Hertfordshire Genealogy: AYRES, Barkway, 19th Century

AYRES, Barkway, 19th Century

Extended posting to an answer given on ENG-HERTFORDSHIRE-L

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PLEASE NOTE: When this question was asked the amount of information available online was very restricted and the only census available (on a CD) was the 1881 census. The answer given below should be carefully checked using the additional information now readily available online.

On 9 April 2001 Bert & Betty Brown (babe @t bettanet.net.au) of South Australia asked the ENG-HERTFORDSHIRE-L "We have an elusive great aunt that we could do with some help on if it is possible please. Annie AYRES was born in about 1880 as far as we can find out in Barkway and was married to Daniel BROWN in 1902 in Royston in what we think was the Oct/Dec quarter."

Cottages in Barkway
From "A Pilgrimage in Hertfordshire"

The 1881 census CD shows an Anne AYRES as a member of the following household living in one of a number of High Street Cottages in Barkway

William	WHYMAN	59	Head	Farm Labr	Barkway
Betsy	WHYMAN	44	Wife		Barkway
Anne	AYRES	1	G Daur		Barkway

The British Vital Records Index CD shows that Annie AYRES was christened at Barkway on 11 April 1880, the illegitimate daughter of Emma AYRES and also shows that William WHYMAN (widower and son of Francis WHYMAN) only married Betsy AYRES (widow) at Barkway on 15th October 1876. The CD also shows that a William AYRES (father Thomas AYRES) married Betsey CAMP (mother Ann CAMP) at Barkway on 24 November 1860.

A return to the 1881 census shows that a 19 year old Emma AYRES as a servant in the High Street, Barkway, who was presumably Annie's mother.

James	BALDING	83	Head, Widower	Formerly General Practitioner M.R.C.S. & L.S.A	Upwell, Norfolk
Margaret	BALDING	44	Daur	Housekeeper	Barkway
Albert	BALDING	41	Son	Land Agent & Surveyor	Barkway
John Johnson	BALDING	39	Son	Brewer	Barkway
Octavia	BALDING	37	Daur		Barkway
Emma	AYRES	19	Servant	Domestic Servant	Barkway
Jane Esther	MCGOWAN	15	Servant	Domestic Housemaid	Islington, Middlesex

It is possible that the elusiveness of your Great Aunt Annie origins was because the family chose to forget that she was the illegitimate daughter of Emma AYRES who in turn was the daughter of Betsey AYRES nee CAMP who in turn was the illegitimate daughter of Ann CAMP.