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I am trying to follow my tree, specifically the ‘Stevens’ line.

Intriguingly, my father (who I never met and know very little about used both the surnames ‘Stevens’ and ‘Wilson’. Indeed both are shown on his marriage certificate and both are in the Church records. From those records it appears that he was married twice on the same day to my mother. Kathleen Mary Stevens (née Smith) born in 1912 in Canada.

My father’s birth certificate has no father shown and his mother is given as ‘Nellie Edith Stevens’.

I can find no record of her. I’ve tried the censuses and various genealogy sites, with no success.

Where do I go from here please?

Welcome to the boards Michael.

Is this the marriage you refer to?

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Mar 1938 (>99%)
Smith Kathleen M Stevens Leicester 7a 305
Smith Kathleen M Wilson Leicester 7a 305
Stevens Cecil W Smith Leicester 7a 305
Wilson Cecil W Smith Leicester 7a 305

the birth - mmn shown as Stevens

Births Mar 1917 (>99%)
Stevens Cecil W Stevens Leicester 7a 430

Looks like Nellie married in 1920 to an Arthur W Wilson

Marriages Mar 1920 (>99%)

Stevens Nellie E Wilson Leicester 7a 454
Wilson Arthur W Stevens Leicester 7a 454

So Cecil although born Stevens was probably accepted by Arthur and used, and was known by, the Wilson surname. He may even have adopted him officially (official adoptions only started in 1927). Born Stevens, known as Wilson, married under both to cover all angles.

A copy of that marriage certificate should give you Nellie's Father's name and occupation, to help track her down.

Is this Nellie on the 1939 register and Kathleen Mary as Stevens being a little generous with her birth year - you say it's 1912- and subsequently showing as marrying a Geary

Wilson Household (4 People)
420 Gipsy Lane , Leicester C.B., Leicestershire, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
Nellie (Edith) Wilson 31 Dec 1893 Female House Worker Widowed 18 1
Dorothy E Holmes (Wilson) 30 Aug 1923 Female Office Clerk Single 18 2
Kathleen M Wilkinson (Wilson) 22 May 1926 Female At School Single 18 3
Kathleen M (Mary) Geary (Stevens) 21 Jun 1916 Female Button Winder Married 18 4

Also one closed record

Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page

Births Dec 1923 (>99%)
WILSON Dorothy E Stevens Leicester 7a 426

Births Sep 1926 (>99%)
Wilson Kathleen M Stevens Leicester 7a 353

?Arthur's death

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
Deaths Jun 1933 (>99%)
Wilson Arthur W 48 Leicester 7a 244

and Nellie's

England & Wales deaths 1837-2007 Transcription

First name(s) NELLIE EDITH
Last name WILSON
Gender Female
Birth day 31
Birth month 12
Birth year 1893
Age -
Death quarter 2
Death year 1984
District LEICESTER CENTRAL
Register number 484
County Leicestershire
Volume 6
Page 1812

If the birth year is correct on the 1939 register then there were 4 Nellie Edith (any surname) registrations in Quarter 1 1894 - none are Stevens (can't see them getting her registered in December 1893 if she was born on the 31st ).

You do need her marriage certificate to Arthur Wilson

Kathleen's marriage to (Elijah) Geary

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page

Marriages Sep 1958 (>99%)
STEVENS Kathleen M GEARY Leicester 3a 1863
GEARY Elijah STEVENS Leicester 3a 1863

As Cecil is not at home in 1939, I wonder if this is him - the birth date would fit a Q1 1917 registration

Malin Household (4 People)
23 Edenbridge Road , Birmingham C.B., Warwickshire, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
Cecil W Stevens 19 Jan 1917 Male Duplicating Machine Service Mechanic Travelling Married 70 4
William H Malin 16 Jun 1891 Male Despatch Clerk Aero Radiators Ceslers Married 70 1
Kate O Malin 26 Nov 1888 Female Waitress Married 70 2
Doreen O Hill (Marlin) 10 Mar 1919 Female A R P Telephone Operator Single 70 3

Much of what I've posted is obviously known to you, please try to post all known information to save helpers looking up and duplicating known information.

Your (?) tree on Ancestry has Kathleen's parents as John William Smith 1887 and Winifred Duncombe 1887. It shows Kathleen born 1912 and her marriages to Cecil Stevens and Elijah Geary.

UK incoming passenger lists arriving 1 June 1924 have John W aged 37 a Shoe cutter, his wife winifred 37 and children Kathleen M aged 7 and John D aged 1. They are going to Earl Shilton, Hinkley, Leics.

Winifred Smith in the UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960

Name: Winifred Smith
Birth Date: abt 1887
Age: 37
Port of Departure: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Arrival Date: 1 May 1924
Port of Arrival: Liverpool, England
Ports of Voyage: Quebec
Ship Name: Regina
Search Ship Database: Search for the Regina in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: White Star Dominion Line
Official Number: 140596

So Kathleen not born 1912 but 1916 as per 1939 register.

Winifred appears to have travelled out as a single woman in 1912

Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960 Transcription

First name(s) WINNIFRED
Last name DUNCOMBE
Gender Female
Age 24
Birth year 1888
Occupation MACHINIST
Departure year 1912
Departure day 27
Departure month 4
Departure port LIVERPOOL
Destination port QUEBEC
Destination QUEBEC
Country CANADA
Destination country CANADA
Ship name MEGANTIC
Ship official number 127981
Ship master's first name HUGH F
Ship master's last name DAVID
Shipping line WHITE STAR DOMINION
City LIVERPOOL
Ship destination port MONTREAL
Ship destination country CANADA
Ship square feet 21629
Ship registered tonnage 9183
Number of passengers 1627

Passenger list shows John W Smith on line above Winifred - 24 year old Bootmaker

Sorry to have asked for information that I already know. I'm fairly new to this and didn't think of that. I have information all over the place and don't really know how to collate it all together.

