Mysterious Mallet in Marylebone

[Mary from Italy]

Sorry this is a bit long, but it's driving me mad.

I've found a newspaper death notice for a Miss Mallet who appears to belong to my family, but her Christian name isn't given, I can't find a matching death or burial, and I don't have the slightest idea who she might be.

The death notice reads as follows:

DIED
On Tuesday in Bryanston-Street, London, universally lamented, Miss Mallet, eldest niece of Mrs Mallet, of this City.

Lichfield Mercury, Friday 10th July 1896.

I take this to mean that an unmarried lady called Mallet died in Bryanston Street, London, on Tuesday 7th July 1896, and that she was the eldest niece of a Mrs Mallet of Lichfield.

Bryanston Street runs parallel to Oxford Street, and it's in the Marylebone registration district as far as I know. I've checked the deaths for the last two quarters of 1896 on FreeBMD, but I can't see a likely candidate at all. I suppose the death may have been registered elsewhere, but it seems unlikely if she actually died in Marylebone.

I have two Mrs Mallets living in Lichfield in 1896: Matilda, widow of Thomas Mallet (1818-1888), and her daughter-in-law Lucy, wife of Thomas Mallet (1854-1906). As a Miss Mallet must be the niece of a Mrs Mallet's husband, I assume the cutting refers to Matilda; if she was the niece of Thomas junior, presumably he would have been named in the cutting as he was still alive.
Matilda was staying with a married daughter in Shropshire at the time of the 1891 census, but she was back in Lichfield by 1901.

Thomas senior only had two surviving nieces, both of whom married. His eldest niece died in 1914. Thomas junior had several surviving nieces, but they all married apart from three, who died in 1901, 1952 and 1964.

I've done a huge amount of research on this family, and the only missing female is Mary Mallet, baptised in Nottingham in 1802, who was Thomas senior's 1st cousin, not his niece. She was presumably alive in 1841, because she's named in her aunt's will, dated that year, but I haven't found her in the 1841 or later censuses, and she isn't named in her sister's will dated 1862 (which names all her other brothers and sisters), so I assumed she must have died between those dates, although I've never found a death or marriage for her.

I've done an address search for Bryanston Street in 1891 on FMP, but I can't see any Mallets there (I've only checked the transcription so far, though).

Bryanston Street was quite a posh address, so I would have expected to find a probate/admon, but I've drawn a blank in the probate calendar too.

I've also checked the Times and the British Newspaper archive, and I can't find any other references to this lady's death. I've also checked the London burials and electoral rolls, but no luck.

I've checked for other Mallets living in Lichfield in 1891 and 1901, but the only ones listed on the censuses belong to my family, apart from an Alice Mallett, widow, born in Norwich, who's a patient in the Burntwood lunatic asylum in 1901.

What's really strange is that Thomas senior's great-uncle Jonathan Mallet and his wife were living in Bryanston Street, Marylebone from about 1784. Jonathan died in 1806, but his wife Mary was still there until about 1814, when she moved to a different address. No other family members lived there after that as far as I know. If you google for Jonathan Mallet and Bryanston Street it just brings up a couple of articles I wrote about the family for the FTF magazine a few years ago.

Does anyone have any brilliant suggestions?

[HarrysMum]

Only Matilda Mallett (note double t) death in 1896 is in Walsall and she's aged 0.

[HarrysMum]

Have you got a Charles Mallet? Sorry, I am getting grandie off to school so haven't read the FTF article.

There are a few articles in Google Books about a Mrs Charles Mallet of London talking about animal cruelty. They are from 1897.

[Mary from Italy]

Yes, I saw that one, but even apart from the place of death, I shouldn't think an infant would be referred to as "Miss Mallet".

My family mostly used a single 't', but I've been searching for Mallet* to be on the safe side.

[Mary from Italy]

I do have a Christopher Charles Mallet known as Charles, who lived in the Streatham area of London, but he pre-deceased his wife and she remarried in 1910. The FTF article doesn't help with this search; I just mentioned it because anyone who googles will find it and assume it's relevant.

