Edited posting to a query on the old forum - February 2001

Robert McCulloch (robmcculloch @t talk21.com)of Powys said that Florence Lilian LOVEITT was born at Two Waters, Hemel Hempstead in 1864, the daughter of William LOVEITT and Louisa PUTMAN. She married Charles COLLINGS of Nash Mills in 1889 and had six children. He asked for any information on the LOVEITT/LOVETT or PUTMAN families.

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The dates of the above events suggests that the principal characters should be recorded in the 1881 census. A quick check of the CD shows that 18 year old Charles COLLINGS was living at Three Crowns, Abbots Langley, with his father Walter COLLINGS (42, Beer House Keeper Grocer occupies 14 acres of land, born St Albans), mother Mary A. COLLINGS (43, born Hemel Hempstead) and siblings Eunice (16), Edith (13), Frank (11), Herbert (10), Arthur (8), Mina (5), Alice (2) and Bertha (4 months). All the children were born in Nash Mills.

There is no sign Florence Lilian LOVEITT in Hertfordshire but a family which fits the description was living at 2 Mountfort House, Islington, London. The head of household was William L. LOVETT (51, born Cricklade, Wiltshire) who was a Principle Clerk G P O. His wife was Louisa LOVETT (54, born Peterboro, Northamptonshire) and there were three daughters born in Islington, Florence L. LOVETT (21), Elizabeth R. LOVETT (16) and Lilian Maud LOVETT (12). Also in the household was an unmarried sister-in-law Fanny Gates SMITH (62, born Peterboro) and Mary GLASS (32, born Pinton, Wiltshire) who was employed as a general servant.

If this is the correct family it would seem that your source of information saying that Florence Lilian LOVEITT was born at Two Waters was incorrect, although it is possible that that she lived at Two Waters at the time she was married. You are strongly advised to purchase her birth and marriage certificates to find out the truth.

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