Genealogy Chat

OK, you may remember me from last week asking about Isle of Man possible relatives. This post has nothing to do with that one though and is just something I'm working on while waiting for some certificates on another part of the tree. Look below.

I have gained some more information regarding the family but it's very sketchy. I would value any hints and tips on where to look. In fact the information is very, very, very sketchy. First bit of info. Prior to 1837 my family was called Graham. The members of the Graham household were Dad, Mum and three sons. Dad was sent to Australia (Possibly for fighting for the union) The middle son was sent to live with another family and then when everyone was supposed to be registered in 1837 he registered under the surname Knapp which I presume was the name of the family he lived with. The other two sons were still Grahams at this point and we think are living in Lincoln. The family tree on this side goes as far as, grandmother Sylvia Knapp b. 1930 g. grandfather Walter Knapp (b. 05/05/1896) - (d. 1974) g. grandmother Ellen Arnold b. 10/12/1895 Walter Knapp's siblings Hannah b. c1893 Chas. B. c1899 Fredk. C1900 g. g. grandfather Frederick Knapp c1866 (Address as of 1901: 4 Providence Place Porter Street, Hull) g. g. grandmother Jane Blenkin c1868 They are all from Hull until Walter Knapp moved to derby in 1935 when LMS trains turned into LMER. Walter Knapp was also in the Royal Artillery as a Shoeing Smith. Job was to take horses to the front line. He was wounded in the lower left leg by a kick from a horse. That unfortunately is far as I've managed to get. If anyone with more experience can hunt out any extra information from previous dates I would be grateful and if anyone can give me some tips on how to trace the family further back then that would be great too. Although I have a sneaky suspicion that it will involve waiting for more certificates. :)

Ian, I don't understand what you mean about the middle son going to live with another family 'and when everyone was supposed to register in 1837 registered in the name of Knapp'. If you had already been born before 1837 you didn't then have to register your birth when registration came into force. It was only children born from 1837 onwards that were registered. He might have changed his name to Knapp, but wouldn't have been registered as that. This is the only Frederick Knapp I can find in Yorkshire on the 1881 census:- Frederick Knapp abt 1868 Skelton, Yorkshire, England Grandson Lingdale House, Skelton In Guisbrough, Yorkshire, England Kath. x

Well when I was told about this they made it sound as though in 1837 the registration was manditory. So before this time the middle son would have been Something Graham but then went to live with another family and when they next had to give information, which I presume to be the 1841 census or something he gave his name as Somthing Knapp instead of Something Graham. Unfortuantley I don't know his first name. I suppose I'll have to order some more certificates to find all the knapps up to him. Would any information on the Grahams be included on any of the knapp certificates, for example if middle son became a knapp but then got married would he put the knapps as his family or the Grahams?

Knapp is a Welsh name, I take it youve checked the Wales census?

Not sure how these fit in but if you just search for 'Knapp's 1891 Yorkshire on Ancestry - click on Jane Knapp b 1868 - in b Hull, living in Holy Trinity - living with Blenkins. Might be worth seeing how they tie in.

Oops, sorry having a very blonde moment! It's Jane Knapp (nee Blenkin). Full household Hannah Blenkin, Head, Wid, 61, Grocer, b Easington Robert Blenkin, Son, S, 28, Railway Checker b Hull Jane Knapp, Dau, M, 23, Fishermans wife b Hull John Henry Blenkin, Son, S, 19, Gen Lab b Hull Eleanor Blenkin, Dau, 15, Scholar b Hull Ada Blenkin, Gr Dau, 11, Scholar b Hull Christopher Blenkin, Gr Son, 3, Scholar b Hull Thomas Henry Cowling, Neph, S, 22, Gen Lab, b Hull living at 134 Port St, Holy Trinity, Hull.

and back a census with Jane's family 1881 - 134 Porter St, Hull Charles Blenkin, Head, M, 52, NER Foreman, b Ottingham, Yks Hannah Blenkin, Wife, M, 51, ' ' wife, b Easington Rebecca Blenkin, Dau, U, 20, house maid b Hull Robert Blenkin, Son, U, 18, railway porter b Hull >>>>Jane Blenkin, Dau, U, 13, Scholar b Hull Charles E Blenkin, Son, 11, Scholar b Hull John H Blenkin, Son, 9, Scholar b Hull Eleanor Blenkin, Dau, 5, Scholar b Hull Ada Blenkin, Gr Dau, 1 b Hull

And this one fits with Jane's occ in 1891 - 1881 - Vessels, Apostle, - Yorks Frederic Knapp, Fisherman, 15, U, b Hull. The enumeration district says thats its a fishing vessel and gives its location as Duggis (?) Bank, North Sea. You might want to check out the spelling for yourself on that one.

From FreeBMD Births Dec 1865 Knapp Frederick John Hull 9d 178 The only way to be sure of his parents are to order the cert. I've had a quick look in 1871 and haven't found them yet. There is a possibility - not very scientific though! There is a marriage in Hull for William Knapp & Elizabeth Wood or Elizabeth Jane Dukes QE Jun 1861. There is also a William Knapp b Hull, age 23 in the 1861 census, unmarried. He is aboard the and I think his occ is trimmer(?). According to the enumeration dist it was at sea during the census and it was a screw steamer - foreign trade. No idea if these are yours, afraid it'll cost another £7 to be sure.

I would just like to add my thanks here although I have sent you a PM as well. :)