Mystery unravelling! Partial answers.

[Nell]

Now I am retired I am chasing up loose ends.

My great-aunt Florence Emily Williams is a bit of a mystery. I was told she'd married a chap called "Alf Sibley" and my mother was not aware of any children. I knew they had lived at 40 Bullen Street because I have letters with that address.

I couldn't find a marriage for Florence but I did find her and an Alfred Sibley on various electoral rolls.

Alfred Sibley married Violet Mabel Milton in Dec 1913 in Battersea.

I had assumed that Alfred was unable to get a divorce and he and Florence posed as a married couple for respectability.

Just went back to find her on 1939 register and with her is listed an "Edward Sebley". He was born 29 Jan 1914, a year after Alfred and Violet married.

I've now found his baptism Feb 1914 as Donald Edward Sebley - in Battersea - parent are listed as "Alfred John & Florence Emily Sebley of 40 Bullen Street.

I can only conclude that Alfred and Violet's marriage was doomed from the start. If Florence carried Edward to term he would have been conceived 4 months after the wedding!

[Nell]

But now I find I have Florence E Sebley on electoral rolls with Edward Sebley in Battersea at the same time as an Alfred Sibley & Florence E Sibley which I previously thought were my lot!

There are quite a lot of Alfred Sibley/Sebleys. I've found a death in 1939 of an Alfred (no John) which might mean Florence E Sebley is "widowed" on the electoral roll with her son and the other couple are unconnected.

[kiterunner]

Nell, do you know your Florence's exact date of birth? If so then does it match the Florence who you found on the 1939 Register?

[Nell]

Yes, that's why I'm sure she's (Donald) Edward's mother. I have her birth date from her baptism register.

[kiterunner]

And there is a birth reg Jan-Mar 1914 in Wandsworth, Edward Sebley, MMN Williams. Also listed under the surname Williams.

[kiterunner]

There is an Alfred J Sebley death Jan-Mar 1929 Chelsea, age 50. Alfred John Sebley born Jan-Mar 1877 Chelsea. And an Alfred Sebley marriage in Chelsea Jul-Sep 1896 to either Ellen Barnes or Annie Scoltock.

Edit - going by subsequent birth regs, I think he married Ellen Barnes.

[kiterunner]

And there is an Ellen Sebley death Oct-Dec 1960 Surrey Mid E age 84. Have to go and make dinner now.

[Nell]

Thanks KiteRunner, I'll take a look at those now.

[maggie_4_7]

There is a Violet Mabel Sibley death in Kensington so I think the Alfred of that original marriage isn't yours and the Alfred Sebley death in Kensington is her husband. I am assuming Sibley is a transcription error, anyone one with a sub to deceased online could check if there are images and addresses, I let mine lapse.

Or if it is him he might have been leading a double life and flitting between the two or he was just living with Florence in Battersea.

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=SXW3589&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&dbid=70845&gsfn=Violet%20Mabel&gsln=Sebley&cp=4&qh=oOrL7gJLk6b8wd1D0/2UdA%3D%3D&new=1&rank=1&uidh=ek4&redir=false&gss=angs-d&pcat=34&fh=0&h=6613318&recoff=&ml_rpos=1


https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=SXW3591&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&dbid=70845&gsfn=Alfred%20J&gsln=Sebley&cp=4&msbdy=1877&qh=JaVDci4PIOHhNy/yoyhhLg%3D%3D&new=1&rank=1&uidh=ek4&redir=false&gss=angs-d&pcat=34&fh=0&h=8614050&recoff=&ml_rpos=1

[Nell]

I am coming to that conclusion myself. Thanks for looking, Maggie!

[Nell]

OMG

Now I have the "right" surname I've found a burial for Florence Emily Sebley. And I know she is mine because her place of death is given as 6 Victoria Terrace Sandgate, which is the address her aunt Charity (my Mum's lovely great-aunt Chat) lived. So without getting the death cert I know she died as Sebley and was with family when she died.