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This family has been geting on my nerves! I can't find them between 1881 and 1841. I know a family member found them all once so I have notes on where they were living but I just can't find these records :| Can anyone give me a hand? This is what i've got.

Richard Ralph (Could be the other way round) Nicholls born 1864 is son of James Nicholls (1830) and Eliza Simpson (1834).
Richard was born in Hornchurch. James was born in Knodishall, Suffolk. James was son of Thomas (1811) and Mary (1811).
I've found Richard on the 1891 & 1901 census with his wife Harriet, and James with his parents Thomas and Mary on the 1841 but anything in the middle I just can't find ! :|

Any help is appreciated x

Possible James and Eliza 1851
Name: James Nichols
Age: 20
Estimated birth year: abt 1831
Relation: Lodger
Spouse's name: Eliza
Gender: Male
Where born: Aldringham, Suffolk, England

Civil parish: Knodishall
County/Island: Suffolk
Country: England
Registration district: Blything
Sub-registration district: Westleton
ED, institution, or vessel: 3
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 64
Household Members: Name Age
Samuel Botter 70
James Nichols 20
Eliza Nichols 21
Frederick Nichols 1 Mo

1861

Frederick Nichols
Age: 10
Estimated birth year: abt 1851
Relation: Son
Father's Name: James
Mother's Name: Eliza
Gender: Male
Where born: Krodershall, Suffolk, England

Civil parish: Hornchurch
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Registration district: Romford
Sub-registration district: Hornchurch
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 68
Household Members: Name Age
James Nichols 30
Eliza Nichols 25
Frederick Nichols 10
Frederick Simpson 7 >>>son of wife
George Nichols 4
Eliza Nichols 2
Harriett Nichols 1Mo
Thomas Simpson 38

Ah thank you!
By the looks of it I got Eliza's maiden name wrong, I never realised she was married before she married a Nicholls.
Thanks :)

They didn't marry until 1856

Marriages Jun 1856 (>99%)
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NICHOLLS James Romford 4a 95
SIMPSON Eliza Romford 4a 95

It's very confusing. Looking for Thomas Simpson who appears on the 1861 with the family. He was born in Hornchurch and he has a sister Eliza also born in Essex. Your Eliza married in Essex but says she was born in Suffolk. There is no relationship stated between Thomas and Eliza on the 1861 he is just noted as Lodger but I wonder if she had married before or whether Frederick Simpson was her illegitimate son. Which would in turn mean that either we are dealing with two different Eliza's or she had a son with James Nicholls in 1851 (Frederick) and they then parted and she had another son with someone else (Frederick Simpson) in 1854 before her and James got together again and married in 1856.

Thomas Simpson
Age: 15
Estimated birth year: abt 1826
Gender: Male
Where born: Essex, England
Civil parish: Hornchurch
Hundred: Havering atte Bower Liberty
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Registration district: Romford
Sub-registration district: Hornchurch
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Ralph Simpson 45
Sarah Simpson 40
James Simpson 15
Thomas Simpson 15
Mary Simpson 12
Joseph Simpson 10
>>Eliza Simpson 6

I was just looking into that, it's quite confusing :|
According to someone in my family, James Nicholls had been married twice. The first wife was Eliza Potter and then the 2nd was Eliza Simpson. I was looking at the possiblity that Thomas Simpson was Eliza's first husband and Frederick was their first son..

Theres a marriage in 1855 between a Elizabeth Mays and a Thomas Simpson in Romford, perhaps it could of been a very short lived marriage.

Mmm! It would be very strange to have your first husband lodging with you and your new husband. Unless he had just popped in to visit his son. Who knows. Personally I think he is her brother.

I was thinking that is abit odd! I was thinking all sorts of theorys other than that one.