[Mary from Italy]

You've reminded me of another missing Mallet woman, but she wasn't unmarried: Mary Mallet née Suttill, born in Plymouth, Devonshire c. 1819, who married William Mallet in Islington in 1841. They were in Islington in 1851 with their children; can't see them in 1861, and they were in Worcestershire in 1871. William died in Evesham, Worcs. in 1876, and I've never found Mary after that. William was the 1st cousin of Thomas Mallet senior of Lichfield.

One of William and Mary's daughters is also missing; Mary Ann Mallet, born in Islington in 1842. Haven't found her after 1851, so I'll have another look at the censuses for her.

[HarrysMum]

There's a death for a Mary Ann Mallet Sept 1854 at Lichfield.

[Mary from Italy]

Yes, she's one of mine (Thomas Mallet senior's aunt, born c. 1784).

[kiterunner]

I wonder if they printed the wrong surname for the deceased.

[Mary from Italy]

I did wonder that - it's just such a coincidence that the Mallets of Lichfield did have a connection with Bryanston Street.

[Merry]

I've spent far too much of today than is good for me looking at this problem!

Basically I got nowhere, having examined the trees of the two Mrs Ms, assuming the surname of the dec'd was not supposed to be Mallet.

Do you know who the last Mallet was to be connected with Bryanston Street?

[Mary from Italy]

That's very kind of you, Merry :)

The Mallets at Bryanston Street were Jonathan Mallet (Lichfield 1729- London 1806) and his second wife Mary (formerly Maturin née Livingston) (New York City 1748-London 1830).

Jonathan was born in Lichfield but worked in the USA as an army surgeon during the revolution. He had 3 children by his first wife, Catherine Kennedy, who died in New York in 1777.

Jonathan and his second wife, Mary, had no children. They returned to England in 1784 with his three children by Catherine.

The eldest, Ann Mallet (New York 1766-London 1815), never married, and lived with Jonathan and Mary in Bryanston Street until her death.
The third, Thomas Kennedy Mallet (New York 1770-Staunton 1822), became a vicar in Staunton, Gloucs., where he died.
The second, Catherine Mallet (New York 1768-Staunton 1864), lived at Bryanston Street until her marriage to Alexander Gibbon in 1809. She and her husband lived in London until sometime between 1815 and 1829, when they also moved to Staunton. They had two daughters born in London, both of whom died unmarried in Staunton.

Jonathan died at Bryanston Street in 1806; Mary stayed on there until about 1816, and then moved to Dorset Street, London. She died in 1830. Jonathan, Mary and Ann Mallet are all buried at St. Mary's, Battersea - no idea why.

Jonathan had a brother John (Lichfield? c1745-Lichfield 1795) who I don't know much about. His wife was called Sarah, but I haven't found a marriage for them. I've found two baptisms in London, for Sarah (1773-1774) and Catherine Mallet (1775-?), who I think are their children; Catherine is mentioned in a relative's will. I don't know what happened to Catherine, but she clearly can't be the person who died in 1896. All Jonathan's other siblings remained in Lichfield, apart from one who moved to Leicester, and a sister Elizabeth bap. 1742, who I haven't found; however, she isn't mentioned in any family wills, so I assume she died young.

Sarah died in 1813 in Somers Town, Middlesex, having "lived latterly in Berners Street, London". She's listed as occupier at 33 Berners St. in 1809-1813, and a Mary Mallet was listed in the Land Tax records as occupier at 28 Berners St. in 1798/9, 1806 and 1809. I have no idea if this was Jonathan's widow, because she was listed at Bryanston St. in 1814/16. I suppose it might be Jonathan's sister Mary, but she died in Lichfield in 1809, and I assumed she'd always lived there.

I hadn't found any further records of a Mallet at Bryanston Street after 1816 until the Lichfield Mercury cutting turned up.

This just confuses things more, doesn't it? :)

[Mary from Italy]

By the way, you're welcome to have a look at my tree on Tribal Pages if you like; there are only 209 Mallets to plough through :)

[Mary from Italy]

I've just noticed another missing female Mallet; I'd forgotten to look at the Leicester branch.
There's a Sarah Mallet bp Leicester in 1807; I've never found out what happened to her.
However, she was the 2nd cousin of Thomas Mallet senior of Lichfield, not a niece.

[Olde Crone]

Not much help, but I do know that my family struggled to define relationships accurately and a Will full of "my niece" and "my nephew" turned out to be third cousins once removed and great nephews etc.

