1: Bessie and Pollie Corbitt

Bessie and Mary Ann Corbitt were the sisters of my great grandfather Charles James Corbitt. My father told  me various stories about the family and this began my interest in family history.

I shall first give the details my father gave me about the three daughters of John Nutt Corbitt and shall follow it with details what I have found from my research.

My father:

•  Bessie was married and divorced twice. She first married a man named Howard and he divorced her because she 'carried on' with a man named Ted Prentice and a child, Sidney, was born.  Howard said it was not his child and divorced her. (Cousin Sidney was the boy over which the divorce was obtained.)
•  Bessie went to Russia (the Russian Court) as governess to the children of a Princess Cadaska.(Choodle: This is the English version of the name and it would almost be impossible now to identify who the princess was.)
• Bessie had a stroke and went into a nursing home in Cheadle, Manchester in about 1900?     
• Ted Prentice (the man she had an affair with) was also married and his wife's name was Annie.  
• When aunt Bessie returned from Russia he gave his wife a lump sum of money to go abroad with the man she was in love with on the understanding that they never communicated with him again.
• Cousin Sidney went to Boston Street, Manchester, when he was about 7 years old. Aunt Mary and Bessie also called at the same time to see Charles James Corbitt.
• Choodle: This was from Ellen Corbitt who was born 1877. The family was living in Boston Street when she was born but by the 1881 Census, had moved to Upton Street. Sidney was 7 in 1879 but this event probably happened in 1880 when Ellen (my grandmother) may have been old enough to remember the event.)
• Sidney Howard (son of Ted Prentice and aunt Bessie) went to Oxford and rowed in the boat  race between 1889 and 1892. [I think it more likely it was the Manchester Boat Race.]
• Became an engineer on the Lancs & Yorks Railway and was superintendent of the Lancs &  Yorks Railway at the time when aunt Annie's husband, Alf Studd, was foreman fitter to the   same company, and (Studd) eventually went to America. Ted Prentice was the Railway  Superintendent of General Manager.

 What I discovered was complex!

My great grandfather, James Charles Corbitt, was the 5th child of John Nutt Corbitt and Emma Giles, his wife, born in 1842 at 3 Weston St, Somerstown, Pancras, London. John Nutt Corbirr was an organ builder and prior to 1841 travelled around the country with his family. 

James Charles will be dealt with separately because this story just concerns three of his sisters.

In 1841 the family were living at of 15 Saunders St, Lambeth, Surrey, in 1851 of 15 Stibbington St, St Pancras and in 1861 at 37 Stanmore St, , Islington, London.

The three Corbitt sisters

3: Clara Elizabeth Corbitt (Bessie) - no birth/baptism has been found for her. On the 1841 census she is Elizabeth aged 3, and on the 1851was 13 and born in York. Only on the 1861 census is she referred to as Clara aged 22, an unmarried crepe fall maker. My father did not name a Clara but she appears on the 1881 census (after she was said to have married) as Clara E Howard and having been shown as Elizabeth in 1841 and 1851 suggests she has been correctly identified as Bessie.

She had two children: Sidney and Mary Howard and later census entries show her as Clara and all censuses that she was born in York.

4: Emma Louisa Corbitt - She is another child for whom no birth/baptism has been found. In 1841 she was aged 1 and is shown on the 1851 census aged 11 born York, and on the 1861 census aged 21 born Hull, and was then unmarried crepe fall maker. She married Daniel George Jackson in 1863 and had nine children.

6: Mary Ann Corbitt was always referred to as Pollie in the family. She was born 24 Oct 1844 at 20 Spanns Buildings, St Pancras, London. My father said she lived in a house called Maryville in the High St, Ludlow and her married name was Maxaire. This was around 1920. At some date aunt Mary lived at Kilburn under the name of Madam Maxaire.

