Can't Kill Off William Kemp aka John Walker

Hello,

I have a very difficult relative whom I can't kill off! He has been a mystery after 1851 onwards. Let me begin at the beginning. My relative was called William Kemp and he was born at Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk on the 19 August 1838. His parents were Joshua Kemp and Maria Allcock (Alcock).

William's father started life respectably enough. He was even the parish clerk for Burnham Thorpe Church. But life went downhill for Joshua and he was in and out of prison for various offences (larceny, swing rioting & poaching). Eventually in 1848 Joshua Kemp was found guilty of larceny and transported to Western Australia in 1851.

In 1851, William and his younger brother, Henry, were residing in Wicklewood Workhouse (Norfolk). William's mother had died in 1846. In 1854, William's younger brother, Henry, accompanied by his half sister Frances and stepmother, Anne, joined his father, Joshua, in Western Australia; but William obviously did not go to Australia himself.

Now the mystery begins. What happened to William Kemp after 1853 when he left the workhouse? Did he go on a Naval Training ship and desert or did he join the army and abscond? The reason I think William may have done something wrong was because I eventually found him on the 1861 census and he had changed his name to John Walker!

He was living in Garton, Yorkshire and was listed as an Agricultural Labourer. Coincidentally William's uncle (Joseph Kemp born 1805 at Burnham Thorpe) lived not far away from Garton in Patrington, Yorkshire, but was shown working at Hollym, Yorkshire on the 1861 census. Joseph had also changed his name from Joseph Kemp to Charles Kemp! Was Joseph worried about harbouring/assisting a deserter or known criminal?

In 1871, William (still listed as John Walker) was living at Marsden In Almondbury, Yorkshire and was an Excavator at the Water Works, William married an Elizabeth Bruce in 1876 and used his real name of William Kemp. At the time of his marriage William was living at Broadley, Rochdale, Lancashire. In 1881, William used his real name again and was living with his wife Elizabeth at Back Market Street, Healey, Spotland, Lancashire. His occupation was Excavator. In 1875 William COULD have gone overseas to America as I found this record but don't know if it is him for sure:

William Kemp arrived in USA 17 March 1875 age 37 from Liverpool on the ship Republic.

William Kemp Occupation Stone Cutter
Age 37
Sex M
Literacy U
Arrived 17 Mar 1875
Origin England
Port Liverpool & Queenstown
Destination United States
Ship Republic

In 1891 William was back to being listed as John Walker again and this time he is living at 10, Hope Street, Worsthorn With Hurstwood, Lancashire. Now he is listed as a Labourer.

After 1891 I cannot find William as William Kemp or John Walker. I also cannot find his wife Elizabeth. I can't imagine that they would have emigrated as William would have been 53 in 1891. So I can only think he may have died but I'm not having much luck finding a death entry for William Kemp or John Walker as both names are fairly common. Although I have noticed a couple of Kemp deaths (one being William) in Cairo Egypt! There is also a John Walker dying at sea. So maybe he did go abroad?

Apart from sending for any likely death certificates ( which I may end up doing) - any other suggestions?

If I haven't made my query clear enough, I'll happily answer further queries.



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2012 04:35AM by Geniegal.

Thanks to someone replying to me by Private Message, between us we have managed to throw light on William's wife (who was also mysterious) and track down her death cert - so perhaps William's death cert next?