So it looks likely that James Nicholls was first married to Eliza Potter and was living with her father and their first son Frederick Nicholls. Else where Eliza Simpson was geting knocked up with her illigitamate chid which she called Frederick. Somthing happens to Eliza Potter.. James goes to Hornchuch and marrys Eliza Simpson and takes on her son, then at some point Eliza's older brother moves in. That sorta makes sence :O

Here we go
1871 Eliza has re-married and been widowed again. Thomas is still with her and noted as Brother. So is Ralph a Nicholls or a MCKolds?

Thomas Simpson
Age: 49
Estimated birth year: abt 1822
Relation: Brother
Gender: Male
Where born: Hornchurch, Essex, England
Civil parish: Hornchurch
Town: Hornchurch
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Registration district: Romford
Sub-registration district: Hornchurch
ED, institution, or vessel: 1
Household schedule number: 209
Household Members: Name Age
Eliza McKolds 36
George McKolds 14
Louisa McKolds 12
Harriet McKolds 10
>>Ralph McKolds 6
Emma McKolds 1
Thomas Simpson 49
Alfred McKolds 30

Looks like James may have died in 1869.

Deaths Jun 1869 (>99%)
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NICHOLLS James 39 Romford 4a 80

Can't find a marriage for her and this is a possible birth for Emma in 1870 but it may not be correct

Births Mar 1870 (>99%)
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MAROBLE Emma Romford 4a 157

From the looks of the writing on the 1871 census it looks like it could be Nicholls. The whole McKolds explains why i've never been able to find Ralph/Richard on the census' before. I know Ralph married harriet Dawkins in 1885, is there a chance that his father may be stated as dead on that?

Oh goodness the Alfred McKolds who is a visitor in the 1871 was born in Suffolk! But lookin at the original it could be Nicholls
Oh SNAP!

If you purchase the marriage certificate for Ralph it should state Father James deceased.
If not we are in trouble!

Haha. Could Alfred be the brother of James? I've only managed to find the 1841 census for James living at home in suffolk..

At some point someone found me the Parish register marriage of Ralph & Harriet, I never saw the image though so I don't know if James was deceased on that.. Would it say if he was or not?

be back in a mo, time for grub. ;D

Had to go and check the dinner

Is this the one you mean?

Ralph Nicholls
Age: 21
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Spouse Name: Harriet Dawkins
Spouse Age: 22
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 10 May 1885
Parish: All Saints, Poplar
County: Middlesex
Borough: Tower Hamlets
Father Name: James Nicholls
Spouse Father Name: George Dawkins

It doesn't say deceased on the original. Just James Nicholls Fitter

That's the one. Just thought it might of said if he was deceased or not..

I'm having trouble finding Eliza Simpson on the 1851 census now.. :|

Sorry had to go and feed the clan. Need to summarise what has been found to avoid confusion.

Going back to the beginning.

James Nicholls marries Eliza Potter in 1850.

Marriages Dec 1850 (>99%)
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Catchpole Maria Blything 13 1031
Everett Maria Blything 13 1031
Foster William Blything 13 1031
Ling William Blything 13 1031
>>Nicholls James Blything 13 1031
>>Potter Eliza Blything 13 1031


They have a son Frederick.
In the 1851 census they are living with Samuel Botter (Potter on the original) who is probably Eliza's father although the relationship is not given.

She dies between 1851 and 1856 (can't pinpoint it exactly) when he marries Eliza Simpson

This looks like Eliza Potter in 1841 with father Samuel and family.

Eliza Potter
Age: 11
Estimated birth year: abt 1830
Gender: Female
Where born: Suffolk, England
Civil parish: Knodishall
Hundred: Blything
County/Island: Suffolk
Registration district: Blything
Sub-registration district: Westleton
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Samuel Potter 60
Judah Potter 50
Hannah Potter 25
Frederick Potter 12
Eliza Potter 11

Eliza Simpson had a son in 1854 also called Frederick. We believe that she wasn't previously married but one of the children's birth certificates will confirm her maiden name for you.

Births Dec 1864 (>99%)
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Nicholls Ralph Romford 4a 117

Can't locate any of the Simpsons in 1851.