Florence Gertrude Furbank born 1867

L

Locksby

Member
Florence was born 1867, married Edward Smyth(e) born 1864 Dublin and had 5 children with him. Can't trace her exact place of birth, maybe Chatham, Kent or Chatham-Kent Ontario. No trace of her in any Census until 1901 where she appears with husband and 4 children. They had another child 1903 but by 1911 she has disappeared leaving husband and 5 children in Swanley area.

Any help with her birth, early life and divorce/death much appreciated.
 
Hello Locksby - welcome to Top Dog :)

Acording to the 1901 census, (RG13, piece 708, folio 73, page 22) Florence states her place of birth as being Chatham, Kent, which I would take to be the English one. :)

However, I have not yet found a birth registration for her. :(
 
Have you got the marriage certificate?
Florence Gertrude Furbank & Edward Ernest Smythe
June qtr 1891 Medway 2a 950
This would give her father's name and the address where she was in 1891 - hopefully that might lead us to where she was on 1891 census. Plus the witnesses may give us a lead too.
 
Locksby said:
Florence was born 1867, married Edward Smyth(e) born 1864 Dublin and had 5 children with him. Can't trace her exact place of birth, maybe Chatham, Kent or Chatham-Kent Ontario. No trace of her in any Census until 1901 where she appears with husband and 4 children. They had another child 1903 but by 1911 she has disappeared leaving husband and 5 children in Swanley area.

Any help with her birth, early life and divorce/death much appreciated.
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Everything points to Florence being born in England and if this is the correct Florence then she was born 1867 in Middlesex according to the 1891 census.
In this census a Florence was living with James Rogers and his family in Manor Street, Gillingham, she was already married to Edward Smythe and her occupation was a nurse and lodging at the above address.
An Edward Ernest Smythe in the 1891 census was Soldier - Sapper Royal Engineer and stationed at Chatham, Gillingham. He was born 1866 in Ireland.
A Florence Gertrude Furbank and an Edward Ernest Smythe married in the second quarter 1891 in Medway, Kent.:)

Welcome Locksby to the forum
 
Daft Bat said:
Hello Locksby - welcome to Top Dog :)

Acording to the 1901 census, (RG13, piece 708, folio 73, page 22) Florence states her place of birth as being Chatham, Kent, which I would take to be the English one. :)

However, I have not yet found a birth registration for her. :(
Click to expand...
If Florence was indeed born in Chatham, Kent, England 1867 I would have thought she would appear somewhere in a Census before 1901. I know she married and had a daughter in 1891 but no sign of her on that Census. Very strange. I also know that her husband and father were both Sappers so wonder if he moved around , was stationed somewhere abroad or was living with his daughter in Army barracks somewhere. Any chance you could e-mail the 1901 Census page or put a copy here that I can print off sometime?
 
Louise said:
Everything points to Florence being born in England and if this is the correct Florence then she was born 1867 in Middlesex according to the 1891 census.
In this census a Florence was living with James Rogers and his family in Manor Street, Gillingham, she was already married to Edward Smythe and her occupation was a nurse and lodging at the above address.
An Edward Ernest Smythe in the 1891 census was Soldier - Sapper Royal Engineer and stationed at Chatham, Gillingham. He was born 1866 in Ireland.
A Florence Gertrude Furbank and an Edward Ernest Smythe married in the second quarter 1891 in Medway, Kent.:)

Welcome Locksby to the forum
Click to expand...
Thanks for the welcome, I hope someone may be able to find some trace of this mysterious woman who doesn't seem to exist before her marriage in 1891 and after the 1901 Census. I know she deserted her family after 1903 and jleft her husband to bring up the 5 children although I believe Catherine, the eldest, was working as a servant under the name Katherine. She went on to become the mother of my mother in law. Hence the interest. Any chance you could e-mail me a copy of the 1891 Census page?
 
MollyMay said:
Have you got the marriage certificate?
Florence Gertrude Furbank & Edward Ernest Smythe
June qtr 1891 Medway 2a 950
This would give her father's name and the address where she was in 1891 - hopefully that might lead us to where she was on 1891 census. Plus the witnesses may give us a lead too.
Click to expand...
I did have the certificate but gave it to my mother in law as Florence was her grandmother. At the moment she can't find it.
 