                                              Edmund (Ted) Prentis

There is another person involved in this account - Edmund (Ted) Prentis. According to all of his census entries he was born about 1835 in Wellington, Shropshire however it seems likely he was the son of Miles Prentis, a brewer, and Charlotte Jones, who was not quite 14 yrs of age at the time of their marriage. Edmund was likely born in Pleck, in Walsall, Staffordshire. Miles died of consumption in 1838, when he was 33. Edmund Prentis has not been found on either the 1841 or 1851 censuses and it may well be that he was sent to a somewhere his father had last lived or worked, in Shropshire.

On 4 Jun 1856 solicitor’s clerk Edward Stevens Prentis married Annie Crowther Weaver at Christ Church, Marylebone. In 1861 they were living at 39 Stanmore Street off the Caledonian Road. He was then a railway clerk aged 26 and with them were of their children, all under four years of age. At least three married couples were living at the same address suggesting it was a sub-divided house.
All told Edmund and Annie had five children between 1856 and 1866 with their first child being born 14 August 1856, which indicates Annie was probably 7 months pregnant when they married.

The 1861census shows widowed Emma (Giles) Corbitt (the wife of John Nutt Corbitt) and her three unmarried daughters, Clara (Clara Elizabeth known as Bessie), Emma Louisa and Mary Ann (known as Pollie) living next door at 37 Stanmore Street. The accommodation appears to be similar to that of number 39 with five families sharing the address. Emma the mother was still living there when she died on 29 April 1862.

Thomas Astley Weaver, brother of Ted’s wife Annie, was a sign writer, bookseller and ornamental painter and was born in Walsall in 1835. He married Eliza Jackson in 1857 and by 1861 they were living at 29 Chapter Rd, Newington with their two daughters. With them at the time was Eliza’s unmarried brother, Daniel George Jackson who, on 6 September 1863 married Emma Louisa Corbitt, the sister of Clara/Bessie and Mary Ann/Pollie, the daughters of John Nutt Corbitt and Emma (Giles) Corbitt.

Emma (Giles) Corbitt received an inheritance through the Courts of Chancery (see Money in Chancery) in about 1859 and it was at about this time she gave Ted an employment reference. While the proximity of their addresses in Stanmore Street suggests a connection between the families at that particular time it indicates the two families had started socialising a few years earlier.

The railways were in an early stage of development and were plagued by theft. It was said that half the ships in the London Docks were supplied with goods such as dusters, polish, etc. and coal which had been stolen from the railways.

Ted told one of the owners of the railway company he worked for that he could stop the theft of coal from the company's yards and he was promoted and given 6 months trial to stop the thefts. The railway company wanted assurances about Prentis and this was why Emma gave him the reference. One of the ways he stopped the theft of coal was to have a ring of whitewash painted around the heaps of coal which showed when coal had been stolen.

The Prentis family were still living in Stanmore Street in 1865 but moved before the birth of their fifth and last child, Emily on 3 October 1866 to 2 Williams Terrace, Grange Avenue, Wandsworth Road.  The area to which they moved appears to be significant as will be seen.

Probably the last child he and Annie had together was born in 1866 and although Bessie Elizabeth McArthur Prentis was born in 1874, at 3 Blackheath Villas, Greenwich, it seems unlikely she was his child.

Bessie and Pollie

In about 1866 Ted started a liaison with Emily Keeling who had been born at Newport, Shropshire and was 26 at the time. On 10 May 1869 she, as Emma Audley formerly Keeling, gave birth to a daughter, Minnie Audley, at 8 St John's Hill Grove, Wandsworth, and Edmund Audley, a commercial traveler, was shown as the father.

As will be proved, Edmund Audley and Edmund (Ted) Prentis were the same person. The occupation of commercial traveller would, of course, have accounted for his frequent absences from Emily’s home for in 1871 he was still living with his wife Annie at 27 Fitzwilliam Rd, Clapham on the north side of Clapham Common:

Edmund Prentis Head Mar 36y Railway Storekeeper born Wellington, SAL

Annie Wife Mar 33y born Walsall, STS

Edmund Son 14y born Paddington, LND/ Edward Son 12y born Islington, LND

Vincent Son 10y born Islington, LND 

Annie Dau 6y born Islington, LND

Emily Dau 4y born Clapham, SRY / 1 servant.

