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Subject: [Lon] Different father - explanation
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 17:11:26 EST
Jill, I don't think there was any 'tax' on the number of children, but I
think a widow would do whatever possible to avoid having to go 'on the
parish', and as a previous lister has suggested, maybe a brother-in-law took
on the family - and added to it! I don't think it was unknown for a widow to
marry a deceased husband's brother or other near relative who would care for
the family. My family too came from the East End of London having moved
there from Morden, and from the tales my mother used to tell us, life was
very hard when she was young, a visit to 'uncle' being the norm rather than
the abnormal, a real necessity at times! Perhaps you should look to see if
Samuel died and there was a remarriage, good luck, Sheila
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