Genealogy Chat

Hi everyone,

I am in desperate need of a fresh pair of eyes or suggestions of where else I might look.

My g-grandfather George Albert Cole was born in July 1868 in Mattishall Burgh, Norfolk. He appears on the 1871 census living with his parents George A and Jemima Cole and his sister Louisa still living in Mattishall Burgh.

My problem is that I can't find him on any other census until 1901 when he is married and living in Skelton, North Yorkshire with his wife Elizabeth and four children. He had married Elizabeth Cole (they were 1st cousins) in April 1893 in Skelton. His parents had moved from Norfolk to North Yorkshire at sometime between the 1881 and 1891 census dates but George is not with them.

I have searched on Ancestry for him on the 1881 and 1891 census but with no joy. I have tried different variations of his name but have come up with nothing. Can anyone help me please?

Caz

Would his job have caused him to move around?

There's a possibility on the 1911.

1871 for ref only

Name: George A Cole
Age: 2
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Relation: Son
Father's Name: George A
Mother's Name: Jemima
Gender: Male
Where born: Mattishall Burgh, Norfolk, England
Civil parish: Mattishall Burgh
County/Island: Norfolk
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Disability: View Image
Registration district: Mitford
Sub-registration district: Mattishall
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 34
Household Members: Name Age
George A Cole 26
Jemima Cole 23
George A Cole 2
Louise Cole 1





1881

Name: George Cole
Age: 34
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1847
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Jemima
Gender: Male
Where born: Matt Burgh, Norfolk, England

Civil parish: Mattishall Burgh
County/Island: Norfolk
Country: England

Street address: Nr Nortons Farm
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: View Image
Occupation: Ag Lab

Registration district: Mitford
Sub-registration district: Mattishall
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
George Cole 34
Jemima Cole 33
Louisa Cole 12
Arthur Cole 10
Caroline Cole 3






June x

Hi Cynthia,

thanks for your interest.

I have found him on the 1911 census. He and his wife and children are still at the same address as in 1901.

What I am really trying to find out is where he was in the years before he married in 1893. I have him on the 1871 census but then nothing until his marriage. He was working as an ironstone miner at the time of his marriage and was still in the same job at the time of his death in 1923

He really has me stumped. I have considered he may have been working away from home or in the military but I haven't managed to find a George Cole of the correct age or who was born in Mattishall Burgh. I must be missing something somewhere but I haven't a clue what it could be.

Thanks again,
Caz x

Hi June,

that's the right family. Thank you for putting the details up.As you can see George junior is not with them in 1881.

I have no idea where to go from here.

Any suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks again,
Caz x

Hi,

after posting this thread I suddenly had a brainwave and decided to check the address given at the time of marriage against the 1891 census to see if George was there but mistranscribed in some way seeing as there was only two years between the census being taken and the marriage but unfortunately I had no luck there either.

I have now checked the entire census for Mattishall Burgh were George was born without success and am in the process of searching Skelton where he was living in 1893 enumeration district by enumeration district.

Any other ideas would be most welcome.

Thanks June and Cynthia for your interest so far.

Caz x

Hi Caz

This is like the mystery of James Weaver, born 1863 Preston. He is on the1871 census with family, no sign in 1881 or 1891. Same census years as your George Cole. Were they both spirited off somewhere? He pitches up in Macclesfield, Cheshire in 1896 to marry a child bride. We know he was in the army. We also believe he deserted and rejoined with the name James White. But I can't find him either.

I have been searching for years with no luck.

Hope you do better than me.

Margaret

If anyone has a FMP subscription and would like to check out the entries for the 1891 census. Put in George Cole date of birth 1868 (exact).

There are 15 George Coles in the list. He would have been 23.

What if he left home to work. Need to check each one to see if the place of birth matches George Albert Cole.

It's ask a million questions me here.

George Albert Cole
Birth: 1868 - Burgh, Norfolk, England
Death: 1923
Spouse: Elizabeth
F: George Arran Ellis Cole M: Jemima L Newell

This is him. Might be your tree on Ancestry. If not, that's where I found it. Same amount of info as you have. Nothing between 1871 and 1901. Married to Elizabeth with seven children.

Anoher tree with his name, but same amount of info.

Isn't it nice when people verify what you already don't have??!!!

Hah!!

Do you like thinking outside the square. How about this??

