Who (and where) was Robert Ling?

[James18]

Hi all,

I'm trying to find out about Robert Ling, this (http://person.ancestry.co.uk/tree/84798276/person/42508207748/facts) man on one of the family trees I'm working on. He is Ernest George Ling's father, but may have had another family previously. I am a bit confused and could really do with some help.

So, working backwards, I think this (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8914&h=21043235&ssrc=pt&tid=84798276&pid=42508207748&usePUB=true) is his death, as the age (going by the 1901 census) and location seem to be right.

This (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=7814&h=24748270&ssrc=pt&tid=84798276&pid=42508207748&usePUB=true) is definitely him on the 1901 census, as he appears with his son's family, who I know to be correct. Place of birth is given as Kettlelingh, Suffolk. [Kettleburgh?] At this point, I think he is widowed.

I think this (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6598&h=11005830&ssrc=pt&tid=84798276&pid=42508207748&usePUB=true) is him in 1891, at which point he is living with his wife, so presumably she died between 1891 and 1901.

This (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=7572&h=4764016&ssrc=pt&tid=84798276&pid=42508207748&usePUB=true) must be him in 1881, with Annie and Ernest, and no other children. Ernest's age lines up between 1881 and 1911, which is also good.

The problem is before 1881, at which point things get complicated and I'm not sure if I have the same Robert or someone else. Ernest must be alive in 1871 as he is 15 in 1881, and I think I have a birth for him here (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=8912&h=19011174&ssrc=pt&tid=84798276&pid=42507747375&usePUB=true).

Where is Robert before 1881? Did he have a wife and family before Annie? Was she Ernest's mother, and if so, who exactly was she?

Thanks!

[ElizabethHerts]

There is this family from Kettleburgh:

1841 Census
North Side, Kettleburgh, Plomesgate Union, Suffolk
Eligar Aldridge Male 45 1796 Suffolk, England
Edgar Aldridge Male 22 1819 Suffolk, England
Elizer Aldridge Female 25 1816 Suffolk, England
Robart Ling Male 13 1828 Suffolk, England
Susan Sharp Female 23 1818 Suffolk, England
Registration district Plomesgate Union
Archive reference HO107
Piece number 1028
Book number 13
Folio number 4
Page number 2

1851 Census
Low Street, Kettleburgh, Plomesgate, Suffolk
William Farthing Head Married Male 34 1817 Master Grocer At Home Framsden, Suffolk
Hannah Sarah Farthing Wife Married Female 31 1820 - Ipswich, Suffolk,
Sarah Ann Farthing Daughter - Female 7 1844 Scholar Kettleburgh, Suffolk
Ellen Hannah Farthing Daughter - Female 6 1845 Scholar Kettleburgh, Suffolk,
William Farthing Son - Male 4 1847 Scholar Kettleburgh, Suffolk
Rebecca Farthing Daughter - Female 2 1849 - Kettleburgh, Suffolk,
Charles Farthing Son - Male - - - Kettleburgh, Suffolk
Robart Ling Head Married Male 24 1827 Ag Lab Kettleburgh, Suffolk
Eliza Ling Wife Married Female 24 1827 - Easton, Suffolk
Mary Ann Ling Daughter - Female 2 1849 - Kettleburgh, Suffolk
Elizabeth Ling Daughter - Female 0 1851 - Kettleburgh, Suffolk
Registration district Plomesgate
Archive reference HO107
Piece number 1802
Folio 106
Page 16


1861 Census
Great Street, Yoxford, Blything, Suffolk
Robert Ling Head Married Male 33 1828 Railway Porter Kettleburgh, Suffolk, England
Eliza Ling Wife - Female 33 1828 - Easton, Suffolk, England
Margaret Ling Daughter Unmarried Female 13 1848 Scholar Easton, Suffolk, England
Elizabeth Ling Daughter - Female 10 1851 Scholar Kettleburgh, Suffolk, England
Emma Ling Daughter - Female 9 1852 Scholar Kettleburgh, Suffolk, England
Amelia Ling Daughter - Female 4 1857 Scholar Easton, Suffolk, England
Maryann Ling Daughter - Female 12 1849 Scholar Kettleburgh, Suffolk, England
Registration district Blything
Enumeration district 11
Archive reference RG09
Piece number 1179
Folio number 27
Page number 14

[James18]

Yeah, I've found Robert, Eliza and their family, but I wasn't sure it was the same person. I'm not sure how Annie and Ernest would fit into that.

