Walter James, Walter and Albert

[Phoenix]

GRO.GOV.UK gives

Walter James
MASON, WALTER JAMES GIFFORD
GRO Reference: 1866 M Quarter in LAMBETH Volume 01D Page 360

Albert (and John, who appears to be a twin)
MASON, ALBERT GIFFARD
GRO Reference: 1870 D Quarter in WANDSWORTH Volume 01D Page 534
MASON, JOHN GIFFARD
GRO Reference: 1870 D Quarter in WANDSWORTH Volume 01D Page 534

1871 census gives:
Walter Mason 3 b Kennington
John Mason 7 Months b Battersea

Okay so far, except that Walter has lost a couple of years and Albert would appear to have died at birth.

Then crisis struck. The parents, Thomas and Clara split up. Thomas went off with his fancy woman. Clara, in poor health, ended up in the workhouse.

The boys were admitted 23 August 1877:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1557/31436_189889-00517?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return#?imageId=31436_189889-00570


Albert b 1868
John b 1870


So... I assume that Albert (the twin) died at birth, Walter was renamed after him.


The boys were discharged in 1884. John lodged with a brother in 1891. But can anyone see what happened to Walter/Albert? (In the workhouse, their place of birth is given as Lambeth)

[kiterunner]

Hmm, there is a Walter James Mason death Apr-Jun 1868 Lambeth, age 2.

[Phoenix]

I know, Kite. And no death of an Albert in 1870/71.

It is possible that Walter aged 3 on the 1871 is not recorded in civil registration. If Clara was going through a bad period in her life, she might not have got round to it.

The death of her daughter Clara Ada was recorded in 1867.

[Phoenix]

That link shows the boys being discharged - but presumably just to see their mother. They then bounced in and out:

https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1557/31436_189889-00517?backurl=&ssrc=&backlabel=Return#?imageId=31436_189889-00574

[kiterunner]

I wonder whether Albert's birth reg was a late registration.

[Phoenix]

I did think of that, Kite. But they would have to lie about year of birth. As the two entries are on the same page, I assume they would have to have pretended that the boys were twins, otherwise there would have been fines for late registration and a hand-written entry in the right place.