Found an entry in the 1911 Census at Fremington, for a Robert John Eyres, wife Lucy, son Charlie Robert (24) and a visitor Floridine Murrain (23=1888) who is said to be an Austrian, born Salzburg. She is the interest as she is the first time I have come across an Austrian Murrain, so looked further. There is a marriage 17 August 1911, at Register Office St. Thomas, Exeter of Charles Robert Eyres (25, father Robert) to Florence Marqueen Murrain (23, father Haunts Murrain, (deceased). The couple next appear in 1921 at Fremington, with their 5 children. On this occasion Florence is said to have been born Tavistock and is aged 32yr 5 mth (=abt Dec 1888). The first of the children is Hauntzel, aged 9yr. 7 mth. = abt Dec 1911 (b. Fremington) so Florence would appear to have been pregnant when she married. Florence & children appear in 1939 Register at 316 Cressex Road, (Booker) High Wycombe, a widow and born 21 June 1884. In same Register, Charles H. (overwritten Hauntzel C.) is at Copy Green Cottage, Marlow (strangely only about a mile from a distant cousin of mine). He is born 21 November 1911. Florence died 2 August 1962 still at 316 Cressex Road, Death Reg. says she was aged 79(=1883). Puzzle is the way her nationality and age changes. There is conflicating information which needs to be considered of 2 Florence3 M. Murrin/Murrain's. First is a Florence Maud Murrain born 1889 to Richard and Elizabeth Ann(nee Dingle). Know a lot about her and she can be discounted. There is a Florence Maud Murrin, an illegitimate daughter of Louisa Murrin, born 9 June 1888. Lousia was a sister of Richard Murrian (who married Eliz. Ann Dingle, both being children of my Great Great Grandfather, Richard Murrin (b. 1834). Problem is what happened to this Florence Maud. She appears in 1891 as a grand daughter (2) of Richard (senior) and again in 1901 (12) still with Richard (senior) but is then said erroneously, his daughter. But then ???? The puzzle I hope to unlock is whether Florence who married Charles Eyres is the same Florence who was the grand daughter of Richard (senior), who was trying to hide her illegitimacy from Charles and his parents, by claiming to be Austrian in 1911, though that doesn't explain the way her age changes. Could anyone find the grand daughter Florence Maud after 1901, it would help to show that, in 1911, there were 2 different Florence M.'s
Trying to follow this through, just wanted to check. Florence Maud Murrain nee Dingle appears to have been born 1898 not 1889. Goes onto marry Edwin J Glanville in 1918. Is this the right Florence Maud? She appears on 1911 with Richard and Elizabeth as being just Maud and 12 years old? Sally
Think that the illigit daughter is the right one. Perhaps Louisa was on the grand tour, and met someone in Austria, became pregnant. Have you obtained the birth certificate, might have a different date of birth from that registered. An elaborate plan to conceal the fact she was illigitimate. What happened to Louisa? any clues there?
Will bear it in mind whilst waiting to see if anything else is suggested. However, not sure. Richard (senior) had at least 8 children and he was simply a farm labourer, so doesn't strike me as having too much money to spare. Louisa appears to be just a general servant at Lewdown Inn in 1891, so wouldn't suppose it was a particularly well paid job. She died, aged 26 in December 1898. Don't have a birth certificate for Florence, but have found an item on FMP (in Tavistock Workhouse Births 1866-1901) for Lousia having had an illegitimate daughter Florence Maud 19.06.1888 at Tavistock Workhouse. Will follow this up at some time when next in Exeter to see what records there might be for the Workhouse and if it throws any light on whether Louisa was an inmate of just using the hospital facilities. Thanks for the suggestion, always good to have the blinkers taken off to see what there might be in the wider view.
I agree with you, dont think she went on the grand tour, but perhaps she met someone foreign at the pub!!Florence M does not seem to remember her dob on 1939 reg. and the tree on line suggests perhaps another child but does not give details. I could not find another one with the Murrian as mother Louisa could only have been 16 when Florence was born.
Thanks Judith, Prompted by your comments, this is the same thought which occours to me, thinking out of the box. There are questions anyway, but it is the best idea I have at present. Will keep you posted
Perhaps Hansel and Gretel fairy story was her favorite, and so she gave Hansel as her fathers name and elaborated on it over the years!!(don't know when that was written) As Louisa died so young perhaps she never told the fathers name. We really have to use our imagination here!!
Hi Judith. Yes, wondered initially if Haunts was a Hans and sounding a bit phonetic, but then thought about Hansel and Gretel, so had looked it up. It is one of the brothers Grimm collected fairy stories from 1812. Previously found a "string" in British Genealogy & Family History Forums>Family History>Brickwalls>Florence Marqueen Murrain (of 2012) started by someone wanting to find information about their great grandmother, Florence, and her Austrian connection. It is interesting in that it describes information known in the family about her so Louisa must have told her daughter all about her father, though whether she told it corrrectly must now be questionable. Also interesting that none of the responders could come up with anything positive to help. A vivid imagination, or ravings of a desperate person, often helps !! David