William Purkis born c. 1801?

[ElizabethHerts]

I have found this man with Alfred Cleverly. Alfred's mother was born Sophia Purkis, but she was born in Portsea. There is a gap in births between 1797 and 1803, when Sophia was baptised. I think that their father probably worked in the Dockyards, so could have gone to Plymouth, where the census says William was born.

1851 Census
PURKIS, William
PORTSEA ISLAND, Hampshire
HO107 piece 1657 folio 510 page 9

Can anyone see anything further about him? I'm trying to establish if these two were siblings to my ancestor James Purkis.

Sophia is living next door on this census as Sophia Hayter. She was on her third marriage as her previous two husbands died. (Thomas Cleverly and William Parr)

[Nell]

Well 1851 says William is a widower, so I guess finding a wife for him might help you.

1841 has a William Purkis [mistranscribed as Parkis on Ancestry] age 40, ag lab which doesn't fit with 1851 being a tailor, but says he was born Hampshire. He's with a wife, Eliza, and 4 children, William 17, Maria 15, Thomas 13, Henry 10 and Fanney, 10 months.

Ref: HO107; Piece 402; Book: 21; Civil Parish: South Stoneham; County: Hampshire; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: 17; Page: 28

[kiterunner]

I can't find anything, sorry. It looks as though Sophia's parents were non-conformists at the time of her birth, so you would think William would be in the non-conformist database on BMD Registers, but I can't see him on there.

[kiterunner]

Well 1851 says William is a widower, so I guess finding a wife for him might help you.

1841 has a William Purkis [mistranscribed as Parkis on Ancestry] age 40, ag lab which doesn't fit with 1851 being a tailor, but says he was born Hampshire. He's with a wife, Eliza, and 4 children, William 17, Maria 15, Thomas 13, Henry 10 and Fanney, 10 months.

Ref: HO107; Piece 402; Book: 21; Civil Parish: South Stoneham; County: Hampshire; Enumeration District: 5; Folio: 17; Page: 28

The William we're looking for was supposed to be born in Devon, Nell.

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks for that, Nell. I don't think that is him because it looks as though that William had died by 1851:


PERKIS, Elizabeth Head Widow F 50 1801 Field Lab South Stoneham Hampshire
PERKIS, William Son Married M 27 1824 Ag Lab South Stoneham Hampshire
PERKIS, Caroline Step Daughter Married F 27 1824 South Stoneham Hampshire
PERKIS, Thomas Son Unmarried M 23 1828 Ag Lab South Stoneham Hampshire
PERKIS, Fanny Daughter Unmarried F 10 1841 South Stoneham Hampshire
PERKIS, Thomas Grand Son M 2 1849 South Stoneham Hampshire

HO107 piece 1670 folio 247 page 3

[Nell]

OK, my error!

[ElizabethHerts]

Kate, I have the baptism of all the other children. What I'm trying hard to establish is whether James is my ancestor as there are so many Jameses and also I need to know his parents.

Children with James and Catherine as parents:

James Purkis 14 March 1790 St Mary?s Portsea
Elizth. Purkis 29 Jan 1792 St Mary?s Portsea
Sarah Purkis 26 Jan 1794 St Mary?s Portsea
Mary Purkis 5 Nov 1797 age at christening 1 St Mary?s Portsea
Mary Purkiss 21 Feb 1802 Portsea Hampshire (submitted by member of LDS church)
Sophia Purkis born 12 Dec 1803 christened 17 April 1808 St Mary?s
John Purkis born 14 Feb 1808 christened 17 April 1808 St Mary?s Portsea
George Purkis 19 Nov 1809 St Mary?s Portsea
Thomas Purkiss born 6 March 1812 christened 14 April 1812 St Mary?s Portsea
Cecilia Purkiss 29 Aug 1814 St Mary?s Portsea
Mary Ann Purkis 14 Jan 1819 birth christening 14 March 1830 St Mary?s


No William amongst them.

I have just noticed that Sophia was baptised 5 years after her birth.

[ElizabethHerts]

(Why are apostrophes coming out as question marks?)

[Phoenix]

Were those children really born over 30 years? Do you have a burial for Catherine? I'd have thought, particularly in Portsea, that you have two families there - and you'll only get addresses & occupations for the last three, alas!

[ElizabethHerts]

Phoenix, they are the most confusing family!

No, I don't think they are all the same parents - just parents called James and Catherine.

Groom's Name: James Purkis
Bride's Name: Catherine Seaford
Marriage Date: 23 Jul 1787
Marriage Place: St. Mary'S, Portsea, Hampshire, England
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M01646-2
System Origin: England-EASy
Source Film Number: 1596292
Reference Number: item 1 p 30
Collection: England Marriages, 1538?1973

Year: 1790
Marriage Date: 04 Jan 1790
Groom Surname: Purkis
Groom Forename: James
Groom Notes: Widower
Bride Surname: Stevens
Bride Forename: Catherine
Bride Notes: Widow
Parish: Portsea St Mary
County: Hampshire

[kiterunner]

I have just noticed that Sophia was born 5 years after her birth.

That would be something amazing!

She is listed on BMD Registers under the spelling Perkis, and also on FamilySearch as it has a copy of the non-conformist index, born 15 Dec 1803 and baptised 1 Mar 1804 at St Peter's Daniel Street Wesleyan, Portsea, Hampshire, parents James and Catherine. Then on FamilySearch spelt Purkis, date of birth 12 Dec 1803, christened 17 Apr 1808 at St Mary's, Portsea.

[ElizabethHerts]

That would be something amazing!

She is listed on BMD Registers under the spelling Perkis, and also on FamilySearch as it has a copy of the non-conformist index, born 15 Dec 1803 and baptised 1 Mar 1804 at St Peter's Daniel Street Wesleyan, Portsea, Hampshire, parents James and Catherine. Then on FamilySearch spelt Purkis, date of birth 12 Dec 1803, christened 17 Apr 1808 at St Mary's, Portsea.

Doh - baptised 5 years after her birth!

*Note to self - check the rubbish I write! *

Well, that's a new one for me - her being baptised in the Wesleyan church as well. I wonder if that might sort out her siblings too.

A Catherine Purkis was buried on 15 Dec 1820 at Portsea, aged 48.

[Punchs Mum]

Probably nothing to do with your Purkis family, Elizabeth but I was browsing Alverstoke Burials last evening and there is a William Purkis, abode Portsea who was buried on 7th August 1822 age 46 at St. Marys Alverstoke.

Just to confuse you even more!

Lesley

[ElizabethHerts]

Lesley, thanks! I did start trying to sort the Portsmouth/Portsea/Alverstoke Purkises into families, but I became totally confused.

Prior to 1800 the Purkises confuse me terribly! It is the only line where I haven't got any further back than my Mum did in the 1980s when she did much of her research. It is so frustrating because I haven't definitively decided who the parents of my James Purkis born c. 1790 are!

http://www.genealogistsforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=8741&highlight=James+Purkis

I wish there was something to distinguish them all.

[Phoenix]

If you ever find a way to take Portsea ancestors back an extra generation, please let me know! That's where the majority of my brick walls are. And all with very common names.

[Punchs Mum]

Ooooh! Can see your problem Elizabeth!

Lesley