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I have John Snowdon born in 1847 in Melmerby, Cumberland. He married Jessie Catherine Donaldson. I have all the info on their marriage and their children.
In 1901 census John is shown as living in a lodging house in John Street, Liverpool, but shown as married. Then in 1911 he is shown as a patient in the Liverpool Workhouse and Infirmary. He died in 1922 in Liverpool at the age of 76.
What I'm wondering is if he would've been separated from his wife in 1901, or whether the lodging house was some kind of infirmary too. His wife didn't die until 1919.

Births Dec 1848 (>99%
)jessie c donaldson w derby

Yes, Jessie Catherine was born 10 Nov 1848. Thanks.

not finding her in 1911 census

She's living at 3 Upper Baker Street, Liverpool, with her daughter, Josephine, and son-in-law, Joseph Mills Griffiths.

The lodging house is just that, a lodging house. Everyone there is described as a worker. If it was an infirmary they would be described as inmates or patients.

The lodging house must be a bit better than some as it has a Day Porter and a Night Porter both living there.

He was a commercial clerk so was probably there for work. Where is Jessie in 1901?

Kath. x

He isn’t with her in 1901 or 1911 so maybe they had separated

They still show as married but not together

Jessie is living on her own means in 1901

She is listed as head of house in 1911

Would say the records are just that .They weren’t together from some time after the last child born and on the 1891 census
They seemed to have children every couple of years but none after Catherine Emily born 1884
However the 1911 census states 10.children born 8 still living
When Catherine Emily was married in 1904 she states her father as John Snowden occ freight clerk but he isn’t a witness
Josephine and Charles Edward Snowden two of her siblings were witnesses

Just for info one of the children who died was

Births Mar 1886
Snowdon Beatrice Marion W. Derby 8b 609
Deaths Sep 1886
Snowdon Beatrice Marion 0 W. Derby 8b 417

Just out of interest my great grandparents were living separately in the 1911 census. Across my great grandmother's entry is written "husband living separate". However they had not split up - he was lodging near where he worked as a domestic gardener and they were together after that time and were living together at the time of my great grandfather's death in 1916.

Kath. x

Thanks everyone, all very interesting.
Thanks Shirley for finding Beatrice Marion - I hadn't found her and she was born in January 1886 and died a few months later. I'll have to search for a death of one of the others before 1911.

Just had a quick search on freebmd and it looks like the other death was Robert Walter in 1875.

SNOWDON, ROBERT WALTER 0
GRO Reference: 1875 S Quarter in WEST DERBY AND TOXTETH PARK Volume 08B Page 390



SNOWDON, ROBERT WALTER DONALDSON
GRO Reference: 1874 D Quarter in WEST DERBY AND TOXTETH PARK Volume 08B Page 460

Thanks Shirley … so many children died in infancy, so sad.

I thought this might be of interest to you:


I did notice a snippet in the Liverpool Mercury mentioning her appearance in court with regard to an election enquiry on the Lowhill election of 1897 when she had voted in the election and as a married woman she should not have done!!

There were many other women listed who had done the same and many of their votes were then cancelled at the enquiry.

She was no doubt influenced by the upsurge of activity in the campaign for women's suffrage which was taking place at that time?


Campaign for women's suffrage.
Up until 1897, the campaign had stayed at a relatively ineffective level. Campaigners came predominantly from the landed classes and joined together on a small scale only. However, 1897 saw the foundation of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) by Millicent Fawcett. This society linked smaller groups together and also put pressure on non-supportive MPs using various peaceful methods.



LOWHILL ELECTION PETITION.
Jessie C. Snowden, 3, Upper Baker-street, for the respondent, stated that she was married in Liverpool 26 years ago. She voted at the Lowhill election. - Case adjourned for the production of the marriage certificate.
17 February 1897 - Liverpool Mercury - Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Dea x

That’s really interesting Dea ... thanks for finding that. She was quite a woman from what I’ve heard, fiercely independent and even ran her own business.
I wonder what the final outcome was.

I Googled the NUWSS and there's a list of suffragists and suffragettes. I looked in the UK list but Jessie's name wasn't there, but there was an Ethel Snowdon and I wonder if she was related. It seemed to give her birth as 1851 but on a quick search I couldn't find her.
I know this is a bit of the topic of John Snowdon but just a follow up to your great find Dea. Thanks.

Well, if she produced her marriage cert as required then I would assume that her vote would have been cancelled.

Yes, having looked further, her vote was indeed 'struck off' - you can read about it here:

https://newspaperarchive.com/liverpool-courier-feb-18-1897-p-4/

You might find other mentions of her on that site but it is quite difficult to read and the search facilities are not available unless you subscribe, but you can get a lot of info for free if you are willing to spend the time.

Dea x

Thanks Dea.