Do we think Eliza could have died, then Robert re-married and had Ernest? That was a potential scenario, but I got confused trying to string the evidence together.

I've seen an Eliza Ling, a Mary Ann Ling, an Annie Ling...

[kiterunner]

The tree that your first link takes us to does have information about a 1871 census entry but doesn't seem to link to the actual census image, so here it is:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7619/SFKRG10_1775_1777-0559/8797607?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1871%26gss%3dangs-d%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26msbdy%3d18 67%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msbdp%3d2%26msbpn__ftp_x%3d1%26 msrpn__ftp%3dRingsfield%252c%2bSuffolk%252c%2bEngl and%26msrpn%3d1677226%26msrpn_PInfo%3d8-%257c0%257c0%257c3257%257c3251%257c0%257c0%257c0%2 57c5285%257c1677226%257c0%257c%26msrpn_x%3d1%26msr pn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ftp_x%3d1%26msfng_x%3d1%26m sfns_x%3d1%26msmng_x%3d1%26msmns_x%3d1%26msbng0_x% 3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1%26mssns0_x%3d1%26mscng0_x%3d1%2 6_83004006-n%3dDaughter%26_83004006-n_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5%26gl%3d%26gst%3d%2 6hc%3d10%26fh%3d10%26fsk%3dBEFmZmYIgAAdwwBrmD0-61-&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Cottage, Ringsfield, Suffolk
Robert Ling Head Mar 30 Horseman Ag Lab Weston Suff
Mary A Ling Wife Mar 30 Horsem Wife Norwich Nor
Robert Ling Son 7 Scholar Beccles Suf
George Ling Daur 3 Ringsfield Suf
Ellen Ling Daur 7m Ringsfield Suf
John James Lodger Widr 69 Ag Labour Rushall Nor

Are you saying this isn't them, James?

What is Robert's occupation on Ernest's marriage certificate?

[ElizabethHerts]

There is this burial at Great Glemham, 9 miles from Yoxford, where this family were in 1861:

First name(s) ELIZA
Last name LING
Birth year 1827
Death year 1864
Age 37
Burial year 1864
Burial day 5
Burial month 10
Place GREAT GLEMHAM
Church description ALL SAINTS
Church denomination ANGLICAN
County Suffolk
Country England
Record set National Burial Index for England & Wales

[Phoenix]

This looks like Robert in 1871:

Robert
Last name Ling
Relationship Head
Marital status -
Gender Male
Age 40
Birth year 1831
Occupation -
Birth town -
Birth county Suffolk
Birth county as transcribed SUFFOLK
Birth place England
House name -
Street Junction Street
Parish West Ham
Town -
City -
County Essex
Country England
Registration district West Ham
Archive reference RG10
Piece number 1628
Folio 49
Page 36

[Phoenix]

And the family:

Robert Ling Head - Male 40 1831 - Suffolk, England
Albert Ling Son - Male 7 1864 - Suffolk, England
Samuel G Ling Son - Male 3 1868 - Suffolk, England
Ophelia Ling Daughter - Female 14 1857 - Suffolk, England
Ann M Neal Servant - Female 35 1836 - Middlesex, England
William Neal Visitor - Male 9 1862 - Middlesex, England

[James18]

Interesting, so if Eliza died in 1864 and was indeed the same Robert's first wife, then we know he must have re-married this Annie woman, who was Ernest's mother.

Kate, yes, I linked to that census originally but removed it until I could be sure it was the same person. I wasn't then aware that Eliza died, and so it seems likely that it could be the same man.

Do we know when he married Annie (if he did) and who she was? Presumably it was before 1867, around the time Ernest was born.

