Sherlock Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 6 Jan 1854 - Birmingham
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: William Grove Holmes
Mother: Caroline Gardner
Notes
General:
b:Sherlock Holmes Jan-Feb-Mar 1854 Birmingham Warwickshire 6d 154
1861: Stratford Rd, Shirley Heath, Warks. William Gardner 70 Beekeeper, Mary 68, gs Mycroft Holmes 14, gs Sherlock Holmes 7
1871: 34 King St, Cambridge. Sherlock Holmes 18 Student (Chemistry & Criminology)
1881: 221a Baker St, London. Harriet Hudson 52 wid Landlady | 221b Sherlock Holmes 27 b:Birmingham. Consulting Detective, John H Watson MD 29
1891: 221a Baker St, London. Harriet Hudson 62 wid Landlady | 221b Sherlock Holmes 37 b:Birmingham. Consulting Detective
1910: missing (Maybe on the continent ;o)
Thomas Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 1875 - London
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: William Holmes
Mother: Emma Mold
Thomas Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 1640 - Tong, Salop
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Spouses and Children
1. *Jese
Marriage:
Children:
1. Robert Holmes
2. Frances Holmes
3. Ann Holmes
4. Grace Holmes
Thomas Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 1871 - Dundee
Christening:
Death: 28 Dec 1925 - Dundee
Burial:
Parents
Father: William Grove Holmes
Mother: Jemima MacKie
Notes
General:
Born on 1 Feb 1871 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland. He died on 28 Dec 1925 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland. He married Jane MILNE on 22 Jul 1892 in Dundee, Angus, Scotland.
William Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 7 Jun 1842 - Birmingham
Christening: 27 Jun 1842 - St Martins, Birmingham
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: William Holmes
Mother: Elizabeth Hanson
Notes
General:
This William is not the son of William Grove Holmes b1805.
bap:William Holmes b: 07 Jun 1842 bap: 27 Jun 1842 Saint Martin, B'ham F:William Holmes M: Elizabeth IGI
1851: Floodgate St, B'ham. Elizabeth 35 wid Button Polisher, Robert 14 button polisher, William 9 Umbrella maker (like his father), Richard 8 (?), Elizabeth 7, brother-in-law (?) Samuel Hanson 22, Emma Hanson 21 w, lodgers Elizabeth Phillips 18, Sarah Holmes 29, Ann Bowles 55 (all ch born in B'ham)
1861: Floodgate St, Bham. William Marsh (Anc: Marth) 41, Elizabeth Marsh 45, William Holmes 19, Elizabeth Holmes 17
1871: in lodgings
William Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: Abt 1810 - not Warks
Christening:
Death: Bef 1851 - Birmingham
Burial:
Spouses and Children
1. *Elizabeth Hanson
Marriage: 7 Jun 1835 - Aston Juxta, Birmingham
Children:
1. Robert Holmes
2. Richard Holmes
3. William Holmes
4. Elizabeth Holmes
Notes
General:
Marriage Notes (Elizabeth Hanson)
1841: Bordesley, B'ham. William Holmes 30 Umbrella maker b not Warks, Elizabeth 25 b Warks (no sign of son Robert)
At least 5 William Holmeses died between 1842 and 1851 in Birmingham..
Other 'Williams' to check:
William Holmes bap: 08 Oct 1805 Saint Phillips, Birmingham. IGI: to William & Susan (W & Susannah Ashford 17 Aug 1802 Saint Martin, Birmingham) IGI:
William Home bap 26 Dec 1806 Saint Phillips, Birmingham f: William Home m:Elizabeth IGI:
Or to: William Holmes & Sarah Hands marr 30 Jul 1804 Saint Martin, Birmingham. IGI:
William Holmes & Elizabeth Hanson 07 Jun 1835 Aston Juxta Birmingham IGI
Thse are not the parents of:
William Holmes who was born in 1845 in Parkhurst Barracks on the Isle of Wight - see his notes for a full discussion of who his parents might be.
William Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 1845 - Parkhurst Barracks, Isle of Wight
Christening:
Death: 1910 - Lambeth, London
Burial:
Parents
Father: William Grove Holmes
Mother: Elizabeth Foster
Spouses and Children
1. *Emma Mold
Marriage: 1866 - Newington, London
Children:
1. William Holmes
2. Joseph Holmes
3. Thomas Holmes
4. John C Holmes
5. Henry J Holmes
6. Albert Holmes
7. Frank Holmes
Notes
General:
1845 b in Partkhurst Barracks, Isle of Wight, Hampshire (based on censuses)Research:
1851: Bailey Lane, Sheffield. Charles Foster 26, Jane 23 b Derbyshire, sister Betsey Holmes 35 b Sheffield, n Emma Foster 12, n Wm Holmes 6 b IOW
1861: Holborn, Middx. Elizabeth Holmes 45 b Sheffield, William Holmes 16 b IOW
1866 m Emma Mold in Newington, London (s of WGH, b IOW)
1871: Bermondsey, London. William Holmes 26 b IOW, Emma 24, William 5, Joseph 2
1881: Southwark, London. William Holmes 37 b Parkhurst Barracks, IOW, Emma 34, Wm. 15, Joseph 12, Thomas 6, John C. 4, Henry J. 1
1891: St Saviour, London. William Holmes 46 b IOW Warehouseman, Emma 44, Joseph 22, Thomas 16, Henry 11, Albert 6, Frank 1
1901: Newington, London William Holmes 56 b:Newport IOW, Emma 54, Albert 16, Frank 11
1910d Lambeth, London
It has been suggested that this William's parents were William Grove Holmes b1805 and Elizabeth Hanson. In my opinion, this pair were never married and neither of them is a parent of William.
William's Mother
Searching for William Holmes born in 1845 in Parkhurst Barracks on the Isle of Wight produces this brace of census records:
1851: Bailey Lane, Sheffield. Charles Foster 26, w Jane 23 b Holmesfield, Derbyshire, sister Betsey Holmes 35 b Sheffield marr, niece Emma Foster 12, nephew Wm Holmes 6 b IOW
1861: Holborn, Middx. Elizabeth Holmes 45 b Sheffield marr, son William Holmes 16 b IOW
Which tell us that his mother's name was Elizabeth, a sister of Charles Foster, and so, was probably born Elizabeth Foster.
Could Elizabeth be Charles Foster's sister-in-law?
In the 1851 census, Elizabeth (Betsey) is recorded as the sister of Charles Foster, a 'brace bit forger' but it could be that Elizabeth was actually the sister of Charles's wife Jane. A search for a possible Jane born in or near Holmesfield that year, to test that idea, yields:
Jane Parker bap:20 Jul 1828 Dronfield f:John m:Mary and better still:
Jane Elliot bap:13 Mar 1828 Holmesfield m:Sarah Elliot.
This second Jane becomes an even stronger candidate when you consider this marriage record:
Charles Foster & Jane Eliott 1849 Jan-Feb-Mar Sheffield Vol: 22, Page: 426.
No records of Jane Eliott (or Jane Parker) having a sister named Elizabeth have been found. Conversely, no suitable Jane Hansons have been found. It is unlikely then that Elizabeth & Jane were sisters.
Now, if the 1841 census below is for the same Charles Foster and niece Emma Foster (as in the 1851 record above):
1841: Cross Burgess St, Sheffield. Robert Foster 22, Robert 55, Mary 45, Charles 18 Edge Tool maker, Emma 3
then Charles probably has a brother Robert 22, a niece Emma 3 and his parents are probably Robert 55 & Mary 45.
Further, a Robert Foster and a Mary Dixon were married in Leeds in 1812 and an Elizabeth Foster was baptized in 1814 with parents Robert & Mary - in my opinion, the evidence is stacking up that this Elizabeth Foster is William's mother.
William's Father
William's marriage to Emma Mold in 1866 tells us that his father was 'William Grove Holmes' but was he the WGH b1805?
1. The occupation of the one on the mar.cert. was 'servant' rather than 'japanner or button maker' of WGH b1805 and there's no mention of him being deceased.
2. In both of the above censuses, William's mother is described as 'married' even though WHG b1805 had, by then, married two other women (in 1846 and 1848) and had died in April 1860!
3. WGH b1805 had a son also named William Grove Holmes b1829 by his first wife Ann, so he would then have had two living sons called 'William'.
4. Finally, where was WGH b1805 at this time and where are his other children? In 1851 he was in Birmingham with his wife Caroline and their family and by 1861 he had died but what about 1841?
1841
Consider this census record:
1841: Hanley St, Birmingham. William Holmes 35 Japanner, William 11, Letitia Holmes 25, Ann 9 also Susannah Pearsall 47
1. The two children have exactly the same names and ages as WGH b1805's from his first marriage to Anne Smith and this WH is a 'japanner', the same as WGH in 1851.
2. Despite her recorded age being low, Letitia Holmes could be the Letitia McDougal he marries in Manchester in 1846 but already using his surname here.
3. There is a 'Pearsall' here, that just happens to be the middle name of Letitia McDougal(nee Bryan)'s nephew (son of her brother Thomas). Co-incidence? Maybe.
In my opinion, there is a good chance that this is the census entry for WGH b1805 (and William aged 11 is therefore WGH jnr b1829), is it likely that if he was already with Letitia, he would then nip off and marry Elizabeth in Sheffield or Isle of Wight, have a son and then return to marry Letitia in Manchester a year later?