Annie (Crowther) Prentis’s last child, Bessie Elizabeth McArthur Prentis, was born Greenwich 11 July 1874 but it seems unlikely this child was Ted’s since they had probably separated by then. The child’s third name of ‘McArthur’ may suggest the name of the father.

In early 1871 Ted Prentis and Emily Keeling had a second child, Edith, at 1 Abyssinia Rd, Wandsworth, the parents showing the same details as at the birth of Minnie. Emily and her two daughters were still living at this address in 1871.

1871 Census for 1 Abyssinia Rd, Wandsworth, Battersea, SRY: 

Emily Audley Head (Wife crossed out) Mar 27y born Newport, SAL

Minnie Dau 1y born Battersea, SRY

Edith Dau 3 weeks born Battersea, SRY

Maria Collingbourn Visitor Widow 60y (no birthplace given).

M (Maria) Collingbourne was a monthly nurse and appears on Emily's 1871 census and also was present at her death. Abyssinia Road was again conveniently placed near a station which was easily reached from Queens Road.

At this time it seems likely that Ted, now a storekeeper, was working at the South Eastern Railway Depot (later the South Eastern & Chatham Railway) near Queens Road station which was opened in 1866, and through which the London and South Eastern railway line ran. Fitzwilliam Road was a short walk from Wandsworth Road station from where he could catch a train north west to Queen’s Road station. 

The depot was an extremely convenient place for Ted to work when he and Annie were living at Williams Terrace, Grange Avenue, Wandsworth Road in 1866 where their daughter Emily (and possibly his last child with Annie) was born. This was conveniently near Queen’s Road station railway station.

The next station west from Queens Road was Clapham Junction and a short walk took him to St John's Hill Grove where Emily Keeling was living in 1869 under the name of Audley, and also at the time of her children’s births, to Abyssinia Road where she was living in 1871. 

Consequently Ted had the best of both worlds until Emily Keeling/Audley died in 1873. Death certificate: 6 Sep 1873 Merton Rd, Wimbledon, Emily Audley 30 years Wife of Edward Audley, Iron Merchant. M Callingbourn present at death, of York Rd, Wandsworth, of phthisis pulmonaris.

The two Audley/Prentis children

Minnie Audley bn 10 May 1869 at 8 St John's Hill Grove, Wandsworth, SRY  (father Edmund Audley)

Minnie Audley 1871 cens: 1 y of 1 Abyssinia Rd, Wandsworth, Battersea
Minnie Audley 1881 cens: 11 y 4 Howe St, Broughton in Salford, LAN (father:  Audley)

Minnie Prentis 1891 cens: Royal Hotel, Embankment, LND (with E  Prentis) (Bn St John Hill, Wandsworth)

Minnie Audley Prentis  married 14 Mar 1900 to Thomas Barningham

Minnie Audley Barningham  1901 census: Greens Bank, Grasmere, WES

Minnie Barningham Informant at time of death of father Edmund Prentis 17 March 1914

Edith Audley  bn 1871 Battersea, SRY to Edmund and Emily Prentis

Edith Audley 1881 the niece of Clara Howard of 4 Howe St, Broughton in Salford

Edith A Prentis 1891 census: the niece of Mary von Maxaire

Edith Audley Prentis 1891: mar to George Cranstoun, Father: Edmund Audley Prentis

Edith Audley Cranstoun 1911: probate of her will - to Alfred Keeling, gentleman (& her  uncle) 

The two Audley children

On the 1891 Minnie Audley appears with her father, aged 56 and a widowed railway officer, as Minnie Prentis of Royal Hotel, Embankment, City of London along. By 1901 she was shown as married to Thomas Barningham. Aged 31 she had married in Manchester in 1900 as Minnie Audley Prentis and her husband was 47. The name of her father was left blank on the marriage certificate although her birth certificate gave his name as Edmund Audley.

She had made what would then have been called ‘a good marriage’, meaning she had married into money. Was it a love match? Her husband was twenty six years older than her.