As for Robert's occupation... no idea, it's illegible to me. The certificate is here (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1623/31280_196350-00114?pid=2717270&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcg i-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26dbid%3d1623%26h%3d2717 270%26ssrc%3dpt%26tid%3d58001453%26pid%3d365114813 32%26usePUB%3dtrue&ssrc=pt&treeid=58001453&personid=36511481332&hintid=&usePUB=true), which you can view.

Any guesses?

[kiterunner]

This is a link to the ancestry copy of the 1871 census entry which Phoenix found:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/7619/ESSRG10_1627_1629-0333/8131301?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3duki1871%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_r_db %26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsln%3dling %26gsln_x%3d1%26msbdy%3d1857%26msbdy_x%3d1%26msbpn __ftp_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msypn__ftp_x%3d1% 26msfng%3drob*%26msfng_x%3d1%26msfns_x%3d1%26msmng _x%3d1%26msmns_x%3d1%26msbng0_x%3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1 %26mssns0_x%3d1%26mscng0_x%3d1%26_83004003-n_xcl%3dm%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

15 Junction St, West Ham, Essex
Robert Ling Head Widr 40 Dock Clerk Suffk Wellburgh
Albert Do Son 7 Scholar Do Easton
Samuel G Do Son 3 Do Do Welnetham
Ophelia Do Daur 14 Do Do Easton
Ann M Neal Serv Widow 35 Housekeeper Midlsx Commercial Road
William Do Visitor 9 Scholar Do Mile End

[kiterunner]

Do we know when he married Annie (if he did) and who she was? Presumably it was before 1867, around the time Ernest was born.



I bet Annie is Ann M Neal who is housekeeper in 1871. I don't think she is Ernest's mother. Is Ernest "Samuel G" in 1871?

[James18]

Ophelia Ling...

That's very interesting, as Ernest had a daughter named Louisa Ophelia.

[kiterunner]

So Ophelia is down as Amelia in 1861, in the census entry that Elizabeth posted in post #2.

[kiterunner]

You might be best to order Ernest's birth certificate and that will tell you who his mother was. We don't know for sure that the Eliza who died in 1864 is Robert's wife; she could be a different Eliza.

[ElizabethHerts]

Name: Ophelia Ling
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 25 Jan 1857
Christening Date: 20 Mar 1859
Christening Place: Kirton, Suffolk, Eng., Suffolk, England
Age at Christening: 2
Father's name: Robert Ling
Mother's name: Eliza

[James18]

So Ophelia is down as Amelia in 1861, in the census entry that Elizabeth posted in post #2.
If these are the same people, you'd think they'd be able to decide on a name.

If Samuel G is Ernest, then I'm confused. I can't find a birth index for a suitable candidate, but I did find one for what I believe to be Ernest, which is on post #1. If he was born Ernest George, why then put him on a census as Samuel George 2-3 years later?

I'm not saying you're wrong, just that it's needlessly confusing.

At least you can now see the confusion I ran into pre-1881!

[Shona]

Who is the Robert Ling, a 63-year-old widower, who was a grain weigher, who married Ann Amelia Mackinally, widow, 60, in Stepney on 6 June 1892 in Stepney? Father was Abraham Ling, farmer. Given Robert Ling is in the East End in 1881 and working as a dock weigher, I thought it may be the same chap.

[James18]

Who is the Robert Ling, a 63-year-old widower, who was a grain weigher, who married Ann Amelia Mackinally, widow, 60, in Stepney on 6 June 1892 in Stepney? Father was Abraham Ling, farmer. Given Robert Ling is in the East End in 1881 and working as a dock weigher, I thought it may be the same chap.
Yes, I've already been down that route, and I have found their marriage certificate, but their marriage was after the 1891 census, in which Robert and Annie are already living as man and wife. I don't think the ages quite match up either.

What do you think?

EDIT: I have his baptism record on the Ancestry tree. I don't think it's right, but I don't know for sure.

