Genealogy Chat

I have been struggling to find the parents of my great-great grandfather John Coote. I've managed to find him on all the 1901, 1891, 1881 and the 1871 census but it's on the 1871 census that lets me down as I his parents are not listed. 1901 Census He name is mispelt as 'Coots' and is listed as living in Kensington with his wife Kate (her actual name was Caroline) and his birthplace was Suffolk. His job was a 'Hawk Dealer' 1891 Census He is listed as a Hawk Dealer and his birthplace as 'Clare, Suffolk' 1881 Census Here he is living in Clare and is listed as being an agricutural labourer but his birthplace now says 'Wickhambrook' in Suffolk. 1871 Census This is the census that confuses me the most and really lets me down. John Coote who's 10 years old is listed as 'Son in Law' and his sister 'Emma Coote' who is 15 is listed as 'Sister in Law'. The head I would say is on the previous page and that is a couple called George and Ellen Dear. Now to my knowledge, someone at the age of 10 or 15 cannot be an 'in law' as to be an 'in law' you have to be married. I really would like to know for sure who John Coote's parents are and if anyone can help then that would be very much appreciated! Thanks Just another note for the 1871 census: John Coote is 10, Emma Coote is 15, Ellen Dear is 49 and George is 48. I really am confused about how John and Emma

In the past they had different terminology and I think that -in law can actually mean step. So maybe Ellen is their mother and remarried?

Was this Ellen in 1851 - prevouisly married to a Coote William Brown abt 1812 Honnington, Suffolk, England Lodger Denardiston Suffolk View Record Elizabeth Coote abt 1843 Denardiston, Suffolk, England Daughter Denardiston Suffolk View Record Ellen Coote abt 1824 Denham, Suffolk, England Wife Denardiston Suffolk View Record Ellen Coote abt 1846 Denardiston, Suffolk, England Daughter Denardiston Suffolk View Record George Coote abt 1843 Denardiston, Suffolk, England Son Of Brother Denardiston Suffolk View Record Jane Coote abt 1851 Denardiston, Suffolk, England Daughter Denardiston Suffolk View Record Joseph Coote abt 1817 Denardiston, Suffolk, England Brother Denardiston Suffolk View Record Mary Ann Coote abt 1847 Denardiston, Suffolk, England Daughter Denardiston Suffolk View Record William Coote abt 1815 Denardiston, Suffolk, England Head Denardiston Suffolk View Record Charlotte Medcalf abt 1837 Wickhambrook, Suffolk, England Servant Denardiston Suffolk View Record Samuel Suttle abt 1812 Pentlow, Essex, England Lodger Denardiston Suffolk

I gave you help on the general board.

I would agree with everyone above.....Ellen was married to William Coote.....had a bunch of children.....William died and Ellen then married George. The two children who are listed as Son-in-law and Daughter-in-law (not sister in law!) are her children and today we would call them step children to the head of household. Merry

Death of William? Deaths Sep 1864 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coote William Risbridge 4a 269 UPDATE - this isn't the one.....see Joanne's post further down. Merry

This is Emma's christening off the IGI -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Emma Cootes Female Family -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Event(s): Birth: 1855 Denardiston, , Suffolk, England Christening: Death: 30 NOV 1884 Burial: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Parents: Father: William Cootes Family Mother: Ellen Ann King

Marriage of Ellen Coote to George Dare (this is his name on the 1861 census, not Dear) Marriages Jun 1865 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coote Ellen Risbridge 4a 597 Dare George Risbridge 4a 597 Merry

Death of Ellen: Name: Ellen Dare Birth Date: abt 1824 Year of Registration: 1879 Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun Age at death: 55 District: Risbridge County: Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk Volume: 4a Page: 296 Death of George: Name: George Dare Birth Date: abt 1823 Year of Registration: 1897 Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun Age at death: 74 District: Risbridge County: Cambridgeshire, Essex, Suffolk Volume: 4a Page: 360 Merry

Johns possible birth as RISBRIDGE covers the following villages: Barnardiston, Clare, Cowlinge, Denston, Great Bradley, Great Thurlow, Great Wratting, Hundon, Haverhill, Kedington, Little Bradley, Little Thurlow, Little Wratting, Monks Risbridge, Poslingford, Stansfield, Stoke by Clare, Stradishall, Wickhambrook, Withersfield, Wixoe. Births Sep 1861 COOTE John Risbridge 4a 380

''nudge''

I'd say this is them on the 1861. Ellen is already a widow so you can narrow William's death to between the 1851 and 1861 census dates. They have been mistranscribed as Cook on this census. Eliza Cook abt 1854 Denston, Suffolk, England Daughter Wickhambrook Suffolk Ellen Cook abt 1824 Higham, Suffolk, England Head Wickhambrook Suffolk Emma Cook abt 1856 Wickhambrook, Suffolk, England Daughter Wickhambrook Suffolk Jane Cook abt 1852 Denston, Suffolk, England Daughter Wickhambrook Suffolk Mary Ann Cook abt 1846 Denston, Suffolk, England Daughter Wickhambrook Suffolk Joanne

Nice one Joanne - Matthew, please ignore my possible death for William Coote posted further up! Merry

From Gen Board:- by me on 11/05/2006 19:58:50 They could be stepchildren. I have seen that before. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Matthew Coutts on 11/05/2006 20:06:33 Just another note: John Coote is 10, Emma Coote is 15, Ellen Dear is 49 and George is 48. I really am confused about how John and Emma could ever been in laws with the age gaps that big? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Added by Mags from Bristol on 11/05/2006 20:12:51 As Joy has already said 'in law' on census returns can mean that the children are stepchildren of the head of the household. So it would seem that Ellen was married before. Mags xx -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- by me: on 11/05/2006 20:27:38 There is a birth of a John Coote registered September quarter 1861 Risbridge District. This covers Wickhambrook, Clare and Denston. You could send for the birth certificate to the register office, and say please send it if his mother is Ellen. Worth a try ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- by me: on 11/05/2006 20:35:41 And there is an Emma Coote registered June quarter 1876 Risbridge District - age 19. Rather a late registration!.... :-) You could send for the birth certificate to the register office, and say please send it if her mother is Ellen. This is from the ancestry(.)com site.

Ok 1st of all I would like to say a big thanks to everyone that has replied! Thank you all. 2nd I have discovered that William Coote died in 1856 aged 41 in Denardiston (Denston), Suffolk. Now if William died in 1856 and his wife Ellen didn't re-marry until 1865 then who was John Coote's real father? Does anyone have access to baptism records for Denardiston (Denston) or Wickhambrook?

You're welcome. I am glad you have seen all this incredible help from people. If no one on here has access to parish records, it would be worth you looking at this site http://www.suffolk-surnames-list(.)co.uk where someone does look-ups for Wickhambrook parish records. Happy hunting. Joy