He had been manager of his uncle William's iron works which made railway lines and it was, probably Ted Prentis’s position as Chief Storekeeper for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway that brought the couple together.

Thomas’s uncle William Barningham was born in Arkengarthdale in the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1826 and had a remarkable industrial career. He started work at the age of 13 at the Soho Works in Shildon, Durham, a town that is  considered to be the ‘Cradle Of The Railways’ since the Stockton and Darlington Railway established its workshops there in 1826.

He set up the Darlington Iron Company in 1858 having bought Springfield farm and an adjoining estate of 85 acres to the north, in 1859 for £11,000. He was planning a further works even before his first was completed.

He later set up works in Middlesbrough, Darlington and at Pendleton in Lancashire, to meet a worldwide demand for rails and exported rails to India, the Union Pacific Railway in the USA and the Czar’s Private railway in Russia.

In 1871 his Darlington Iron Company had 100 puddling furnaces and 6 rolling mills at Albert Hill, with a further 92 furnaces and 2 mills at the Springfield works. When William Barningham died in 1882 at the age of 57 he left a considerable estate.

Thomas and his cousin William, son of Nathan Barningham, inherited most of their uncle's fortune. The will was disputed and finally settled out of court following the death of William's wife Margaret during the court case.

Thomas and Minnie had two children, Kathleen born 1901 and Grace born 1902, both of whom were given the second name of Audley. Thomas Barningham died in 1921.

Minnie’s sister, Minnie’s sister, Edith A Prentis, appears as the niece of Mary von Maxaire of Camp Lane, St Lawrence, Ludlow on the 1891 census. She was married as Edith Audley Prentis to George Cranstoun a Ludlow surgeon in the same year at Ludlow church on 8 July 1891 and her father’s name was given as Edmund Audley Prentis. There was a twelve year age gap between the bride and groom but she also made a good marriage, if not quite as wealthy a one as her sister Minnie

Marriage certificate: The parish church, Ludlow: 8th July 1891 George Cranstoun 32 years Bachelor, Surgeon of Broad Street. Father: John Cranstoun: Banker, and Edith Audley Prentis 20 years Spinster of Maryvale. Father: Edmund Audley Prentis, Storekeeper. Witnesses: E A Prentis, George Norbury and Christopher Bradshaw.

Her husband and his brother, Charles Bruce Cranstoun, were both prominent surgeons living in Broad Street, Ludlow, and were the sons of John Cranstoun the manager of the Worcester City & County Banking company in Broad Street, Ludlow. He had been born in Jedburgh, Roxburgshire.

Brother-in-law Charles Bruce Cranstoun was in a partnership with Riverdale French, as Cranston & French, surgeons of Broad Street, and was also the medical officer for Ludlow Workhouse and the public vaccinator of the Ludlow district. Both brothers are listed in Ludlow directories.

In 1901, as Edith A Cranstoun, she was with her father, Ted Prentis, at 1 Newlands, Prestwich, LAN, and she died in Marylebone in 1911.

Clara/Bessie

The 1871 census provides further food for thought for Clara/Bessie, who had been living at 37 Stanmore Road with her mother Emma and two sisters, Emma Louisa and Mary Ann/Pollie in 1861, makes an appearance.

On the 1871 Census Clara Corbett, unmarried visitor aged 32y born at York, was shown as staying at 27 Albert Terrace, Camberwell at the home of Charles Wilson Head aged 48y a Mine Agent and Annie his wife aged 50y.

The head of the household, Charles Wilson, was a forty-eight year old mine agent, and his wife Annie, was aged 50. Both were born in Staffordshire. With them were two daughters, Nellie aged 2 years who was registered at Kensington in Sep qtr 1869 1a 186, and Bessie aged 1 month who was registered as  Bessie Olga Wilson at Camberwell in Jun qtr 1871 1d 643. I thought Annie Wilson aged 50 appeared, perhaps, to be a little old to be the mother of the youngest child, Bessie and possibly also of Nellie, and as will be seen this proved to be the case.

The next station north east of Queen’s Road station was Vauxhall which is not far from Kennington Oval which is a short walk from there to where unmarried Clara Bessie Corbitt was staying as a visitor in 1871 (27 Albert Terrace, Camberwell).