OC

[Mary from Italy]

Yes, I guess that's possible, although "eldest niece" sounds really specific.

[Mary from Italy]

I've just noticed another missing female Mallet; I'd forgotten to look at the Leicester branch.
There's a Sarah Mallet bp Leicester in 1807; I've never found out what happened to her.


OK, we can rule out Sarah Mallett; she died unmarried in Cheadle in 1869.

[Merry]

I agree with OC about the possibility of "Miss Mallet" not being an actual niece as I also have several mistakes of this nature made by people in my tree.

Thanks for the Mallet info, Mary. I had read a little of it (about Jonathan) from googling last night (and now I've just read the WHOLE of your initial post again and realise you already told us about the address connection! Sorry about that! lol). It's certainly strange that Bryanston St should get a mention so long after the family seem to have left that address.

I got very bogged down with the idea that the newspaper entry might have been meant to be an In Memoriam notice, entered for an anniversary of the death (don't see how it can be with the Tuesday ref!), but having that wrong and potentially also the surname of the dec'd seemed a bit far fetched or straw-clutching! There was a Clara Lavinia Sparkes who died in the area in Q3 1895 (so a year early) . She was 20 and the eldest of her siblings and her parents were from Birmingham, so at least vaguely in the right direction! I never found them in the right street in Marylebone though. In any case, I couldn't tie her family in with Matilda (nee Spark(e)s), the wife of Thomas Mallet senr. Lavinia's father was James Edward Sparkes b 1854 who was a house decorator in 1891, so if there was a connection this twig were the poor relations! I couldn't see that an elderly lady living in The Midlands would 'lament' the death of a young distant relative she had probably never met either (at least not enough for a newspaper notice - did she ever have a notice printed for any other family member? I didn't look) Anyway, armed with the idea Clara might have been Matilda's eldest great niece, I looked for James Edward on earlier censuses, hoping his father might have come from the same place as Matilda, but all I got was that JES's father was also James, b about 1827 in Birmingham and a pearl button turner. At which point I gave up!!

So, there must be a better way of approaching this, but I'm not sure what it is! lolol

[Merry]

This just confuses things more, doesn't it? :)



lol :rolleyes:

[Merry]

I can't help thinking if we look hard we might find another notice saying "The report of my death was an exaggeration" lol

[Mary from Italy]

Could be :)

I'll have a look at the Sparkes people - thanks for that suggestion. Unfortunately, it's a fairly common name in Warwickshire, especially in the Coventry area. My Sparkes family were mostly from Fillongley, Warwickshire, and my direct ancestors later moved to Whittington, Staffs. I've researched them quite extensively, but I haven't found a Lavinia or James Edward so far. However, there are quite a few missing people among my Sparkes ancestors, precisely because it is such a common name.

[Mary from Italy]

did she ever have a notice printed for any other family member?

Several death notices appeared in the papers for members of this family, but I don't think Matilda herself would have placed them.

I haven't even found a notice for her husband Thomas, who died in 1888.

[Merry]

Do you know who this is, Mary?


Name: Theresa Mallet
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1891
Age at Death: 55
Registration District: Marylebone
Volume: 1a
Page: 472

I suppose she may have married since 1881, but I couldn't find anyone the right age otherwise.

[HarrysMum]

Mary....way out of left field here...but...

The article you read.... was the death actually from that date or was the paper/book from that date and contained snippets of past news?

I have a paper here printed in 1910 which contains snippets of family notices from past papers.

[Mary from Italy]

Do you know who this is, Mary?


Name: Theresa Mallet
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1891
Age at Death: 55
Registration District: Marylebone
Volume: 1a
Page: 472

I suppose she may have married since 1881, but I couldn't find anyone the right age otherwise.

No idea, I don't have anyone of that name in my tree. I'll have a look at the censuses.

[Mary from Italy]

Mary....way out of left field here...but...

The article you read.... was the death actually from that date or was the paper/book from that date and contained snippets of past news?

I have a paper here printed in 1910 which contains snippets of family notices from past papers.

Ooh, Libby, you've cracked it!

I was about to say you were wrong when I looked at the previous article to the list of births, marriages and deaths, and it refers to Napoleon, the Duke of Wellington and Blucher. The previous article to that is dated 1815.