[ElizabethHerts]

Another baptism:

Name: Mary Ling
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 1849
Baptism Place: , Kettleburgh, Suffolk, England
Father: Robert Ling
Mother: Eliza Capon
FHL Film Number: 918667
Reference ID: - 2:1Z6SQWB

[ElizabethHerts]

Emma Ling

Name: Emma Ling
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 22 Aug 1852
Christening Place: Kettleburgh, Suffolk, England
Father's Name: Robert Ling
Mother's Name: Eliza Capon
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C13197-1
System Origin: England-EASy
GS Film number: 952441
Reference ID:

[James18]

Here's (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Eliza&gsfn_x=1&gsln=Capon&gsln_x=1&msgpn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msgpn=5285&msgpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&cpxt=1&cp=11&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=34&h=4689227&recoff=7+8&db=FreeBMDMarriage&indiv=1&ml_rpos=2) the marriage between Eliza Capon and Robert Ling.

[ElizabethHerts]

Elizabeth Ann Ling

Name: Emma Ling
Gender: Female
Christening Date: 22 Aug 1852
Christening Place: Kettleburgh, Suffolk, England
Father's Name: Robert Ling
Mother's Name: Eliza Capon
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C13197-1
System Origin: England-EASy
GS Film number: 952441
Reference ID:

[James18]

And here's (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Eliza&gsfn_x=1&gsln=Ling&gsln_x=1&msddy=1864&msdpn__ftp=Suffolk&msgpn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msgpn=5285&msgpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&cpxt=1&cp=11&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=BMD_DEATH&h=21041010&db=FreeBMDDeath&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1) Eliza's death.

[James18]

@Elizabeth

Which site are you getting those birth/baptism records for? Can you find anything for an Ernest/George/Samuel?

[kiterunner]

I'm sure the Robert in post #16 must be your Robert, James. Just because a couple claim to be married on the census doesn't mean they actually are (as you should know from the Smith saga!) Looks like I was wrong about Ann Neal then. (Though I suppose we don't know for sure that Annie in 1881 and Anne A in 1891 are the same person as each other.)

As for children's names varying on the censuses, Amelia / Ophelia, Samuel George / Ernest George, it could be that the census form wasn't filled in by the householder and the enumerator wrote down what he was told, and got it wrong, or it could be that the enumerator copied it out incorrectly from the householder's form.

[kiterunner]

And here's (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Eliza&gsfn_x=1&gsln=Ling&gsln_x=1&msddy=1864&msdpn__ftp=Suffolk&msgpn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msgpn=5285&msgpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&cpxt=1&cp=11&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=BMD_DEATH&h=21041010&db=FreeBMDDeath&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1) Eliza's death.

Yes, but we don't know whether it is the right Eliza.

[James18]

If we assume (for now) that the Eliza in post #5 is Robert's first wife, then the age on her death index makes sense, as does the fact she does not appear on the 1871 census.

Let's also assume that the Robert from Shona's post is the same man, and he's marrying for the second (or even third?) time as a widower in his 60s.

So, who then is our candidate for Ernest / Samuel's mother? He was born circa 1867/8, and Eliza died in 1864.

I'm sure I saw 'Father: Robert Ling' and 'Mother: Annie Ling' on one of the census records for Ernest. I'll try to find it.

[kiterunner]

If we assume (for now) that the Eliza in post #5 is Robert's first wife, then the age on her death index makes sense, as does the fact she does not appear on the 1871 census.

Let's also assume that the Robert from Shona's post is the same man, and he's marrying for the second (or even third?) time as a widower in his 60s.

So, who then is our candidate for Ernest / Samuel's mother? He was born circa 1867/8, and Eliza died in 1864.

I'm sure I saw 'Father: Robert Ling' and 'Mother: Annie Ling' on one of the census records for Ernest. I'll try to find it.

Unfortunately, some sites with censuses on do assume that the wife of the head of household is the mother of his children, but the census will just show relationship to head, and so if it just has Head, Wife, Child(ren), you can't tell from that whether she is their mother or not. If the son is the head of household and another member of the household is down as his mother, it doesn't necessarily mean his birth mother, as it was often used to mean stepmother, mother-in-law, adoptive mother, etc.

As I have said several times already, we don't know whether the Eliza who died in 1864 is your Eliza. My advice is still to get Ernest's birth cert to find out who his mother was.

[kiterunner]

What about this for the Eliza Ling who was buried at Great Glemham in 1864?