So, if William Grove Holmes b1805 is not the father of William born 1845 on IoW, could it possibly be William Grove Holmes b1829?
Points to consider:
1. At 16yrs old - he would be rather young.
2. In 1852 WGHjnr marries Anna Maria O'Neill in Dublin
3. In 1861 WGHjnr is living in Sunderland with Derby-born Ann Holmes (presumably his wife but no marriage record has yet been found although on his marriage to Jemima MacKie in Dundee in 1870, he is described as the widower of Annie Fletcher) and two young children (we could do with their birth certs.)
Despite these problem, WGH b1829 looks to be the most likely father of William b1845 - whether he actually married Elizabeth is open to debate.
Isle of Wight?
Why was William born at Parkhurst Barracks?
Which regiments were stationed there?
India. Sutley Campaign 1845-6, 5th Fusiliers?
Alternatively:
1838e---Parkhurst barracks adapted to take juvenile prisoners
1842c---First juvenile prisoners shipped from Parkhurst to New World (Parkhurst Apprentices)
Parkhurst Prison was first built as a military hospital in 1805 and was later transformed to a prison for boys awaiting deportation, mainly to Australia, as part of the Parkhurst act of 1835. By 1847, a new wing (C Wing) had been built by the prisoners, digging the clay and baking the bricks themselves. This wing is still in operation today. From 1863 to 1869, Parkhurst served as a female prison, however after this date was converted and has always served as a male prison.
Not to be confused with the son of William Holmes & Elizabeth Hanson:
William Holmes B: 07 Jun 1842 Bap: 27 Jun 1842 Saint Martin, B'ham F:William Holmes M: Elizabeth
1851: Floodgate St, B'ham. Elizabeth Holmes 35 wid Button Polisher, Robert 14 button polisher, William 9 Umbrella maker, Richard 8 (?), Elizabeth 7, brother-in-law (?) Samuel Hanson 22, Emma Hanson 21 w, lodgers Elizabeth Phillips 18, Sarah Holmes 29, Ann Bowles 55 (all ch born in B'ham)
1861: Floodgate St, Bham. William Marsh (Anc: Marth) 41, Elizabeth Marsh 45 (remarried), William Holmes 19, Elizabeth Holmes 17
1871: in lodgings
A fuller look at this William's family can be found by looking for ELizabeth Hnason in the 'Surnames' or 'Name Index'.
William Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 1866 - London
Christening:
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: William Holmes
Mother: Emma Mold
William Grove Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 24 Nov 1805 - Birmingham
Christening: 25 Dec 1805 - St Martins, Birmingham
Death: 3 Apr 1860 - Birmingham
Burial: 8 Apr 1860 - Birmingham
Parents
Father: Abel Holmes
Mother: Hannah Cartland
Spouses and Children
1. Ann Smith
Marriage: 15 Jun 1825 - Frankley, Worcs
Children:
1. Mary-Ann Holmes
2. William Grove Holmes
3. Ann Holmes
2. *Letitia Bryan
Marriage: 27 Jun 1846 - Manchester Cathedral
Children:
1. Mycroft Holmes
3. Caroline Gardner
Marriage: 13 Sep 1848 - Birmingham
Children:
1. Mary Ann Holmes
2. Albert Holmes
3. Caroline Holmes
4. Sherlock Holmes
5. Samuel Holmes
Notes
General:
bap:William Groves Holmes b:24 Nov 1805 bap:25 Dec 1805 Saint Martin, B'ham. f: Abel Holmes m: Hannah IGIMarriage Notes (Ann Smith)
1825m of William Grove Holmes & Ann Smith at Frankley, Worcester, England
1841: Hanley St, Birmingham. William Holmes 35 Japanner, William 11, Letitia 25, Ann 9 also Susannah Pearsall 47
It has been suggested that WGH married Elizabeth Hanson around this time - this I believe to be a mistake made while searching for the parents of William Holmes b1845 on the Isle of Wight. Records of Elizabeth Hanson's life can be found by looking for her pages through the 'Surnames' or 'Names Index' at the bottom of this page.