Daft Bat said:
Hello Locksby - welcome to Top Dog :)

Acording to the 1901 census, (RG13, piece 708, folio 73, page 22) Florence states her place of birth as being Chatham, Kent, which I would take to be the English one. :)

However, I have not yet found a birth registration for her. :(
Click to expand...
Another source on here seems to think she was born in Middlesex so I am getting more confused by the day.
 
Locksby said:
Any chance you could e-mail the 1901 Census page or put a copy here that I can print off sometime?
Click to expand...
Hi Locksby,

I am sorry, but it is not permitted to post copies of census pages on the forum as it would infringe copyright.

However, if you visit your local library (as I think that you are in England?), they will have access to both Ancestry and Find My Past on their computers. If you search using the reference to the 1901 census that I provided, you will be able to print a copy off. :)
 
Louise said:
if this is the correct Florence then she was born 1867 in Middlesex according to the 1891 census.
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Locksby said:
Another source on here seems to think she was born in Middlesex
Click to expand...
The census is only as accurate as the knowledge of the person providing the information. :(

Not everyone knew where they were born and might remember living somewhere as a child and so assume that was where they were born. It also might be that assumptions were made about her place of birth by the person who completed the censuses.
 
Hi Locksby
Locksby said:
I did have the certificate
Click to expand...

As you have seen the certificate can you recall if Florence was a spinster at her marriage to Edward? You seem to know her father was a military man, so if we knew his name it would help us try and find out whether he served abroad. I have had a quick look on the online available military records but cannot see any 'Furbank's at the moment.
 
MollyMay said:
Hi Locksby


As you have seen the certificate can you recall if Florence was a spinster at her marriage to Edward? You seem to know her father was a military man, so if we knew his name it would help us try and find out whether he served abroad. I have had a quick look on the online available military records but cannot see any 'Furbank's at the moment.
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As far as I can remember Florence was a spinster at time of marriage and her father was a Sapper as was her husband to be. It may be that they served together somewhere and Edward met Florence through her father. If Edward Smythe was stationed somewhere in Kent it is possible that Furbank senior was also there.
 
It is just so frustrating that she does not appear anywhere before the 1891 census as found by Louise post #5.
It is just a thought, Edward was Irish - could Furbank also be Irish and could it be a corruption of the more common name Fairbank (thinking of a strong accent saying the name), that said I have looked for a birth of Florence Fairbank(s) and found nothing.
 
MollyMay said:
It is just so frustrating that she does not appear anywhere before the 1891 census as found by Louise post #5.
It is just a thought, Edward was Irish - could Furbank also be Irish and could it be a corruption of the more common name Fairbank (thinking of a strong accent saying the name), that said I have looked for a birth of Florence Fairbank(s) and found nothing.
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According to the marriage certificate Florence Gertrude Furbank age 24 spinster married Ernest Edward Smythe age 27 Bachelor. He was a Sapper RE and she had no profession. He lived in Barracks but I can't tell if it is Brompton or just something similar. She lived at 4 Manor Street Brompton so that address may give us a clue of some description. Her father was Frederick Furbank Sapper RE as expected. The witnesses were Samuel Dabner and James White.
 
Locksby said:
Thanks for the welcome, I hope someone may be able to find some trace of this mysterious woman who doesn't seem to exist before her marriage in 1891 and after the 1901 Census. I know she deserted her family after 1903 and left her husband to bring up the 5 children although I believe Catherine, the eldest, was working as a servant under the name Katherine. She went on to become the mother of my mother in law. Hence the interest. Any chance you could e-mail me a copy of the 1891 Census page?
Click to expand...
According to the marriage certificate Florence was living in Manor Street Brompton at the time of her marriage and her father Frederick was a Sapper RE. Her husband, also a Sapper RE was living in Barracks but I can't decipher the name, it may be Brompton too. The marriage was witnessed by Samuel Dabner and James White.
 
It maybe worthwhile contacting the RE Museum to see if they can provide you with a history of where the Regiment was from 1867 to 1891. They could be overseas during those years.

Karen
 
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