I have not found Charles and Annie Wilson on the 1861and 1881 censuses, neither have I found a marriage for them however on the 1881 Census, and living in Welshpool, was Sarah A Wilson, a widow aged 37 who had been born in Welshpool, Montgomeryshire, with two daughters Nellie Florence Wilson aged 12 and Bessie O. Wilson aged 10, both born in Islington. These were the two children shown as the daughters of Charles and Annie Wilson. Also with Sarah were visitors Nena Howard aged 2 born Islington and Edmund Howard aged 1 born Welshpool, apparently the children of Clara/Bessie’s sister, Mary Ann/Pollie von Maxaire.

Of Clara’s two children

Sydney Stephen Howard bn cir 1872

Sydney Howard 1881 census: son aged 9y bn London, of 4 Howe St, Broughton in Salford, LAN

Sydney S Howard1891 census: aged 19 y a civil engineer & boarder of 13 Ramsbottom St, Horwich, LAN, bn Norwood, Surrey

Sydney Stephen Howard married 2 Jul 1895 R O West Derby, father: Charles Edward Howard

Mary Howard bn cir 1876

Mary Howard 1881 census: aged 5y bn London, of 4 Howe St, Broughton in Salford, LAN

Mary Howard  1891 census: aged 15 y, living with aunt Mary von Maxaire of Camp Lane, Ludlow, SAL

In about 1872 Clara/Bessie’s son, Sydney Stephen Howard, was born in Norwood, Surrey and once again we have the convenience of a railway station at West Norwood. Note that in an earlier list of children, Nena/Nina and Edmund Howard were living in Welshpool. Were these Sydney’s sister and brother or were they cousins? To further confuse matters in 1911 Edmund, the son of Mary A von Maxaire, was shown as her nephew!

1881 Census RG11 3954 f. 123 p.18 for 4 Howe St, Broughton in Salford, Lancashire:

Clara E Howard Head Widow Annuitant 42y York, YKS

Sydney Howard Son 9y born London

Mary Howard Dau 5y born London

Mary A Maxair Sister Widow 35y born London

Edmund Audley Brother Widower 46y Railway Officer born Wellington, SAL

Minnie Audley Niece 11y born London

Edith Audley Niece 10y born London

Ann Lewnez Servant Unm 22y General servant born Laxey, Isle of Man  

Jane Clark Servantt 16y General servant born Liverpool, LAN.

This census is extremely revealing because Clara/Bessie did not have a brother named Edmund Audley. Edmund Audley was Edmund Stevens Prentis (known as Ted) and appeared on the the 1910/11 Electoral Roll for 9 Kidderpore Avenue as Edmund Audley Prentis.

Note that Clara (Bessie) has listed the two Audley children, the daughter’s of Edmund (Ted) Audley Prentis, as nieces on the 1881 Census.

The two Howard children with her on this census were, according to a family story, also the children of Edmund (Ted) Audley Prentis.

When Clara/Bessie’s eldest child Sydney Howard married (as Sydney Stephen Howard) on 2 July 1895 at the Register Office, West Derby, Lancashire he gave his father's name as Charles Edward Howard, gentleman. I have not found a marriage between anyone named Clara/Elizabeth to a Charles Edward Howard.

The two Howard children

Sydney Stephen Howard, the son of Clara/Bessie (Corbitt) Howard was said to have been educated at university and rowed in the boat race. My father took this to mean the Oxford and Cambridge boat race however there was also a university boat race between Manchester and Salford and it seems more likely that he rowed for one of these universities between 1889 and 1890 when he would have been aged 17 or 18. 

In 1891 he was a civil engineer and a boarder at 13 Ramsbottom St, Horwich, Lancashire.

In 1895, when Sydney was 23, Ted Prentis helped him obtain a post of civil engineer with the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and it may have been that in obtaining this position and an increased income he was able to married Emma Warhurst on 2 July 1895 at the Registrar’s Office, West Derby. 

