Thread: Fenn family of Great Clacton

In the 1841 census, the family of George and Mary Fenn consists of children George, Benjamin, John, Susannah, Henry, William and Rosa born between 1824 and 1840, in Great Clacton.

In the 1851 census, I can only find three children George, Benjamin and John.

I can't find Henry, my maternal ancestor, in the 1861 census, or the rest of the family.

In the 1871 census, Henry appears, married to Elizabeth with two children.

Is there any way to find out where Henry was from 1851 to 1871? How did he manage to miss two censuses?

Can I find out, and if so, how?

Thanks in advance,
Steven.

Hi Steven

You were unable to find Henry and some of his family in the 1851 Census because of a transcription error – the original reads Fenn but has been mistranscribed as Femer.

Name: Henry Femer
Age: 13
Estimated birth year: abt 1838
Relation: Son
Father's name: George Femer
Mother's name: Mary Femer
Gender: Male
Where born: Great Clacton, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Great Clacton
County/Island: Essex


Registration district: Tendring Sub-registration district: St Osyth

Household Members:
Name, Age

George Femer, 55 B: Great Clacton – Farm Labourer
Mary Femer, 53 B: Ipswich, Suffolk
Henry Femer, 13
Rosa Femer, 10 B: Great Clacton

Source Citation: Class: HO107; Piece: 1779; Folio: 228; Page: 42

This is Henry's mother and father with Granddaughter in 1861 Census.

Name: George Fenn
Age: 65
Estimated birth year: abt 1796
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Mary Ann Fenn
Gender: Male
Where born: Great Clacton, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Great Clacton
County/Island: Essex
Registration district: Tendring
Sub-registration district: St Osyth

Household Members:
Name, Age

George Fenn, 65 B: Great Clacton – Agricultural Labourer
Mary Ann Fenn, 64 B: Ipswich Suffolk
Eleanor Fenn, 4 Granddaughter B: Great Clacton

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 1092; Folio: 68; Page: 5

I think that this is likely to be sister Susannah, working as a servant in 1861

Name: Susannah Fenn
Age: 27 Estimated birth year: abt 1834
Relation: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: Gt Clacton
Civil Parish: Fordham
Ecclesiastical parish: Rochester
County/Island: Essex
Registration district: Lexden
Sub-registration district: Fordham

Household Members:
Name, Age

Charles Taylor, 37
Elizabeth May Taylor, 45
Susannah Fenn, 27
Louisa Burch, 15

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 1104; Folio: 58; Page: 9

And with her husband and daughter Eleanor Fenn, who had been with her grandparents in 1861 – in the 1871 Census

Name: Susannah Davey
Age: 37
Estimated birth year: abt 1834
Relation: Wife
Spouse's name: George Davey
Gender: Female
Where born: Great Clacton, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Great Clacton
Ecclesiastical parish: Rochester
County/Island: Essex
Registration district: Tendring
Sub-registration district: St Osyth

Household Members:
Name, Age

George Davey, 30
Susannah Davey, 37
Eleanor Fenn, 14
David Fisk, 22 – Boarder

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 1676; Folio: 63; Page: 9


Marriage Index Entry

Marriages Dec 1862

Davey George Tendring Vol: 4a Page: 388
Fenn Susannah Tendring Vol: 4a Page: 388

And Brother Benjamin in 1861 Census – Fenn mistranscribed as Fern

Name: Benjamin Fern
Age: 36
Estimated birth year: abt 1825
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Matilda Fern
Gender: Male
Where born: Gt Clacton, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Great Clacton
County/Island: Essex
Registration district: Tendring
Sub-registration district: St Osyth

Household Members:
Name, Age

Benjamin Fern, 36
Matilda Fern, 36
Benjamin Fern, 15
Matilda Fern, 11
George Fern, 10
Henry Fern, 9
Alice Fern, 7
William Fern, 6
John Fern, 6 Months

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 1092; Folio: 50; Page: 16

Marriage Index Entry

Marriages Sep 1849

Fenn Benjamin Tendring Vol: 12 Page: 389
Grimwood Matilda Tendring Vol: 12 Page: 389

Hello Geniegenie,
You're absolutely wonderful, thank you very much for giving me much more detail than I expected.

I had actually thought Hernry Fenn had migrated somewhere and had come back after years away. The story behind Susannah must be very interesting; I'm assuming because her daughter's surname is the same as hers, that Susannah was not married when Eleanor was born. Susannah's marriage date, December, 1862, is after Eleanor's birth date of 1857.

Is there any way of finding out Eleanor's father's name?

Thank you,
Steven.

Hi Steven

I would suggest that it may be unlikely that it will be possible to find a name for Eleanor’s father as she took her mother’s surname – so it is probable that no father will have been named on either her birth or marriage certificate.

However, the following are the references you would need if you wanted to check by obtaining the relevant documents.

Births Mar 1857

Fenn Eleanor Tendring Vol: 4a Page: 205

It would appear that Eleanor married David Fisk - the boarder named as living with the family in the 1871 Census - when she was just 14 years old


Marriages Dec 1871

Fenn Eleanor Tendring Vol: 4a Page: 467
Fisk David Tendring Vol: 4a Page: 467

1881 Census

Name: Eleanor Fiske
Age: 23
Estimated birth year: abt 1858
Relation: Wife
Spouse's name: David Fiske
Gender: Female
Where born: Gt Clacton, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Great Clacton
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Street address: St Osyth Rd
Condition as to marriage: Married
Registration district: Tendring
Sub-registration district: Thorpe

Household Members:
Name, Age

David Fiske, 33 B: Gislingham, Suffolk
Eleanor Fiske, 23
Esther Fiske, 9
George Fiske, 6
Arthur Fiske, 4
Ernest Fiske, 1

Source Citation: Class: RG11; Piece: 1779; Folio: 33; Page: 1

Hello Geniegenie,
Yes, I saw in the 1871 census that David Fiske was a lodger, and then found their wedding date, meaning he married Eleanor when she was 14.

Found the family in the 1881 census, but in the 1891 census, Eleanor's surname is spelt Fisk, no 'e'.

Rather interesting that over several generations, the extended Fenn family stayed in the Great Clacton/St.Osyth area.

I'm also learning a lot of English geography in researching these ancestors.

Thanks again,
Steven.