Hi evevryone, I've found folk on this list to be very helpful so I'm hoping someone will be able to offer some guidance, if not answer the question, this time. I have Stephen Frank Willis b 1861 Ramsgate. In March qtr 1881 he married Elizabeth Andrews at St Lukes Church. The 1881 census shows Stephen as Mate aboard "Plym" in Newhaven. In 1882 a daughter Alice Maude is born. In 1891 census Elizabeth and Alice are with Peter Bartlett (married June qtr 1886) Despite numerous searches I've been unable to trace what happened to Stephen Can anyone help please peter elliott

Hi, I have been researching naval family in that area and I think -I may be wrong - that Plym was an onshore base and not a ship, by the size of the crew I would say that this is the Royal Navy, there is a possibility that Stephen may - like my ancestor been in the Med. War fleet and as such may have gone down with a ship, there is a Royal Navy Museum site they may be able to help you. Regards Joan. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of PETER ELLIOTT Sent: 21 July 2009 17:44 To: [email protected] Subject: [Isle-of-Thanet] Stephen Frank Willis Hi evevryone, I've found folk on this list to be very helpful so I'm hoping someone will be able to offer some guidance, if not answer the question, this time. I have Stephen Frank Willis b 1861 Ramsgate. In March qtr 1881 he married Elizabeth Andrews at St Lukes Church. The 1881 census shows Stephen as Mate aboard "Plym" in Newhaven. In 1882 a daughter Alice Maude is born. In 1891 census Elizabeth and Alice are with Peter Bartlett (married June qtr 1886) Despite numerous searches I've been unable to trace what happened to Stephen Can anyone help please peter elliott ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Peter, I think your Frank Stephen Willis connects with one of my Ramsgate families. His father was Stephen Willis labourer, born about 1838 in Ramsgate ( married to Elizabeth Smith in 1858) His parents were Thomas James Willis and Ann Butler. Another son of Thomas James and Ann was Thomas James Willis, born about 1834 who married my great great grandmother Mary Johnson Young on 15 May 1856 in St George's Church Ramsgate. He was a mariner and died ( I think) in 1857. They had one child, Mary Ann Willis born in 1857. Mary then married my great great grandfather William Lucas on 2 January 1858 in St George's Ramsgate. Have you got details of Stephen's family in the censuses. If not I am happy to share with you. If Stephen was lost at sea, it may be that there will be no death entry. This happened with my great grandfather Edwin Jordan, who married Mary and William's daughter Ada Ellen Lucas. he was lost at sea in 1914. The only record of his supposed death was on his mariner's record which we got from the Registry of Shipping and Seamen ( though I understand these records are now elsewhere) HTH Anne On 21 Jul 2009, at 17:43, PETER ELLIOTT wrote: > Hi evevryone, > I've found folk on this list to be very helpful so I'm hoping > someone will be able to offer some guidance, if not answer the > question, this time. > I have Stephen Frank Willis b 1861 Ramsgate. In March qtr 1881 he > married Elizabeth Andrews at St Lukes Church. > The 1881 census shows Stephen as Mate aboard "Plym" in Newhaven. > In 1882 a daughter Alice Maude is born. > In 1891 census Elizabeth and Alice are with Peter Bartlett (married > June qtr 1886) > Despite numerous searches I've been unable to trace what happened to > Stephen > Can anyone help please > peter elliott > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] > with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and > the body of the message