Bird Family

My paternal great grandmother was called Annie Bird.  I think she may have come from Eaton Bray.  Her family were described by my grandmother as "hat people" probably straw plaiters.  In 1885 she married William Handscombe, a blacksmith journeyman from Pirton again whose family were strawplaiters at Christ ChurchinLuton. On the marriage certificate her father is William deceased.   By 1891 they had moved to Mottingham in Kent/SE London. She had died before the 1901 Census and my grandfather Horace Handscombe had been sent to live in Pirton with his father's relatives.  Finding Annie's antecedents has proved impossible but I came across her in the 1881 Census as the daughter of William and Elizabeth Bird of Eaton Bray.  Any information would be gratefully received. The census transcription of Bull has been changed to Bird.

Many thanks

Margaret

Hi Margaret
Have followed the Eaton Bray Annie through to 1911 and don't think she is your girl.
Saw the 1891 census for William and Annie Handscombe which says she was born Luton.
Found a Hannah Bird born 1864 Limbury with parents William and Eliza in 1871.
1881 census she is working as a Hat Machinist living with William and Emma Hyde. Emma is her sister.
Could be a better bet.

Hi Tom,

Thanks so much for this.  I think you are right but I didn't think of her as a Hannah as she is Annie on her marriage certificate and in the 1891 Census.  I still can't find her death at all.

all the best

Margaret

Hannah Bird birth reg Luton Beds September 1863.

Searched all quarters 1891-1901 for a death for Annie Handscombe but found nothing.

Hi there,

Many thanks for your searches.  I haven't ever been able to find her so it really is a complete mystery.  Her husband remarried in 1901 and is down as a widower so it is strange not to be able to find her death record

The only thing I can think of is for you to contact Mottingham Cemetery who should have records.
Annie was living there in 1891 and William was still there in 1901.
Seems a good bet that if she did die in that time period she will be there.

My Grandad was Alfred Bird Horton ie his grandad was a Bird . He was related to an Annie Bird of Eaton Bray.