Genealogy Chat

To be Cornelius's niece, Jessie would have to be the daughter of his sister or his wife's sister, which why I was looking for a Manners-Chambers or Manners-Hilliard marriage. I didn't find a Manners-Chambers marriage in the right sort of area at the right sort of time.

I shall have to go and do some work now - you might try looking for William and Eliza Chambers in 1881 and 1891, Jessie in 1891, and Cornelius Hilliard before his marriage, to see if Eliza is actually his sister. I'll look in again later.

You could check the electoral roll at the Brighton library - unfortunately Eliza won't be listed, though, because women didn't have the vote in those days.

By the way, if you can't work out where I've found something, just yell, and I'll explain it.

Thank you so much will take notes and study for awhile, so much info to check and will order birth certificate for future ref Karon

Don't take anything for granted - this is only a theory at the moment, although it looks quite promising.

Just had a look at the marriage cert - it looks like "Name unknown - daughter an orphan". If both her parents died when she was very young and no one knew or remembered her father's name then I suppose that's a possibility ... ?

Deaths Dec 1883
Hilliard Cornelius John 52 Brighton 2b 146

Deaths Jun 1886
Hilliard Eleanor Ann 57 Brighton 2b 129

So two of the adults who would presumably have known Jessie's father's name died well before she was married.

I think Eliza was a widow in 1881, working as a monthly nurse in Kingston on Thames. There are various possible deaths for William, but there isn't one that really stands out. I can't find him on the 1881 census.

Eliza's death is probably the one I posted earlier:

Deaths Mar 1886
CHAMBERS Elizabeth 54 Brighton 2b 19

I still can't find Jessie in 1891 - can anyone see her?