52 Ancestors: Week 24: Catherine Maria Guillon, the 14 year old bride in India in 1844

Catherine Maria Guillon was born on 4 January 1830 in Bellary, Madras, India as possibly the first child of Alexander or Archibald Guillon. She was baptized on 12 February 1830. It would appear that when she was just 14 (probably not uncommon in India at that time), she married Richard Seddon, son of Giles Seddon, on 9 October 1844 in Bellary, Madras, India.

Richard Seddon and Catherine Maria Guillon had the following known children:

1. Richard John Seddon was born on 09 Nov 1851 in Madras, India. He died in 1890.
2. Giles Seddon was born on 12 May 1856 in Madras, India.
3. Alexander Seddon was born on 26 Sep 1857 in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
4. Agnas Ellen Seddon was born on 26 Dec 1860 in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. She died on 18 Jul 1862 in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India.
5. Ruth Seddon was born on 13 Aug 1862 in Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. She died on 15 Jun 1864 in Madras, India.
6. Allan Jehoshaphat Seddon was born on 20 Sep 1864 in Madras, India.
7. Samuel Arthur Seddon was born on 30 Jan 1868 in Mooltan, West Bengal, India. He died on 01 Jul 1939 in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India. He married Sybil Rosamund Pitts on 23 Sep 1891.
8. Judith Seddon was born on 16 Sep 1869 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
9. Lucy Seddon was born on 17 Jan 1871 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. She died in 1871 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.
10. Esther Seddon was born on 20 May 1874 in Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

This is a work in progress and much of the information needs to be checked and double checked.

52 Ancestors: Week 13: Charles William Henry Pitts (1835 location unknown - 1879 Allahabad, India)

Charles William Henry Pitts was born in about 1835.  According to his two marriage certificates, his father was John Pitts.  

On 3 April 1854, when Charles was about 19, he married Caroline Amelia Pitts (the daughter of Peter Pitts and Elizabeth Merit) in Peshawar, Bengal, India. 

When he was about 24, he married Ella Jane Kelly on 10 January 1859 in Allahabad, Bengal, India.  

He died on 5 May 1879 in Allahabad, Bengal, India and was listed as a Bootmaker according to India Deaths and Burials.  He was buried on 6 May 1879.

I believe that Charles William Henry Pitts and Ella Jane Kelly had the following children:

• Alfred Charles Herbert Pitts was born in 1862.
• William Spencer Pitts 1865-1887
• Susan Maud Pitts 1866-1866
• Richard Stanley Pitts 1869-1943
• Frances Eveline Pitts 1872-1895 (Twins)
• Francis Charles Pitts was born in 1872 (Twins)
• Sybil Rosamund Pitts 1875-1910
• Lilian Catherine Pitts was born in 1878.

If anyone has a John Pitts in their family tree with a son Charles William Henry Pitts, please get in touch.

52 Ancestors: Week 5: Sarah Banks, b.1855 in Limerick, Ireland (updated again)

Sarah Banks, daughter of Marcus Banks, married Thomas Morrissey / Morrissy at St Michael's, Limerick, Ireland in 1876. They went on to have the following children:

Mary Anne b.1877

Margaret b. 1879

John b. 1882

Esther Christina b. 1887

Patrick Joseph b. 1890

Thomas b. 1896

William b. 1898

See 1901 census here showing all the family exept Mary Ann.  Thomas and John are shown as having the occupation jarvey (?).  The family are shown at house 27 in Vizes Fields (Dock Limerick Urban No. 4, Limerick)

See 1911 census here showing Sarah, Thomas (a car driver) and William (scholar) at house 28 Vizes Fields (Limerick No. 4 Urban, Limerick).

According to LimerickLad on Rootschat Vizes Fields was named after the gentleman that owned the land between St Joseph Street and Bowman Street (where I believe Patrick Joseph Morrissey was born) on which a housing scheme of cottages was built.

Patrick joined the army and moved to India. Talking of India, the British Library have joined with Find My Past and now 2.5 million India Office Records have been published on line.  See the list here.

Update (5th February 2014)

When I was googling Vizes Field, Limerick I came across a YouTube video - Save Vizes Field. You can see the little cottages in the back ground.  It's shocking that they want to build a horrible block of flats (that do not appear to be fit for purpose anyway) on a little bit of green land.  It will ruin it :-(  

There is also a reference to Vizes Fields (see chapter 5) in Mickey Slabdabber, a Limerick Odyssey By Michael Quinlan

Update (19th February 2014)  Another good lead from my new Find My Past month subscription.  A reference to a Marcus Banks in the Irish Petty Sessions Court Registers 1828 - 1912.

20 July 1880, Marcus Banks, Defendant, Court Tarbert, County Kerry, a bootman or boatman of the city of Limerick - You the defendant on the 3rd July 1880 at Tarbert ??? Co Kerry were unlawfully drunk on the public highway.  To pay for fine two shillings + six pence + costs one shilling.

Any help on reading the occupation would be gratefully received.