Find Ancestors

This is probably another fruitless search - but will provide some action on the board, if anyone feels like having a go.
Thanks in advance!

I'm trying to find Alban in 1881, 1891, and 1901.

Spellings vary: Alban/Albon/Albert Holtom/Holton/Holtham/Holtem and possibly others.

Born in Sibford Ferris, Oxon.

HOLTOM, ALBAN mmn WEST
GRO Reference: 1842 J Quarter in BANBURY UNION Volume 16 Page 28

In 1851 and 1861 he's with his parents (Richard and Alice) and siblings in Sibford Ferris.

Alban Holtom
in the 1861 England Census
Name Alban Holtom
Gender Male
Age 18
Relation Son
Estimated Birth Year 1843
Father's Name Richard Holtom
Mother's Name Alice Holtom
Where born Sibford Ferris, Oxfordshire, England
Civil parish Sibford Ferris
Ecclesiastical parish Holy Trinity
County/Island Oxfordshire
Country England
Registration District Banbury
Sub-registration district Swalcliffe
ED, institution, or vessel 9
Neighbors
Household schedule number 21
Piece 916
Folio 41
Page number 25
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Richard Holtom 60 Head
Alice Holtom 57 Wife
Alban Holtom 18 Son
George Holtom 12 Son
Joshua Holtom 10 Son
Richard Holtom 5 Son


1871: as Albert Holtem, unmarried, with Mary Ann Boot (widow) and 3 Boot children, in Aston, Warks.

Albert Holtem
in the 1871 England Census
Name Albert Holtem
Age 28
Estimated Birth Year 1843
Relation Boarder
Gender Male
Where born Sipfardferrace, Oxfordshire, England [Sibford Ferris, Oxfordshire]
Civil parish Aston
Ecclesiastical parish Church Aston
Town Aston Manor
County/Island Warwickshire
Country England
Registration District Aston
Sub-registration district Erdington
ED, institution, or vessel 33
Household schedule number 132
Piece 3158
Folio 135
Page number 24
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Mary Ann Boot 40 Head - widow - West Bromwich, Staffs.
Elizabeth Boot 10 Daughter
Henry Boot 8 Son
Mary A Boot 6 Daughter
Albert Holtem 28 Boarder - Day labourer


1876:
ASSAULTING POLICE INSPECTOR. Alban Holtam, of 1, Park Lane, Aston, was charged with being drunk and riotous in the Lichfield Road, Aston and further with violently assaulting Police-inspector Millership. On Monday last the prisoner and some other youths were amusing themselves by ill-treating dog. in the Lichfield Road, and when Inspector Millership interfered, the accused violently assaulted him and throw to the ground.—A fine of ?s. and costs for being drunk and one of 20s and costs for the assault were imposed.
Published: Wednesday 28 June 1876
Newspaper: Birmingham Mail
County: Warwickshire, England


1880: he married Mary Ann Boot (nee Hateley, father John).

The marriage didn't last long. By 1891, Mary Ann had reverted to the name Boot.

Mary Ann Boot
in the 1891 England Census
Name Mary Ann Boot
Gender Female
Age 64
Relationship Head
Birth Year 1827
Child
John Boot
Birth Place W Bromwich
Civil parish Aston
Residence Place Aston, Aston, Warwickshire, England
Registration District Aston
Sub registration district Aston Manor
ED, Institution or Vessel 31
Neighbors
Piece 2432
Folio 117
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
Mary Ann Boot 64 Head, widow
John Boot 45 Son


I don't see Alban in any census after 1871.

He died in 1907 in Aston Union Workhouse - at least I assume it's him. There are no family names or home address mentioned on the death cert; the informant is the Master of Aston Union Workhouse.


In the 1880s ERs there's an Alban (sometimes Alban Benjamin) Holtom/Holtham at 49 Cuckoo Road (1886-88), and then (1889-91) at 150 Argyle Street, Aston.
I'm assuming that's him, but he's not on censuses, so can't be sure without age or birthplace.