In 1891 she had been the refreshment manageress at the L & Y railway station at Norland, Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire. At this time she said she was aged 25 which was the same age she gave at her marriage 5 years later when she was actually 30.

Marriage details: Registry Office, West Derby, Lancashire:          

2 July 1895 Sydney Stephen Howard 24 years Bachelor Civil Engineer of 9 Quion Rd, Seaforth, father: Charles Edward Howard, gentleman (Deceased), and Emma Warhurst 25 years Spinster of 9 Quoin Road, Seaforth, father: James Warhurst, Retired Publican. Both signed. Witnesses: J R Pendrigh & Paul Pentin.

Regarding these witnesses: J R Pendrigh was a Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths and Paul Pentrin was the son of a Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths and this suggests the couple had no relatives or friends from either family in attendance at their wedding.

My father said ‘Sydney married a hotel proprietor’s daughter and did not introduce her to his family on that account.’ In fact Emma’s father had been a French Polisher who had become a publican and beerhouse keeper in Openshaw, Lancashire. 

If a publican or beer-house keeper’s daughter was not good enough for Bessie Corbitt/Howard it would have been extremely hypocritical of her to disapprove of the marriage since, for the time in which she was living, she had not led an entirely blameless life and had lived a lie for years.

To the world, however, she would have wanted to retain her status in society as a respectable married woman as can be seen when she named her lover as her brother in 1881. She no doubt felt that a beer-house keeper’s daughter was not a suitable wife for a civil engineer who had been to university. Even Sydney, her son, did not know the truth of his birth and on his marriage certificate gave the name of Charles Edward Howard, gentleman, as his father. This man has never been found.

Sydney and Emmie’s first child, Mary Bradshaw Howard, was born Jun qtr 1897 in Bury 8c 579, and baptized 30 Aug 1898 in Ludlow, SAL daughter of Sidney Stephen Howard). She died in the Mar qtr 1899 in Bury 8c 379.

Their second child, Nina Millicent Anne Howard was born 8 Jan 1901 at Byron St, Buckley Wells, Bury, Lancashire, (Mar qtr 1901 Bury, LAN 8c 590), at which time he was shown as a foreman at the Locomotive Engine Works, Byron Street, Bury.

Birth certificate: 8 January 1901 at Byron Street, Bury - Nina Milicent Anne. Father: Sydney Stephen Howard, Foreman in Locomotive Engine Works. Mother: Emmie Howard formerly Warhurst.

1901 Census for House at Locomotion Sheds, Bury, Lancashire: Sydney S Howard Married 29 a Civil Engineer born Norwood, Surrey / Emmie Howard Married 30y born Marple, Derbyshire / Nina Daughter 3 months born Bury, Lancashire / Sarah A Wood Sister in Law Widow 50y born Marple, Derbyshire.

On this Census Emmie Howard’s age was given as 30 and she was born in Marple, Derbyshire which is Marlpool, Derbyshire.

My father said that it was Sydney’s cousin, Annie (Corbitt) Studd, the mother of Lil and Ellen Studd of Ontario, Canada, who enlightened him about his true parentage. Sydney had always considered Ted Prentis as a long standing, close family friend who had helped him obtain a position with the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway. The fact that Ted was his father so shocked him that it caused him to give up his job, pack up his home and take his family to live elsewhere. He has never been heard of since.

There is no sign of Sydney and Emmie on the 1911 Census and it may be that he was told about his parentage before then and had gone abroad. On the 1911 census their daughter, Nina M A Howard, was a boarder at a private school at Hathersage, Tideswell, Bakewell, Derbyshire. She died in Oct 1993 in Hastings & Rother, SSX C50A 4561C (92y).

Is this Sydney?

Sydney Howard  (last permanent residence 15 Hamilton Road, Bristol) sailed on 8th June from Liverpool  on the Lusitania, arriving Ellis Island  on 15 June 1912. He was an engineer aged 42 years (5 foot 7 and half inches tall, dark hair and complexion, grey eyes), and was going to join a friend, Wynne Roberts of Regina, Saskatchewan. Wynne Roberts was an engineer hired in 1910 to improve the water works. He may be the R W Wynne Roberts whose family joined him 2 Oct 1914 from Liverpool, at which time his address was City Hall, Regina.

