On Sun, 16 May 2010 18:39:33 +0100 Nigel St C Gerdes <nigel.gerdes@milnet.uk.net> wrote: > Hi List, > > I am in correspondence with a researcher tracing their > Ecchinswell/Kingsclere STEVENS family. > > In the course of doing census searches I found in the 1881 census at > St Giles Reading, Berks at 23 Silver St an unmarried lodger called > John STEVENS giving his birth year as 1856 and a birthplace of > Kingsclere, Hants. His occupation was Shoeblack. > > He might be: > > Birth FreeBMD Whitchurch 1857 1Q 2c 176 STEVENS, John Alexander > > There is a Robert STEVENS and Elizabeth ALEXANDER on the same page at > Marriage FreeBMD Andover 1851 2Q 7 63. 1851 Census Hurstbourne Tarrant George Green, head, 36, grocer, Hurstbourne Mary , wife, 30, Hurstbourne Alfred George , son, 11, -, Hurstbourne John Alexander , son, 2 mo, -, Hurstbourne Robert Stevens, servant, 25, shoemaker, Ecchinswell Elizabeth Alexander, visitor, 32, -, Hurstbourne Is this too much of a co-incidence! In 1861 Robert born Ecchinswell is in household of Henry & Emma Ford, Emma age 34, born Ecchinswell. Robert is described as brother. So that confirms Robert as a son of John Stevens & Mary Ann Rode. I think John Stevens must have died as Mary Ann Wheeler with 3 Stevens children is recorded in George Street, Kingsclere in 1841, Thomas Wheeler, 43, blacksmith is the husband (presumably). Too late at night to start checking for a marriage but will do so tomorrow. Baptism entries have both Emma & Robert born Kingsclere Town but family could have moved to Ecchinswell and both thought they were born there. This Robert is recorded as a letter carrier in 1871, a boot/shoemaker & grocer in 1881/1891 but with a wife Jane. In 1871 he has a 14 year old son John -- John Lewis Debian & the GeneWeb genealogical data server