1861 census
Marlesford Road, Great Glemham, Suffolk
Joseph Ling Head Mar 34 Agr Lab G Glemham
Eliza Do Wife Mar 33 Do Do Wife G Glemham
Jonas J Do Son 10 Scholar Do Do
John Wm Do Son 8 Do Do Do
Hariot Do Daur 6 Do Do Do
Arthur S Ling Son 4 Do Do Do
Emma Ling Daur 1 Do Do

1871 census
Gt Glemham Road, Marlesford, Suffolk
Joseph Ling Head Mar 46 Agricultural Labourer Suffolk Gt Glemham
Harriet C Ling Daughter Unmar 16 Daughter of Labourer Suffolk Gt Glemham
Arther Saml Ling Son Unmar 14 Son of Labr Suffolk Gt Glemham
Emma Ling Daughter 10 Scholar Suffolk Gt Glemham
Louisa Ling Daughter 9 Scholar Suffolk Gt Glemham

I can't find Joseph's wife Eliza from 1861 on the 1871 census.

On the 1881 census Joseph Ling is a widower.

[James18]

Yeah, that's very good. Could well be her.

So, now to find our Eliza Ling. :D

[James18]

What about this (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Eliza&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Ling&gsln_x=0&msbpn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msbpn=5285&msbpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&msddy=1865&msddy_x=1&msddp=5&msypn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msypn=5285&msypn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&cpxt=1&cp=11&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=BMD_DEATH&h=21041013&db=FreeBMDDeath&indiv=1&ml_rpos=3)?

The age is right, but of course it depends whether the family would have been in Essex by then.

[ElizabethHerts]

For the record here is the marriage of Robert and Eliza Ling:

First name(s) ROBERT
Last name LING
Marriage quarter 4
Marriage year 1847
Registration month -
ROBERT LING married
ELIZA CAPON
District PLOMESGATE
District number -
County Suffolk

[kiterunner]

What about this (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Eliza&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Ling&gsln_x=0&msbpn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msbpn=5285&msbpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&msddy=1865&msddy_x=1&msddp=5&msypn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msypn=5285&msypn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&cpxt=1&cp=11&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=BMD_DEATH&h=21041013&db=FreeBMDDeath&indiv=1&ml_rpos=3)?

The age is right, but of course it depends whether the family would have been in Essex by then.

I was looking at that one, but it's further out in Essex than West Ham. The burial for that one is on FamilySearch - 24 Aug 1868 at Brightlingsea.

[James18]

Incidentally, searching on FreeReg for baptisms, last name Ling, 1860 - 1870, Norfolk and Suffolk, I can't find a Samuel, Ernest or George.

[kiterunner]

I don't think FreeREG has much Suffolk stuff.

[James18]

Does anyone know when John Macknelly died? He and Ann Amelia Glasser married in 1852, and yet by 1861 she is down on the census as being head of the family and (though the quality of the census scan is poor) a widow. I can't find any record of his death, however.

I'm trying to work out when she and Robert may first have got together, and who the Annie Ling on Robert's 1881 census is likely to be, as she may well be Ernest's mother.

[kiterunner]

Does anyone know when John Macknelly died? He and Ann Amelia Glasser married in 1852, and yet by 1861 she is down on the census as being head of the family and (though the quality of the census scan is poor) a widow.
It says she is married on the 1861 census.

Wait - is "Ann M Neal" on the 1871 census with Robert Ling actually "Ann McNeal"? There does seem to be a faint squiggle after the M. In which case McNeal could be a variant of Macknelly?

Some baptisms from the LMA records on ancestry:
St Dunstan & All Saints, Stepney
14 Aug 1852 George, son of John & Ann Amelia Macnelly, 7 Wellington Place, Mile End Old Town, mariner
St Thomas, Stepney
7 Mar 1853 John James, son of John and Anne Amelia Macknelly, 7 Wellington Place, Stepney, sailor

[kiterunner]

who the Annie Ling on Robert's 1881 census is likely to be, as she may well be Ernest's mother.

I still think that Eliza is most likely Ernest's mother. He was born in Suffolk so it seems unlikely to me that his mother was from London.