If this is our Sydney Howard he went out shortly after the time (28 July 1911) when the municipality was authorized in 1911/12 (Sask.) to operate a street railway in Regina. Additionally it was the time when the railways were being developed out there.

Whether the following 1911 census has any connection is not known.

75 Waverley Road, Redland, Clifton, Bristol, GLS

Sydney Howard Head aged 42 Civil Engineer for Road Contractor born Cardiff, Wales

Irene Maud Howard Wife married eight and a half years aged 28 born Melksham, Wilts

John William Howard Son 7y born Bradford, Wilts

Sarah Jane Rose Visitor married 61y Private Means born Kessil, Wilts

1 servant.  (RG14PN14857 RG78PN901 RD319 SD1 ED32 SN255)

This marriage was to Irene Maud Rose Dec qtr 1902 at Calne 5a 203 which would mean Emma had died.

His sister, Mary, appears on their mother’s 1881 census ‘Mary Howard Daughter aged 5 born London.  In 1891 she was living with her aunt Mary von Maxaire of Camp Lane, St Lawrence, Ludlow. My father said she married a mine owner named Stewart or Stuart of Prestwich however no marriage has been found.

There is a Mary A Stewart entry on the 1901 Census living at 130 Cornwell Rd, Kensington: aged 27. Born  Kensington, London. She was married to a Charles H Stewart but he was a plumber aged 30y who had been born Kensington. Interestingly they had a son Sidney aged 3.

The two Maxaire children

The 1881 entry for Mary Ann Maxaire (Bessie’s sister Pollie) is also interesting.  She was staying with her sister Clara/Bessie ‘Mary A Maxair Sister Widow aged 35 born London.‘ A marriage registration has not been found for her but with the surname of Maxaire or von Maxaire it may be that she was the linguist and had travelled to Poland and married in Warsaw. Perhaps the story about being a governess in Russia refers to her.

At the time of this census she had two children, Nina and Edmund, aged two and one respectively but surprisingly neither are with their mother in 1881 and their birth registrations have not been found, consequently the name of the children’s father is not known.  However it may be that the GRO reference shown below for Edmond is for him.

Nina Audley Maxaire bn cir 1879 (not found GRO)

Nena (or Vena) Howard1881 census visitor aged 2y bn Islington, with Sarah A Wilson of  Bryntirion cottage, Gungrog Lane, Welshpool)

Nina A von Maxaire 1891 census: aged 12y, with mother of Camp Lane, St Lawrence, Ludlow

Nina Audley Maxaire married in Ludlow 1898 to Frederick Charles I Beaumont

Nina Beaumont 1901 census bn 1879 London

Nina Beamont  2 Sep 1916 present at death of brother

Nina Audley Beamont  probate of mother’s will in 1924.

Edmund Howard bn cir 1880 (not found on GRO)

Edmund Howard bn Dec qtr 1879 Forden (about 6 miles from Welshpool) Is this for him?

Edmund Howard 1881 census visitor with Sarah Wilson, aged 1y bn Welshpool) (not  found on GRO)

Edmund A Von Maxaire 1891 census: aged 11y bn London as son of Mary Maxaire

Edmund A Von Maxaire 1901 census: aged 21y bn London, son of Mary von Maxaire,

Edmund Audley Maxaire 1911 census: aged 31y bn Welshpool, nephew (of Mary Maxaire),

Both children were with Pollie (Mary Ann) in 1891 when she appears as Mary von Maxaire and living on her own means at Camp Lane, St Lawrence, Ludlow, Shropshire.  Also with her were Edith A Prentis aged 20 and Mary Howard aged 15, a scholar, both were shown as her nieces. The first was the the daughter of Ted Prentis and Emily Keeling, Edith Audley, whyo was on  Clara/Bessie’s 1881 census, and Mary Howard was Clara/Bessie’s daughter.

