registration district: Camberwell
Sub-registration district: Peckham
ED, institution, or vessel: 39a
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 690
Folio: 6
Page Number: 6
Household Members:
Name Age
John Walker 37
Mary Ann Walker 37
William Walker 16
John Walker 14
Lillies Walker 12
Mary Ann Walker 10
Harry Walker 6
Alfred Walker 3
Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 690; Folio: 6; Page: 6; GSU roll: 1341160.

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 about Mary Ann Downham
Name: Mary Ann Downham widow
Spouse Name: John Walker
Spouse Age: Full Age
Record Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 29 Jul 1866
Parish: St John the Evangelist, Lambeth
County: Surrey
Borough: Lambeth
Father Name: John Downham (John Smith on image)
Spouse Father Name: Robert Walker

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 about Mary Ann Smith
Name: Mary Ann Smith Father John Smith
Spouse Name: Richard Downham
Spouse Age: Full Age
Record Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 19 Sep 1856
Parish: St John the Evangelist, Lambeth
County: Surrey
Borough: Lambeth
Spouse Father Name: Edward Downham

I've seen cases where the step father's first name and the real father's surname are given on the marriage cert.

Maureen

Hi, there....

That's certainly something to consider? I'll have a good look when I log back in this evening!!!

Thanks again everybody!

Could this be Mary Ann's first marriage?

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
about Richard Downham Name: Richard Downham
Age: Full Age
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1856
Spouse Name: Mary Ann Smith
Record Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 19 Sep 1856
Parish: St John the Evangelist, Lambeth
County: Surrey
Borough: Lambeth
Father Name: Edward Downham

This could be Richards death.
On marriage image it says he is a cow keeper.

Hi,

I've had a look at this suggestion and while food for thought, I don't THINK it's a connection. I understand the Downham/Walker proposal but I suspect that the William Walker that appears on the 1881 census also appears on the 1891 census, where William Downham also appears with the correct spouse & children (the latter I can take as 100% certain as I have my grandfather's diary - James Downham who has listed a few key family births, deaths & marriages of his family). So it really is a puzzler. As I said, all the more frustrating as my maternal tree goes back to Germany & the 1800's with no problem! Any other suggestions?

Many thanks all!
Martin..........x

Which William Walker are you looking at in 1891 please?

Maureen