Thread: I'm desperate for help with Harveywells

Hi all



I really need some help or advice or anything really.



I have been tracing my great grandfathers family. However I have hit a gigantic brick wall. I have his marriage certificate now and the information on it is brilliant, however it has now given me a bit of a problem.



His name was Harveywells. I have searched every index (individually) for births 1837 - 1933 and all marriages 1827 - 2005. I have found three entries earlier than my Great Grandfather but as yet not been able to connect them with the family (although it is more than probable that they are related as it seems the Harveywells family are the only one in the country!). My problem is that prior to 1910 when he got married there (bar the three above) are no records relating to the Harveywells name at all.

I know he was born around 1888 in Peckham (thanks to his army records) and now know his father had the same name as him. I have searched the census records in 1901 for the family name and came up with nothing!

My hope had been that his father was named Harvey or Wells and I could then go from there but it is definitely Harveywells.



I really do not know what to do next, I keep searching various sites clutching at straws but just feel like I am going in circles. I have various theories on what may be the reason but have no idea what to do regarding those theories, as I am just really starting out in tracing my family.



My theories are : Maybe the family came from elsewhere....but where? lol

Could the name have been created by his father (but then my issue is when and how)

They were simply missed off the census, (but again why would they not be listed at all in BMD indexes)



I would really appreciate ANY help or suggestions, I would hate to have to give up on this line of the family as it is the most important to me. Sorry for the ramble and thank you for getting to the end of it and in advance for any help you might be able to offer.



Erika

D

Hello Erika,



There are four names dated 1883 ... JAS Marylebone (1837-1901) London

Vol 1a Page 1101



Abel Harvey

Frederick Lorenz

Henrietta Schafer

Mary Ann Wells



We have a Harvey / Wells



This could be a link and your Great grandfather took his mothers name as well has his fathers and we have a double barrow name...



Best of luck



Brian

Thank you Brian and welcome to the site.



I have looked at the record of the index, I had previously tried to find marriages of Harvey's and Wells but my subscription is to Ancestry and not all indexes are transcribed. I will definitely investigate this angle and appreciate you looking for me. However, I wonder if it will be a connection given that my Great Grandfather was born in 1888 (approx) and his fathers name was also Harveywells, both Alfred.



As I said thank you I really do appreciate any help at all and shall go and have a look in more depth at that angle, maybe finding the family in a census or two and see where I go from there.



Ok, I just checked the Census for 1901 and have been able to discount the family I believe. The children listed are all step-children to Abel (Chimney sweep - I love that) with the name of Wells and no record listed of a child born to the two. My Great Grandfather would have been born by then. It was very kind of you to give my that lead though.

Erika,



Was his name Alfred George ?



Brian

Yes, My Great Grandfather was Alfred George and Great Great Grandfather Alfred.

If you have access to Ancestry.co.uk , there are records in military records/British Army WW1 service of Alfred there?

Thank you Brian. I have downloaded those images, which were helpful and do relate to my GGF. Besides his marriage and death those are the only records I can find. You are very kind to look for me.



Erika

Your Welcome....

Erika



I know you have looked on Ancestry but have you been on Freebmd and seen the following marriage 1882 at Bethnal Green:

Jannet E Harvey-Wells and at the bottom of the list Jannet E Harvey Wells. I am wondering if Harvey was the mother's surname and used as a middle name which eventually became corrupted to Harvey-Wells then Harveywells or to save face mother's name hyphenated with Father's name looks like she isn't illigitmate? That happened in my husbands family and I spent years looking for her only to find that she was born out of wedlock, given the mother's surname as a middle name so to all intents and purposes she was legitimate. I found the marriage 4 years later miles away from where they should have been.





Had another look at the births that you say you aren't sure are related but have you noticed that the two births 4th quarter 1906 are hyphenated and your grandfather's name isn't.



Margaret

Hi Margaret



The marriage you mention is the earliest record I can find, I also thought that but am not sure how to find out since I can not find my ggf's birth records. I never noticed the Jannet Elizabeth at the bottom of the listing though. So thank you for that. I found in the 1901 census a Sophia Wells who was a widow and had a few children one being Alfred, around the right time for my ggf birth. However, there is no 'new' husband just her and the children and Alfred is listed as a Wells.



The twins from 1906 having the hyphen.....half of the family even today have hyphens and half do not lol. I think it is just a matter of how they adopted the name when they left home. For example my grandad was Harveywells but my great uncle, his brother, is Harvey-Wells and I can connect all of the other members very easily. Even with my GGF half of his documents are with a hyphen and half without. So the hyphen in this case does not really make much difference I am afraid.





You see I am just confused why his birth would not be listed when his fathers name is clearly Harveywells on my ggf marriage certificate. Unless he changed his name at some point as well. I can only conclude that the Harveywells family moved to England at some point maybe just before 1882, or in dribs and drabs, but where from I have no idea where to start or even how to lol.



Thank you for you input. I am going to see if I can track down the index for Jannet E Harvey Wells birth and then check around for a years either side see if I can uncover an Alfred (either GGF or GGGF). Maybe a census listing prior to the marriage with her listed.



Thanks again



Erika