A Cautionary Tale

So here I've been, merrily researching away, tracking Savages and Whites, Philips and others.

Many, many, others. Many.

And it's all a sham. A waste of time. And why? Because there's one small detail incorrect. One small detail like; John Martin born in Bosham in 1802 is not the father of William Martin, born 1829 in Lyminster, or Birdham, or Sidlesham (depending on which Census you look at).

And nor is his mother, therefore, Patience Savage, born 1809 in Westbourne.

All the hours I've spent going through Parish records and back in to the Census records, tracing through all the descendants to 1901. Wasted.

How bloody annoying. And how did this happen?

Well: early in my research, when I was just dabbling, I didn't make reference to the sources of information as I do now. And I was contacted by some relatives on Genesreunited who had already traced some of the ancestors of the people in my tree so, fascinated, I copied them.

So now I have based my research on someone else's findings. Which now turn out to be inaccurate. It appears that I've cut off the branch I'm sitting on, to use a tree analogy.

Damn it! I've got some unpicking to do now!

The moral: NEVER trust anyone else's research. Seriously. Just don't.


:c

Fanny Savage (c1851)

Fanny was born in Chichester in c1851 and is the daughter of Henry Savage (c1821, Westbourne) and Mary Anne Lane (c1827, Mundham). She appears in the Census records with her parents until 1871.
No matching Fanny Savage is listed in 1881, and I can't find a relevant marriage record for her either. Henry and Mary Anne have moved to St Pancras in Chichester with Frances' siblings.

A Fanny Jupp, b c1851 in Chichester appears with her husband George and a number of children in the 1881 Census, living in Chichester.

Could Frances have married George Jupp? Is there any evidence to support this?

Emma Kent (Jan 1851)

Researching Savage descendants of William through the Census records, born 1787 in Westbourne.

William's daughter Mary Sarah Savage (c1815) marries William Kent (c1807) in 1848 in Westbourne. Mary already has two daughters before the union, both by unknown fathers, and William has been married before, bringing four of his own children to the union. They all appear together in Westbourne in 1851, along with two new children; Richard Kent (Nov 1848) and Emma Kent (Jan 1851).

Emma Kent is recorded again in 1861 with the family and then with her father in 1871 in Warblington.

...then it all gets a bit vague..

There's a marriage record for Emma Kent in Oct-Dec 1876 in Havant, very close to Warblington, but it's not possible to confirm whether she married George Betterworth or Henry Shawyer. Emma Shawyer (1853) appears in 1881 with Henry, but then disappears without trace, as does Henry.

Friend Harry Savage

Born c1845 in Westbourne, Sussex to Friend and Sarah Savage, Friend (junior) left Sussex for the lure of London. Like many of his siblings and cousins, ending up in Lee, Kent.
He appears in the 1861 Census, working as a servant for Jane Campbell in Lee, Kent, London.
However, there is a Death record for Friend Harry in Lewisham in Apr-Jun 1869, but not before he was married in Greenwich, Jan-Mar 1867.

Were there any children? Who did he marry?

Olive Savage

Olive Savage was born in Westbourne, Sussex in c1836 to Hanry Savage and Phillis Phillips.
She appears in the Census records for 1841, 51 and 61, but is not present in 1871.
The only Olive, born in that year in Westbourne recorded in 1871 is an Olive Smith, along with three children - they are lodging with one Henry Savage.
My fist guess is that this is Olive Savage, married. I can find a marriage record for Olive Savage between 1861 and 71, but there's no matching Smith to go with it.
Henry's daughter, Kate is shown in the same household, having married and produced a child, Patience. Kate is listed as 'Daughter'. Olive is listed as 'Lodger'.
Olive's children are born in Havant.