1846m of William Grove Holmes wid (f:Abel) & Letitia McDougal wid (f:Edward Bryan) at Manchester Cathedral . Button manufacturer from B'ham
1848m of William Grove Holmes & Caroline Gardner both of Ward St, B'ham (f:Abel) Button maker
1851: New Church St, Birmingham (St Georges) William G Holmes 45 Japanner, Caroline 25, Mary A 1, Albert 6m, serv Mary West 13
d 1860 Apr-May-Jun Birmingham (1837-1924) Vol:6d, Page: 84 William Grove Holmes. Japanner Master. New John St, B'ham
bur: William Grove Holmes 08 Apr 1860 Birmingham, LDS
William Grove Holmes & Ann Smith 15 Jun 1825 Frankley, Worcester, England (IGI)Marriage Notes (Letitia Bryan)
Letitia Mcdougal & William Grove Holmes 1846 Apr-May-Jun Manchester (1837-1924) Vol: 20, Page: 626 LDS recordMarriage Notes (Caroline Gardner)
From Marr Cert:
27 Jun 1846 Collegiate & Parish Church, Manchester
Groom: William Grove Holmes (wid, full age): Residence: Birmingham Occ:Button manufacturer, f:Abel Holmes, Button manufacturer
Bride: Letitia McDougal (wid, full age) Residence: Hulme f:Edward, Weaver
Witn: George Willson & Ann Willson
The Church became a Cathedral in the following year - 1847.
1848 Jul-Aug-Sep Birmingham (1837-1924) Vol:16, Page:383
Marr Cert:
13 Sept 1848 St Martin's, Birmingham
William Grove Holmes (42 wid): Residence: Ward St, Birmingham Occ:Button manufacturer, f:Abel Holmes, Button burnisher
Caroline Gardner (23 sp) Residence: Ward St, Birmingham f:William, Brass founder
William Grove Holmes
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: 15 Oct 1829 - Tower St, Birmingham
Christening: 2 Aug 1831 - St Philips, Birmingham
Death:
Burial:
Parents
Father: William Grove Holmes
Mother: Ann Smith
Spouses and Children
1. Elizabeth Foster
Marriage:
Children:
1. William Holmes
2. Anna Maria O'Neill
Marriage: 22 Nov 1852 - St Mary's, Dublim
3. Annie Fletcher
Marriage:
Children:
1. Mary Ann Holmes
2. Laura Holmes
4. *Jemima MacKie
Marriage: 10 Mar 1870 - Dundee
Children:
1. Thomas Holmes
2. Eliza Holmes
3. Charles Holmes
Notes
General:
bap: William Grove Holmes b: 15 Oct 1829 Tower St. bap: 02 Aug 1831 Saint Phillips, Birmingham, f:William Holmes m:Ann IGI and RecordMarriage Notes (Elizabeth Foster)
Tower St is two corners from Hanley St.
1841: Hanley St, Birmingham. William Holmes 35 Japanner, William 11, Letitia 25, Ann 9 also Susannah Pearsall 47
1851:
1852m to Anna Marcia O'Neill , St Mary's, Dublin f:William Grove Holmes (Button maker) B IGI (subm) Irish Genealogy: Record
1861: 38 Northumberland St, South Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland. Co.Durham. Jane Gill 45 Housekeeper, Susanah W 19, Elizabeth J 21, Charles H 14, William J 10, bdrs: William G Holmes (Anc:Holmer) 28 b:B'ham Comedian, Ann 33 b:Derby Milliner, Mary Anne 2 b:Scarborough, Laura 1 b:Sunderland, serv Jane Robins 15
1870m to Jemima MacKie sp Dundee, widr of Annie Fletcher, f:William Grove Holmes (dec), occ: Comedian
1871: Murraygate (close), Dundee (St Clement). Elza MacKie 56, sil Wm Grove Holmes 36 (cough) Comedian b Warwickshire , d Jemima Holmes 18, Thomas 2m, Robert Kingsmore 5, Agnes Kinsman 3
1881: Pennington in Leigh, Lancs. Wm Grace Holmes 50 Comedian b Birmingham ldgr
1891: Skelmersdale, Lancs. William G Holmes 59 Comedian b Birminghan ldgr
Clearly, this William was a wanderer. We don't know when that wandering started and his whereabouts in 1851 are unknown (if he was in Ireland then we can stop looking for census returns - they were all destroyed in a fire in 1922).
There is another unexplained mystery - in '51 an d '61 an Elizabeth Holmes is claiming to be the (married) mother of a William b1845 whose father is a William Grove Holmes and yet in '52 and '61 he had wives elsewhere..
No marriage record found.Marriage Notes (Anna Maria O'Neill)
The main problems with yhis pairing of Elizabeth (b Sheffield) with WGH b1829 is his age, the fact that he married Anna Maria O'Neill in Dublin in 1852 and that he had another family in Sunderland in 1861.
Marriage Notes (Annie Fletcher)
William Grove Holmes B (Profon of Dancing) & Anna Marcia O'Neill S. 28 Nov 1852. St Mary, Dublin, Dublin, Ireland f:William Grove Holmes Button Maker both res at 9 Stafford St, Dublin.LDS and IGI: Irish Genealogy: Record
The marriage certificate to Jemima MacKie reveals that WGH is the widower of Annie Fletcher - this may well be the Ann Holmes in the 1861 census in Sunderland - no marriage record has yet been found.