On 26 Sep 2010 at 19:20, Roy Stockdill wrote: > On 26 Sep 2010 at 16:48, Mary Newbery wrote: > > > Dear Listers, > > > > Thomas was born in the Sept qt 1863, in Stockton on Tees, the son of > > William Aubrey and Margaret Morgan. His parents moved to Stockton > > from Wales because of the Iron Industry. At the time of his marriage > > in 1883 to Ethel Maud Thomas in Sunderland he was the Manager of > > Middlesburgh Ironworks. > > > > He appears on the 1881 census with his family in Stockton on Tees. I > > have never found him again after his marriage. Ethel is either at > > her parents or visiting a cousin, but where was Thomas?. Ethel was > > said to be a concert singer or a concert pianist. She died in London > > in 1955, and was described as the widow of a Journalist. Family > > tradition suggests Thomas may have become a Journalist on the > > Financial Times and developed a drink problem. > > > > He seems to have kept out of sight as far as I can determine. Ethel > > and Thomas were childless but looked after his sister's children > > during school holidays. It is likely that Thomas died in London. > > > > I wonder if anyone could double check for me whether he did indeed > > avoid appearing on censuses, and would know how long his Iron > > Industry employment lasted and if/when he might have pursued an > > alternative career. > > > Firstly, if you will forgive me pointing out a couple of errors in > your above message, the birth of Thomas Morgan Aubrey is recorded at > FreeBMD at Stockton in the Sep quarter of 1862 (vol 10a page 33), not > 1863; and his marriage to Ethel Maude Thomas was in the Mar quarter of > 1893 (not 1883) at Sunderland (10a 719). > > He is found quite easily in the 1891 census as Thomas Aubrey, clerk, > single, a boarder, aged 22, born Middlesbrough, boarding with a widow > and her daughter called NEWTON at Sunderland (RG12, piece 4139, folio > 50, page 7). > > In 1901 he is in London - again found quite easily as Thos Aubrey, 39, > chartered accountant - though this time his birthplace is given as > Sunderland - again living in a boarding house in St Giles in the > Fields, Bloomsbury, London (RG13, piece 236, folio 79, page 46). He is > described as married but his wife is not with him. Though the > birthplace has changed, I feel it very likely that this was him since > the age matches. It was very common for birth places (and ages) to > vary from one census to another. > > Haven't yet found him in 1911 but will look again. > Just to add to my correction of my own error - his age in 1891 was 29, NOT 22 - FreeBMD has the death of a Thomas Aubrey at Paddington registration district in the Sep quarter of 1922, aged 60 (1a 6). Seems a likely candidate? -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE