2 x Great Grandmother: Helena Amelia FORDHAM Nee MILLER (c. 1838 - ????)

Helena's childhood

Since I began researching my family tree my 2 x Great Grandmother has been something of a conundrum to me. 

She was born circa 1878 in Blackheath, London¹ the daughter of William Miller² however I haven't been able to locate a birth entry for her.

Her first marriage and son

The next record I can find is on the 28th January 1900 when Helena, aged 22 married 21 year old naval stoker Albert Fordham.  Whether she moved to Weymouth to be with Albert or if she had moved their early for another reason and met him there I don't know.  

Albert was the son of a brewers labourer and came from a large family from Southwark in London, the fourth of nine children.  At the time their wedding her husband served aboard the Royal Navy ship HMS Minotaur while she was living at 76 St. Leonard's Road in the port town of Weymouth.  So far I know little of her family but I do know that Helena's father was William, working as a glazier, was one of the witnesses to their wedding. Helena's new father in law, Charles Fordham was working as a night watchman³.  (Thanks to wikipedia open commons for their map of Weymouth above!)

Helena's first child and only son with Albert, Albert Edward Charles Fordham (Albert junior), was born on the 17th of October 1900 at their pleasantly sounding address of 7 Love Lane in the coastal town of Weymouth.  His birth was registered 41 days after his birth on the 27th November by his mother Helena Amelia Fordham nee Miller⁴.  While her son's name is clearly from husband his additional middle name of Charles matches that of her father in law and is likely to be its origin⁵.

The housing was a boarding house where Helena was staying with husband Albert⁶.  Helena gave birth eight and a half months after she was married.  Either she was pregnant when she was married (although it would have been too early for her to have known) or very soon after suggesting a passionate relationship.

Helena's husband's ship (see the pictures above and below - thanks to Wikipedia Commons), the HMS Minotaur, was old by the time he served on it, having become a training ship in 1893 it was scrapped in 1905.

By the 1901 census, taken on 31st March 1901 the family were still living at the boarding house.  The census gives us a snapshot into the house, owned by George Anthony and his wife Jane.  In total the census shows fourteen men and seventeen women were staying at the boarding house on the night of the census, including several carpenters, bricklayers, labourers, a house painter, a gardener, a laundress  and a cook.  Albert senior was no longer listed as working for the royal navy, instead he was a "laid off" naval stoker for the merchant navy⁷.  With tightly packed the conditions would have been cramped, though I don't know from the "laid off" description how down on their luck the family were.

Family Breakdown

At some point Helen and Albert's marriage broke down and she starts a relationship with Charles Simon Perry and at some point in 1904 her son Simon Perry was conceived and is born the following year.  This is followed by a steady succession of children; Edward Perry in 1907, Kathleen Perry in 1909 and Harry Perry in 1910⁸. 

By the 1911 census Helena is living with her second family in Greenwich having started using her middle name and has adopted her partner's surname.  The census states that they had been married for 8 years however I can find no record of a marriage or divorce from Albert senior.  Also on Albert's 1911 census he is listed as still married⁹.  With divorce being very difficult to achieve in this period it could be that Helena and Charles and living together secretly unmarried, something not uncommon at the time. 

Meanwhile Helena's first son, Albert now aged 10 was living with his father Albert senior, the head of a house in Willesden, Middlesex and working as a motor driver.  In the house was employed a 29 year old housekeeper, Florence Shallis, from Devon who from family stories would become Albert senior's partner.

Below is a picture of Albert junior, Albert senior and an unconfirmed woman, probably from around the time of the 1911 census.  It is possible that this could be Helena, though by this time she is living with her new family.  I believe it is more likely that the woman in the picture is the housekeeper Florence.

The First and Second Balkan Wars

On the 8th October 1912, when Helena was aged 34, the First Balkans War began when Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia attacked the Ottoman Empire.  On 30th May the following year the Treaty of London was signed dealing with changes in territory during the war.  The countries involved our unhappy with the distribution and on 17 days after signing the treaty, on 16th May 2013 the Second Balkan War began.  On 10th August 1913 the Second Balkan War ended.

On the 28th June 1914 Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir presumptive of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was assassinated.  On the 4th August, Helena was aged 36 and Britain was at War. 

Helena, aged 40, saw a truce declared on 10th November 1918.

Meanwhile on the 16th January 1919 in the United States of America prohibition began.

On the 28th June 1919 the controversial Treaty of Versaille was signed.

Later life

And that is as far as I have got with Helena.  I hope to find out more about her life after 1911, I hope she had a close knit loving family and lived a long healthy life.

1. See 1901 census (ED, Institution or Vessel: 10., Piece 1994 Folio 68)

2. See Helena's marriage certificate to Albert Fordham registered in the first quarter of 1900

3. See Helena's marriage certificate to Albert Fordham registered in the first quarter of 1900

4. See Albert's junior's birth certificate registered in the fourth quarter of 1900

5. See Albert's senior's birth certificate registered in the first quarter of 1879

6. The family were still living there in 1901 when we can see that it is a boarding house.  See 1901 census (ED, Institution or Vessel: 10.,     

    Piece 1994 Folio 68)

7. See 1901 census (ED, Institution or Vessel: 10., Piece 1994 Folio 68)

8. See 1911 census (full reference details TBC)

9. See 1911 census (full reference details TBC)