1881 Census. Living with his uncle (oh heavens it could be his aunt). Like to make some sense of any of the names??

OK so the place of birth does not fit. Absolutely no idea where Kingston on Hull is. Probably over the other side of the UK. Still it gives a possibility of some other reason why he might not have been living with his family.

Name: George Cole
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Relation: Nephew
Gender: Male
Where born: Kingston Upon Hull

Civil parish: Kingston-Upon-Hull
County/Island: Yorkshire
Country: England

Street address: 11 Edgar Street
Education:

Employment status: View Image

Registration district: Hull
Sub-registration district: Myton
ED, institution, or vessel: 34
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Scott 29
Elizabeth Cross 33
Charlotte Cross 63
Harriet Cole 16
>>>>>>George Cole 13

Hi Margaret,

that's a strange coincidence isn't it? You mention that James Weaver was in the army, I wonder if maybe George was too. I have no evidence to support that theory though but it is definitely food for thought. I have looked before at whether there was a major military campaign during the missing years but didn't find anything. If anyone else knows of any I would be very grateful to hear about it.

Auntie Sherlock,

that's not my tree on Ancestry but the Coles are a huge family with many people researching them. Unfortunately for me I seem to be the only direct ancestor of Georges currently looking. Whoever it is that has the tree on Ancestry hasn't been in touch with me as they have Georges fathers middle name wrong. So if they're reading this please get in touch and I will give you the correct name.

As for the George Cole living in Kingston - upon- Hull I will definitely take a look at that. The surnames Scott and Cross don't immediately ring any bells but at this stage I am not in a position to dismiss anything so thank you for the suggestion.

Thank you all for the suggestions so far. Please keep them coming. You might just save my sanity lol.

Caz x

Hi Auntie Sherlock,

I have just been on to Ancestry to have a closer look at the George Cole you found living in Kingston - upon - Hull. Unfortunately I have not been able to link him to an uncle Thomas Scott, an aunt Elizabeth who could have become Mrs Cross or to a sister or cousin named Harriet Cole so at this time I have to conclude this was not my George. I have made a note of this census info on my FTM programme though in case any of these names pop up again at a later date. Thank you again for your help. I am very grateful.

Caz x

For elimination purposes.

George Cole living in Kingston upon Hull in 1881
There is a George Cole still living there in 1901occ dock labourer.

Your Coles are living Ormesby Is that North Ormesby by any chance?
I lived there when I was first married

Hi Quinsgran,

sorry I have no idea. All I do know is that Georges parents and his two uncles moved with their families from Norfolk to Eston in Cleveland and Skelton in Cleveland at various times after the 1871 census. Young George however doesn't appear with any of them.

Would you mind telling me please where Ormesby and North Ormesby are. It could help me if I have to widen my search of enumeration districts.

Thanks for your interest,
Caz x

Ormesby and North Ormesby are both close to Eston all in Yorkshire not Cleveland.
That was a boundary change name given to the area in 1980s. Now its reverted back Yorkshire.

I cant access the census image details because I no longer have Ancestry but there are certainly Cole family living in both Ormesby and Ormesby Middlesbrough

Hi again Quinsgran,

thanks for telling me that. I didn't know the boundary change was so recent. I'm glad they're back in Yorkshire now.

Thanks also for telling me where Ormesby and North Ormesby are. I had no idea. I have just finished searching Skelton and am starting to tackle Eston now. That is where Georges parents and one of his uncles were in 1891 so maybe just maybe he is in the area somewhere and has been either mistranscribed by the enumerator or has been overlooked somehow. Maybe that is just wishful thinking on my part but he must be somewhere.

Thanks again for your help,
Caz x

Hi Caz.
I used to live in Ormesby as well as North Ormesby.Eston became popular when iron ore was found in the Cleveland Hills and an ironstone mine was there.
There is a great dvd called Century in Stone all about the area and the ironstone mines.It was also played on the cinema in Middlesbrough and drew large audiences. I guess local interest . It was also played in Australia. Im in NZ myself so had to buy the dvd online to watch it.
Skelton also had a mine .

Google Skelton mines there is quite a bit of history online
Also check out Boosbeck Miner. Its a fasinating diary of William Rowbottom of Boosbeck who died in 1927. His dates are from 1873 .He lists people who died in the area Skelton and surrounding areas and how some of them died. Also names of some who left the area and other points of interest.
Im still looking to see if any of my relatives show up


Margaret