You told me much that I didn't know and I have now some idea about how to go forward.

Apologies agian and many thanks greyhost.

Kathleen M Smith
in the 1921 Census of Canada

Name: Kathleen M Smith
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Single
Age: 4
Birth Year: abt 1917
Birth Place: Ontario
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Father's name: John William Smith
Father Birth Place: England
Mother's name: Winnifred Smith
Mother Birth Place: England
Racial or Tribal Origin: English
Province or Territory: Ontario
District: Oxford South
District Number: 112
Sub-district: Norwich South (Township)
Sub-District Number: 14
City, Town or Village: Otterville
Street or Township: Dover St
Municipality: Otterville
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
John William Smith 33
Winnifred Smith 30
Kathleen M Smith 4
Charles Turney 43
Sarah Jane Turney 38

Kathleen born Ontario
Parents both born England
Family recorded as Baptist

John and Winifred's marriage. The image is on Family Search (as details below). Both of Toronto. Married by License

Winnifred Duncombe
mentioned in the record of John William Smith and Winnifred Duncombe
Name John William Smith
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 26 Feb 1913
Event Place Toronto, , Ontario, Canada
Gender Male
Spouse's Name Winnifred Duncombe
Spouse's Gender Female
Citing this Record
"Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27ZY-T94 : 10 April 2015), John William Smith and Winnifred Duncombe, 26 Feb 1913; citing registration , Toronto, , Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,976,332.

Kathleen's parents on the 1939 register with their son

Smith Household (4 People)
91 Aylestone Drive , Leicester C.B., Leicestershire, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
Winifred Smith 19 Dec 1887 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 363 2
John William Smith 20 Dec 1887 Male Labourer Engineering Married 363 1
John Douglas Smith 12 Sep 1922 Male Electrical Instrument Fitter Single 363 3
Sidney Cato 08 Jan 1921 Male Shoe Seat Master Single 363 4

Possibly John William Smith looking at address and occupation

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Hill Top, Earl Shilton, Hinckley, Leicestershire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
John Smith Head Married Male 28 1863 Shoe Finisher Warwickshire, England
Mary Emima Smith Wife Married Female 30 1861 Shoe Machinist Leicestershire, England
Arthur James Smith Son - Male 6 1885 - Leicestershire, England
Ethel Smith Daughter - Female 5 1886 - Leicestershire, England
John William Smith Son - Male 3 1888 - Leicestershire, England

------------
1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Poplar Cottage Church St Earl Shilton Near Hinckley, Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place
John Smith Head Married Male Shoe Finisher 48 1863 Leices Earl Shilton
Mary Jemina Smith Wife Married Female - 50 1861 Warwick Chilvers Coton
Arthur James Smith Son Single Male Shoe Clicker 26 1885 Leices Earl Shilton
Ethel Smith Daughter Single Female Shoe Machinist 25 1886 Leices Earl Shilton
John W Smith Son Single Male Shoe Clicker 23 1888 Leices Earl Shilton
Elsie Smith Daughter Single Female Hosiery Knitter 17 1894 Leices Earl Shilton
Hilda Smith Daughter Single Female - 8 1903 Leices Earl Shilton

And Winifred

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Dawsons Lane, Barwell, Hinckley, Leicestershire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Harry Duncombe Head Married Male 22 1869 Boot And Shoe Rivetter Eaton Bray, Bedfordshire,
Mary Duncombe Wife Married Female 23 1868 - Barwell, Leicestershire, England
Winifred Duncombe Daughter - Female 3 1888 - Barwell, Leicestershire, England
Elsie Duncombe Daughter - Female 0 1891 - Barwell, Leicestershire, England

---------------------------------
1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Recreation View Earl Shilton, Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, England

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place
Charles Jordan Head Married Male Boot And Shoe Finisher 39 1872 Leicestershire Shepshed
Sarah Ann Jordan Wife Married Female - 39 1872 Leicestershire Shepshed
Katherine May Jordan Daughter Single Female Woollen Cap Maker 15 1896 Leicestershire Shepshed
Charles Amos Jordan Son - Male School 14 1897 Leicestershire Shepshed
Winifred Duncombe Boarder Single Female Boot And Shoe Machinist 23 1888 Leicestershire Barwell

PM received from Michael - with copies of the relevant certificates attached. I've posted all the relevant details here in the hopes more help to track down Nellie will be forthcoming as I'm stuck for time at the moment.

Birth - Cecil Walter Stevens 1917

19 January 1917 @ 46 Luther Street, Leicester, Cecil Walter Stevens.
Mother Nellie Edith Stevens a Domestic Servant of 46 Luther Street, Leicester

-------------------------------------------------
Marriage - Nellie Edith Stevens and Arthur William Wilson 1920

10 January 1920 @ The Register Office, Leicester
Arthur William Wilson - Widower, aged 35, a Sand Paper Cutter of 56 Beatrice Road, Leicester, Father Arthur William Wilson deceased, a Slater
to
Nellie Edith Stevens Spinster, aged 27 years, a Cook (Domestic) of 63 Beaumanor Road, Leicester,
Father Alfred Stevens a Carpenter.

Witnesses Joseph Everton and Fanny Elizabeth Rowe

????


1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Park Crescent Road, Brighton, Sussex, England

Learn more
Print transcription View image
Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Alfred Stevens Head Married Male 72 1819 Carpenter Hampshire, England
Transcription
Julie Stevens Wife Married Female 45 1846 Needle Woman Bath, Somerset, England