Question

Henry Lester,master mariner married at St Pancras in 1858. When was he born

Comments

I usually take the marriage year and subtract twenty. That gives me a round about figure that I can work with.

Betty

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Henry Lester

 in the England & Wales, FreeBMD Marriage Index, 1837-1915

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Search for Henry Lester in the UK Census Collection

Search for Henry Lester in the London Times

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Name:	Henry Lester
Registration Year:	1858
Registration Quarter:	Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district:	Pancras
Parishes for this Registration District:	View Ecclesiastical Parishes associated with this Registration District
Inferred County:	London
Volume:	1b
Page:	56
Records on Page:	Name Mary Ann Elizabeth Davies Mary Ann Elizabeth Davis Emma Douthwaite Henry Lester James Paddon

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Henry Lester

 in the England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973

Index-only record

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Name:	Henry Lester
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	30 Oct 1858
Marriage Place:	Old Church,Saint Pancras,London,England
Spouse:	Emma Douthwaite
FHL Film Number:	598341, 598342, 598343, 598344, 598345, 598346, 598347, 598348

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Emma Douthwaite

 in the London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921

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Name:	Emma Douthwaite
Spouse:	Henry Lester
Record Type:	Marriage
Event Date:	30 Oct 1858
Parish:	Parish Chapel, St Pancras
Borough:	Camden
Father Name:	William Douthwaite
Spouse Father:	John Lester
Register Type:	Parish Register

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Looks like he married at sixteen years of age.

Henry Lester

 in the 1861 England Census

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Name:	Henry Lester
Age:	19
Estimated birth year:	1842
Relation:	Son
Father's name:	John Lester
Mother's name:	Rebecca Lester
Gender:	Male
Where born:	Upminster, Essex, England
Civil Parish:	Upminster
County/Island:	Essex
Country:	England
Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage:	View image
Registration district:	Romford
Sub-registration district:	Hornchurch
ED, institution, or vessel:	5
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household schedule number:	109
Piece:	1072
Folio:	85
Page Number:	20
Household Members:	Name Age John Lester 50 Rebecca Lester 50 Joseph Lester 24 Henry Lester 19 William Lester 12 Alice Lester 4

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I tried but don't think I've found an answer

From your info I found the wedding (edit, as above!)

Henry Lester married Emma Douthwaite at St Pancras church on 30th October 1858. Both were of full age (21+) He is recorded as a gentleman, his father as John Lester (dead). She is a spinster, her father William Lester, currier.(London Metropolitan Archives, P90/PAN )

I couldn't find an appropriate Henry Lester in earlier censuses so I looked for Emma.

In 1841, a 3 year old  Emma was living with her father William Douthwaite, a currier and mother Margaret  ,in the Leather Market area of Bermondsey, Surrey. The 1851 confirms her birth as Bermondsey, Surrey.

When I look for her in subsequent censuses I can't find her but can find an Emma Lester, born in Bermondsey married to a George W.Lester, a lighterman, born in Rotherhithe ; a mariner certainly but wrong Christian name and  probably not a gentleman!

NB, the Henry in the 1861  Essex census posted  above was unmarried and an agricultural labourer

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Emma Douthwaite was christened in Bermondsey Surrey in 1838, the daughter of William Douthwaite

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NJ5G-QDM & the family in 1851

living in Bermondsey where father is noted to be a currier.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKV2-TLN1

Emma, now married can be found in the 1861 Census, lodging at 69 Euston Road, St. Pancras. But no Harry!

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?ti=5538&indiv=try&db=uki1861&h=8628352

Later census fail to reveal Emma, as I think her death is recorded in Bromley, Kent  in 1870, aged 32. (Bromley 2a/198 q June 1870).

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Hello Ron Woodhouse,

Thank you very much for replying reference Emma Douthwaite.

Your report on the death of Emma Lester (nee Douthwaite) at Bromley in 1870 seems to check with the fact that my grandfather Henry Frederick William Lester and his brother AugustusTheopilus Lester were living with relatives aged 7 and 5 years old which would seem to confirm your records.

That is great.Now I will have to keep chasing Henry Lester, the wedding states that John (father) was dead, I believe in 1850.

Graham Williams

Answer 1

Name:	Henry Edward Lester
Gender:	Male
Birth Date:	8 Dec 1834
Birth Place:	Dr Williams Library, London, London, England
Father:	Henry Edward Lester
Mother:	Lydia
FHL Film Number:	815943 Original data: England, Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. Salt Lake City, Utah: FamilySearch, 2013.

Comments

The full entry from the protestant dissenter's registry is  unfortunately Henry Edward, son of Henry Edward Lester, shipwright  of 3, Spread Eagle Street, Limehouse  and Lydia  d of Thomas Husband b on 8 December 1834.

He seems to marry a Mary Ann Gregory in 1864

Looks like the Lester family is very much linked to the sea/river .