[James18]

I still think that Eliza is most likely Ernest's mother. He was born in Suffolk so it seems unlikely to me that his mother was from London.
Yes, you are probably right.

As for Ann M Neal, you may well be right. They're both widowers at that point. I thought it said widow on the 1861 census as well, so I apologize. The quality was really bad, though. Albert and Samuel were both born in Suffolk as well, so presumably they are Eliza's children.

For now, I suspect she is the Eliza Ling who died in Essex in 1868.

Very curious where Ernest is at this time, though.

Looking at the census, rather than the transcribed report, do you think Albert and Samuel are 17 and 13, or 7 and 3?

[kiterunner]

I'll have to look tomorrow as it's so late now. Night night!

[James18]

I think this (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=William&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Macnelly&gsln_x=0&msbdy=1860&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=5&msbpn__ftp=Mile+End%2c+Essex%2c+England&msbpn=83651&msbpn_PInfo=8-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5264%7c83651% 7c0%7c&msypn__ftp=Mile+End%2c+Essex%2c+England&msypn=83651&msypn_PInfo=8-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5264%7c83651% 7c0%7c&cpxt=1&cp=4&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=BMD_BIRTH&h=20121096&recoff=10+11&db=FreeBMDBirth&indiv=1&ml_rpos=18) is the William McNeal below Ann on the 1871 census, in which case that does point to her being the woman who later married Robert.

[James18]

Also, if the Albert on the 1871 census is indeed 7 years old then I think this (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Albert&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Ling&gsln_x=0&msbdy=1864&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=5&msbpn__ftp=Suffolk%2c+England&msbpn=5285&msbpn_PInfo=7-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5285%7c0%7c0% 7c&msfng=Robert&msfns=Ling&msmng=Eliza&msmns=Ling&cpxt=1&cp=4&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=BMD_BIRTH&h=19009011&recoff=7+9&db=FreeBMDBirth&indiv=1&ml_rpos=2) is a good candidate for his birth. The date and location are about right, and Abraham was Robert's father's name (at least going by the Ann Amelia Macknelly marriage certificate).

I can't find anything for Samuel, so I suppose it could be Ernest. It would be the right period of time.

[kiterunner]

I think this (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=William&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Macnelly&gsln_x=0&msbdy=1860&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=5&msbpn__ftp=Mile+End%2c+Essex%2c+England&msbpn=83651&msbpn_PInfo=8-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5264%7c83651% 7c0%7c&msypn__ftp=Mile+End%2c+Essex%2c+England&msypn=83651&msypn_PInfo=8-%7c0%7c0%7c3257%7c3251%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c5264%7c83651% 7c0%7c&cpxt=1&cp=4&MSAV=1&uidh=yke&pcat=BMD_BIRTH&h=20121096&recoff=10+11&db=FreeBMDBirth&indiv=1&ml_rpos=18) is the William McNeal below Ann on the 1871 census, in which case that does point to her being the woman who later married Robert.

Possible, but if he was born in 1860, why isn't he with Ann in 1861?

[kiterunner]

Looking at the census, rather than the transcribed report, do you think Albert and Samuel are 17 and 13, or 7 and 3?

They are 7 and 3. Both "scholars", and if you look at the other 7's on the page they are similar.

[James18]

In that case, I can't see who Samuel would be if he's not Ernest.

[kiterunner]

I reckon he is Ernest.

[James18]

Well, I've searched for variants of McNeal, Macknally and Glasser and can't find a suitable alternative for Ann on the 1871 census. Not sure where William is on the 1861 one, if that birth is for him -- though of course it may not be.

[Mary from Italy]

As for Robert's occupation... no idea, it's illegible to me. The certificate is here (http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1623/31280_196350-00114?pid=2717270&backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcg i-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26dbid%3d1623%26h%3d2717 270%26ssrc%3dpt%26tid%3d58001453%26pid%3d365114813 32%26usePUB%3dtrue&ssrc=pt&treeid=58001453&personid=36511481332&hintid=&usePUB=true), which you can view.

Any guesses?

It looks like corn meater, and corn meter's a synonym for grain weigher (the occupation of the Robert who married Ann Amelia in 1892).