This page contains several of the ongoing puzzles that remain unsolved. There are many instances of records that have not been matched to known individuals and many individuals for whom no records have been found. But this page highlights some of the larger family groupings that have not been linked as well as those that are of current interest to other researchers.
The hope is that these puzzles can be solved collectively and as they are solved, new ones can be posted for ongoing research and assistance.
amelia jane mallandaine
According to later records, Amelia was born in St Pancras on 25 July 1849 but no birth registration has been found under the surname Mallandaine. She first appears in the public records in the 1851 Census when she was living at 25 Southampton Street in St Pancras with her parents, Edward G Mallandaine and Jane. Edward was 24 years old, born in Islington and employed as a Collecting Clerk while Jane was 26 years old, born in Cambridge and worked as a Dressmaker.
Neither Amelia nor her parents appear in the 1861 Census but on 12 July 1869, Amelia married Erastus Richard Nance at St Mark in Camberwell and
the event was witnessed by Henry Hamilton and Harriet Steveson. The register lists her age as 19 years, her occupation a Dressmaker, her address is partially illegible other than Clerkenwell, and her father as Elliott John Mallandaine but his occupation was left blank.
The only possible match in the known family tree is John Elliot Mallandaine, son of George Robert Mallandain and Jane Galer, but he would have been just 11 years old when Amelia was born. The link to Jane Galer is stronger as she was born in Cambridge in 1817, worked as a dressmaker, and she separated from her husband in 1848 — 49.
Two years after her marriage, Amelia was baptised at St James, Clerkenwell on 18 March and she listed her parents as John and Jane Mallendaine and this time, her father's occupation was listed as Gentleman. At the time, Amelia was living at 22 Queen Street but they don't appear at that address in the 1871 Census.
Amelia died in the spring of 1879 in Camberwell but it does not appear that she had any children. No others records have been located to place Amelia in the family tree.
The links to Jane Galer and
John Elliot are the only possible avenues at
this point. It is possible that Jane had an affair with another man becoming
pregnant as a result and this was the reason she separated from her husband.
She may have continued to use the Mallandain name to hide the fact she was
not married to Amelia's father. Jane disappears from the records after 1847
and there is no record of her son between 1841 and his marriage in 1863.
Perhaps Amelia listed her half-brother’s name on her marriage certificate because she
did not know her father or didn't wish to acknowledge that she was
illegitimate. But all of this is conjecture until further information comes
to light.
harry john brown
Henry or Harry was born in Mile End New Town on 12 July 1880 to Thomas Brown
and Martha Mallindine. He was baptised at St James the Great in Bethnal Green on
8 August and at the time, his family was living at 9 Charlotte Place and his
father was working as a Cabinet Maker. When the census was taken eight months
later, they were living at 3 Fleet Street in Bethnal Green and Thomas'
occupation was listed as Couch Maker and Martha as a Box Maker. Also in the
household were two siblings, Sarah J, born in Spitalfields in 1870, and
Eliza,
born in Spitalfields in 1872. Thomas was born in Shoreditch in 1844 and Martha
in Spitalfields in 1848.
On 26 July 1885, Jane Browne was baptised at Christ Church in
Spitalfields and her parents were listed on the register as Thomas and
Martha who lived at 35 Hanbury Street. Thomas' occupation was again listed
as Cabinet Maker.
The next record relating to this family is Harry's marriage to Emma
Susanna Rutland at St Anne in Hoxton on 24 November 1907. He was working as
a Carman and living at 30 Turner's Square, the same address as Emma, and his
father was listed as Thomas Brown, a Chair Maker. Harry and Emma lived in
one room at 90 Gibraltar Walk when the 1911 census was taken and he was
still working as a Carman and Emma as an Office Cleaner. They last appear in
the records in 1939 when they were living at 13 Shaftesbury Street in
Shoreditch.
No other records related to Thomas, Martha or their three daughters has
been found to help tie them to the Mallandain family tree. However, the only
possible match for a Martha Mallindine born c. 1848 is Martha Eleanor,
daughter of John Mallindine and Mary Short. She married George Payne in 1866
and two children of the marriage have been confirmed: George Edward (1867 -
67) and daughter Sarah whose birth was registered in Whitechapel in 1870.
There is one further link to John and Mary Mallindine and that is 35
Hanbury Street. Mary appears at the same address in the Electoral Register
in 1890 and again in the 1891 census. Is it possible that Martha and Martha
Eleanor are one and the same? Martha has not been found, with or without
George, beyond 1870 but it is possible that George died or that they
separated and Martha later moved in with Thomas Brown. There is no evidence
of a marriage between Martha and Thomas, nor any birth or baptism records
for Sarah or Eliza (under Mallindine, Payne or Brown) but the common names
make it difficult to trace them with any certainty.
william isaac + jane marsh
The first record of this couple is the birth of their first son, James, who was born on 19 May 1856 at 14 Coventry Street in Bethnal Green. He was registered under the name Malandine and his mother was listed as "Jane Malandine, formerly Marsh" so the birth was registered as if the parents were married. William's occupation was listed as Silk Weaver. Their next son, Alfred William, was born on 3 January 1858 and baptised at St Matthias on 24 January. The baptism record is under the name Malendighn which is a spelling that has not been seen before. William was working as a Weaver and the family was living at 1 West Street in Bethnal Green. No matching birth registration has been found but there is one under the name Alfred William Marsh that may be a match. Their third son, Thomas, was born at 2 Manchester Street on 16 February 1859 and registered under the name Malandine. William was still listed as a Silk Weaver.
William and Jane appear alone in the 1861 Census at 6 Hope Street in Spitalfields. William was listed as a 36 year old Cooper who was born in Bethnal Green and Jane as a 28 year old Weaveress also born in Bethnal Green. James' death record has not been located under Malandine or Marsh but Alfred died, aged 20 months, at 2 Little Manchester Street and was buried at Victoria Park on 23 August 1859. Youngest son Thomas also died at home on Manchester Street and he was buried at Gibraltar Row on 14 September 1860; he was only 18 months old.
The couple finally married on 25 September 1869 at St Barnabas in Hackney. They may have chosen to marry at a church further away from where they were living to hide the fact they had been living together and had children out of wedlock. William was listed as a widower which may explain why they were finally able to marry. His father was listed as William Isaac Malandain, a Silk Manufacturer, but William was working as a Cooper at the time he married. Jane's father was listed as Thomas Marsh, a Baker.
William and Jane appear alone again in the 1871 Census but they had moved to 22 Royston Street, ten years later they were still there and in 1891, they were living at 42 Royston Street.
In December, William died of acute bronchitis at 22 Royston Street aged 68 years
and was buried in the Tower Hamlets Cemetery on 2 January 1892.
Jane was still at 42 Royston Street in 1901 but the census also lists her daughter
Jane Vanner and her three children in the household as well. Jane has never appeared with the family before even though she would only have been seven years old in 1861. No birth or baptism record has been found for Jane under the name Marsh or Malandine. She married William Vanner in Leytonstone, Essex on 4 August 1883 under the name Malandine and listed William as her father. He also appears on the register as one of the witnesses.
The most likely match in the family tree is William Isaac the son of William Malandain and Mary Ann Ferrey. It is possible he left his first wife, Mary Ann Wilson, and lived with Jane Marsh until he was free to marry her.