1891 Census for Camp Lane, St Lawrence, Ludlow, Shropshire (next to parish church): Mary Von Maxaire Head Widow 46 years Living on own means born London / Edmund A von Maxaire Son 11y Scholar born London / Nina A von Maxaire Dau 12y Scholar born London / Edith A Prentiss Niece Single 20 years born London / Mary Howard Niece 15 years Scholar born London. (2 servants: a cook and a housemaid.)

Mary Ann/Pollie’s eldest child, Nina Maxaire, married Frederick Charles I Beaumont, a Ludlow dental surgeon in 1898 when she gave her name as Nina Audley Maxaire.

Marriage certificate: Frederick Charles Beaumont 25y Bachelor Dental Surgeon of Castle Square, Ludlow. Father: Charles Beaumont, deceased, Wine Merchant, and Nina Audley Maxaire 19y Spinster of Mill St, Ludlow. Father's details are blank. Both signed. Witnesses: Christopher Bradshaw & Daniel Leys Davis.

In 1901 Pollie (as Mary von Maxaire) was living on her own means at Maryvale House, Lower Mill Street, Ludlow and with her was her son Edmund, aged 21.

1901 Census for Maryvale House, Lower Mill St, Ludlow, Shropshire:  Mary von Maxaire Head Widow 56  Living On Own Means born London / Edmund A. von Maxaire Son aged 21 born London / 3 servants: Cook, Housemaid, Boy.

In 1911 Mary ands her son Edmund were living at Windermere, Walton on Thames which is where Edmund died in 1916.

Mary Ann died in 1924 at at Halliford House, Upper Halliford, Sunbury, Middlesex, which was a hospital or a nursing home. Her address was given as 3 Cambridge Terrace, Walton on Thames.

Edmund Howard/von Maxaire, was born in 1880 and on the 1911 Census he says he was born in Welshpool, Montgomershire. He died unmarried in 1916 and at his death he was registered as Edmund Audley Maxaire.

Death certificate: 2 September 1916 Windermere, Highfield Road, Walton UD, Edmund Audley Maxaire 36 years of Independent Means.Cause of Death: 1:  Arterial degeneration 2: Cerebral haemorage. Informant: N Beaumont, Sister, Present at Death. of 31 Cremorne Mansions,       Chelsea, SW.

These children, both with the second name of Audley, look suspiciously like Ted Prentis/Audley’s children. 

The marriage of Edmund (Ted) Prentis and Anne C. Crowther Weaver

She was b. 4 Oct 1837, Walsall and was alive in 1881. In 1856 they lived at Salisbury Street. Three sons and one daughter were born to them between 1856 and 1864 while the family lived at 1 Edward Square, Thornhill Bridge, Islington London and 39 Stanmore St Islington.

Annie emigrated to the US, arriving in NY aboard the "Egypt" on 4 Oct 1887 with her daughters, Annie, Emily and Bessie.

           Their children were

Edmund Prentis, b. 14 Aug 1856, Paddington, Middlesex

Edward Prentis, b. 24 Sept 1858 Islington, Middlesex

Vincent Prentis, b. 21 Feb 1861, Islington, Middlesex

Annie Prentis, b. 3 Dec 1864 St. Pancras, London. She is probably the Annie Prentis shown in the IGI as christened 10 Jul 1865 at Old Church, St. Pancras, London since 2 other apparent siblings are shown in the IGI as christened that same date. Arrived NY, USA, on 4 Oct 1887 aboard the "Egypt with her mother and sisters.

Emily Prentis, b. 1866, Clapham, Surrey. Arrived NY, USA, on 4 Oct 1887 aboard the "Egypt with her mother and sisters.

Bessie/Elizabeth McArthur Prentis, b. 11 Jul 1874, Greenwich, Surrey. This child was born some years after Ted and Annie separated however Ted did, from time to time, return to Annie.

Bessie appears in the 1881 census in Blackheath, Surrey living with her mother aged 43. Her mother is stated as married, but no father is shown in the household. She arrived NY, USA, on 4 Oct 1887 aboard the "Egypt with her mother and sisters.