I have finally resolved, to my own satisfaction at least, the question posed back in March last year in ‘A matching pair of Elizabeth Cutlocks, or the same person?‘.
At the time, a key baptism record which had been spotted on familysearch.org by someone else, for Harriet Cutlock born 1837/38 to Elizabeth and Thomas, could not be located on that site. But I was prompted to re-check the other day – after all the site had updated Norfolk and other parish records this year. And yes the baptism was there (19th October 1837 at St Ann, Blackfriars, London) – although only as a transcript, no linked original register scan.
With “proof” in front of me, I tried to locate Harriet’s supposed father Thomas Cutlock. There is absolutely no sign of such a person other than in this record. Link that with the fact that Harriet is baptised, and presumably born, in London, plus she is brought up by aunts and uncles in Norwich from the evidence of 1841 to 1861 census records but in 1871 is with mother Elizabeth (the latter having disappeared in the meantime), all in Norwich. Giving the obvious conclusion that Harriet was illegitimate, with Elizabeth leaving Norwich sometime in her pregnancy to hide the perceived shame of the birth in the rather more anonymous London.
So mother Elizabeth, born about 1808 Norwich, surely must be the same person as the eldest daughter to John and Mary Cutlock baptised 7th June 1807 St Martin at Oak church (Norwich), and therefore a four times great aunt. And Harriet (full name Harriet Elizabeth, born 19th October 1837) is a first cousin 4 times removed and a cousin to great great gran Harriet (born 24 Aug 1840 Norwich), with whom she could get confused if you weren’t careful. Good thing I had kept all the details of Harriet Elizabeth’s husband James Rallison and their offspring, then.
However, the mystery of where Elizabeth Cutlock was between 1837 and 1871 remains. She is listed as a widow in 1871, but I take that with a large pinch of salt, especially as she remains a Cutlock.
Taking it back a generation
Previous attempts to work out how Harriet could be a niece of 3 times great grandfather John Cutlock (married to Charlotte Plunkett) had resulted in ‘dummy’ Cutlock ancestors, so now was the time to tidy them up. A combination of Ancestry and FamilySearch records meant I could narrow down the Norfolk Parish Register images held on the latter to locate significant burials, marriages and baptisms.
The upshot is that four times great grandmother Mary Cutlock clearly died 1824 age 45, having married in St Martin at Oak 10th August 1806, maiden name Forster/Foster. Her husband, another John, a weaver, was almost certainly baptised 31st December 1780 (possible death 1862). John’s parents are John (again!) and Elizabeth – and there is a marriage on 29th October 1775 St Martin at Oak between John Cutlock, a widower, and Elizabeth Deck, spinster. In the absence of any other Cutlock records, this seems a likely match, backed up by the name of poor Ann Deck Cutlock, daughter of John and Charlotte – born 1849, died 1850.
John and Charlotte also married at St Martin at Oak, 16th July 1835.
Notes
Also see Cutlock and Cullum page.
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