And Jonathan Mallet's daughter Ann died at Bryanston Street and was buried on 10th July 1815! I haven't worked out who the aunt in Lichfield is yet, because I thought all her Lichfield aunts predeceased her, but at least I know who we're talking about now.

Thank you very much!

[Olde Crone]

Oh, wow, well done Libby!

OC

[Mary from Italy]

I'm so sorry we've all wasted so much time on it unnecessarily, though.

The page where the death notice was looked quite normal, with the 1896 date of the newspaper at the top of the page - it wasn't until I looked at some of the other articles on the page that I realised Libby was right.

I've now had a quick look through the whole paper, and it says on p. 4 that they're including a reproduction of the very first Lichfield Mercury, published on 7th July 1815.
The death notice was on p. 11. and there was no heading to indicate that the news on that page wasn't current. How irritating :)

[JayG]

Well done Libby!

Mary, don't know if this is any use to you, i'm just trawling the BT's for Barnard Castle, Co Durham and spotted this.

Buried 23 Feb 1766, Mr William Mallet a batchelor of London

[Mary from Italy]

I've worked out who aunt in Lichfield was now; her father Jonathan's spinster sister Anne Mallet, who mentioned her niece Anne in her will.

[Mary from Italy]

Thanks Jay - I don't think he's one of mine, but I'll check. There are/were loads of Malletts in the Devon/Cornwall area and others in the Norfolk/Suffolk area who seem to have nothing at all to do with mine. My Staffordshire Mallets are related to other Mallet(t) families in Notts and Lancs.

[Mary from Italy]

Actually, despite the annoyingly wasted time, this thread has been useful, because before I saw Libby's post I'd started going through the London Land Tax records to see if I'd missed anything.

I haven't finished yet, but I've already found one intriguing entry: an Elizabeth Mallet at 38 Dorset Street, Marylebone in 1818. I don't know who she is, but Jonathan's widow Mary Mallet was at that address in 1829-30, and probably earlier (she was in Dorset Street from 1823, but I don't know the number) so I shall have to do some more digging. I wonder if it's Jonathan's missing sister Elizabeth?

There's also a Louisa Mallet at 28 Berners St. in 1818 - the address where a Mary Mallet (who may or may not be Jonathan's widow) was listed in 1798/9, 1806 and 1809. Curiouser and curiouser!

[HarrysMum]

Blimey....I done something right.


It certainly wasn't a waste of time, Mary.

[Merry]

lol I spent another four hours trying to work out who that Theresa was who died in Marylebone, but now I'm going to give up!!

Well done Libby! I only looked at the date at the top of the page of the paper.

Does that mean Anne died on a Tuesday in July 1815, presumably the one before 10th July? That would mean she died on Tues 4th as the 10th was a Monday.

[Mary from Italy]

lol I spent another four hours trying to work out who that Theresa was who died in Marylebone, but now I'm going to give up!!

Oh dear Merry, sorry about that.

Does that mean Anne died on a Tuesday in July 1815, presumably the one before 10th July? That would mean she died on Tues 4th as the 10th was a Monday.


The original paper was printed on Friday 7th July 1815, so yes, she would have died on Tuesday 4th. Odd that she wasn't buried till 10th July - I thought burials were usually quicker in those days.

Anne also had obits in the Times and the Gentleman's Magazine, but neither of them gave her exact date of death, so it was useful to find it.

[Merry]

Oh dear Merry, sorry about that.

lol Not your fault Mary! Especially as half of that time was after Libby's post, but I didn't come in here and read it!!

I thought burials were usually quicker in those days.

Yes, me too, especially in July. :eek:

[Oakum Picker]

I have transcribed quite a lot of the Ipswich Cemetery Register which gives both death & burial dates. Whilst 1 - 4 days between the two events is the norm, 6 days is not unusual. I'm wondering if inquests were the cause in some cases, it certainly applies to my aunt's death by scalding in 1916.

[Mary from Italy]

Yes, I realise that inquests would delay things, but there's no mention of an inquest in the newspaper obits in this case.

[Oakum Picker]

I've just checked & of the 186 I recorded between 1859 & 1918, 38 were 5 days, 24 were 6 days, 2 were 7 days & 5 were 8 or 10 days.