49 Cuckoo Road is uninhabited in 1881.
Harry Caine and family are at 150 Argyle Street in 1891 .

I’ve looked, AG, on FMP……no joy, sorry.

TBH, if you can’t find him, I doubt anyone can ;-) ;-)

Thanks, ErikaH!

Same here AG, another one who doesn't want to be found :-D

We sometimes forget that night workers are not shown on the census.
It was during your missing years that many of OH’s railway workers all moved north to Aston. Probably an indication of lots of work going on.

That's a good point nameless...doesn't make it any less frustrating but it is a good point :-(

Mary Ann in 1881...a very short marriage indeed!

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Middle Class Yard, Church Lane, Aston, Warwickshire, England

Household members (5 people)
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Mary A Boote Widow head
Widow Female 55 1826 Cartridge maker Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
John Boote Unm
Single Male 37 1844 Watchman Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Henry Boote Unm
Single Male 19 1862 Labourer Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Elizabeth Boote Unm
Single Male 21 1860 Exam of cartridges Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Mary Boote - Single Female 15 1866 Cartridge maker Birmingham, Warwickshire, England

Thanks, all, for your interest.

I don't know why I said there was no home address on Alban's 1907 death cert - senior moment!
His address was 2 Elms, Alfred Street, Aston Manor.
Not that it helps - he's still not appearing on the 1901 census.

No occupation is given, other than "labourer" which could mean anything.
Night working is a good possibility.


Mary Ann's son John died in 1894. His address was 36 Beales Street - literally just round the corner from Alfred Street. He was a Night Watchman.

It's quite frustrating looking up all these addresses on Streetview, as I always do.
So much of Birmingham has been rebuilt.

Have you tried looking at the various old maps sites. The National Library of Scotland (NLS) are pretty good.

www.nls.uk/geo/find

Yes, old maps are very useful - and fascinating.

However, what's frustrating (only to me - obviously not to the people who live there!) is that although many of the Birmingham streets are still there now, the houses are all modern.
I like to see the actual houses the people in my tree lived in - though they would probably have been slums.
WW2 bombing is to be thanked for speeding up the clearance and rebuilding of many areas.

Have you looked at the Francis Frith collection? It includes images - in many instances - from 1860 onwards

A few more addresses for you - in 1893 John Boot watchman, lived at 6 Lord Street, Birmingham and Henry lived at 42, Sycamore Rd, Aston.

Henry was up in court accused of assaulting John when John asked his sister to repay a debt and Henry took exception to this.

Aston Times 8 Apr 1893 and Warwickshire Herald 6 Apr.

I know what you mean AG. It got to a point when looking for London properties that now there were only electricity sub stations.

Apart from those I’ve had quite a bit of luck with books on the areas.

Added: there is a picture of the end of Albert Road on Facebook - I googled old photos of Albert Road, Aston Birmingham.

Also how about Birmingham History Forum - they seem to have photos as well.

I found pictures of Cuckoo Road in the 1950s - on Facebook.
I don't suppose it looked very different in the 1880s.
And other old photos of other roads in Nechells, so I have a good general idea of what the area was like.

Thanks for the assault report, Alviegal.

All in all, they don't sound like a very nice family!
Perhaps not relatives to be proud of!

However, Alban is barely related to me, and the Boots not at all. Alban's uncle Joseph Holtom is one of my gr-gr-gr-grandfathers.

Alban's sister Jane was the wife of Samuel Montgomery in my other recent thread. I think she did the right thing, getting out of there , and away to Nebraska.

Did you find these:

https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/threads/albert-road-aston.44817/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1686238825033310/posts/2996565107334002/

I've switched to main computer - much easier than ipad.

Thanks, Names.
Yes, the Facebook page is where I found the photos of Cuckoo Road and others.