According to London School records, young Edith Shelley, daughter of Adolphus, attended the Mawbey Road School in Southwark in 1885. Edith's date of birth was the 12th June 1874. In 1881 Edith was living with her parents, Adolphus and Miriam, in Newington, Surrey. Place of birth Surrey. RG11/541/59/18. Mother, Miriam, also known as Minnie, died in 1882. Some of Edith's siblings went to live with relatives in Hughendon, Buckinghamshire. I haven't found her father nor Edith in 1891. I haven't found Edith born Surrey in 1901 or 1911. I've also failed to find a birth for Edith in the June quarter of 1874, nor a possible birth in Surrey. The closest I have found is in the December quarter for Edith Minnie Shelley b in St Georges Hanover Square, London. In 1901 an Edith M. Shelly b St Georges 1875, is boarding with M. Easton in Marlebone. Her occupation is described as Portrait Artist Sculp(?) own account(?) RG13/104/146/22 In 1911 Edith Shelley b London Middlesex, a dance teacher, is living with Robert Morris Crompton in Hertfordsire. Edith had 2 children with Robert, a married man - Edward Shelley Crompton b 1902 and Minnie Shelley Crompton b. 1904. Edith's sister was a dance teacher. I would appreciate help with Edith Minnie Shelley b in St Georges Hanover Square. I've spent so much time looking at this family I'm starting to jump to conclusions and missing vital clues!
I cannot find the Edith Minnie Shelly born St Geo's Hanover Sqr on the 1881 census, making it more likely that she is 'your' girl. No luck with finding her in 1891 either.
Thanks MollyMay, I'm almost certain Edith Minnie is Adolphus's missing daughter. A birth certificate would solve the riddle. Sadly, it will have to wait. Searching the web for information turned up the following: Edith Minnie Shelley Julian died on the 18/10/1959 in NSW. I'm now trying to find immigration records and a marriage. That's if she married. She may have used any number of surnames, most likely Shelley, but also Price, Dawes or Blacklock. What a complicated family this one is. Despite living in Melbourne I am a complete novice finding Australian records. Nothing is popping up on Ancestry. All my ancestors and relatives lived in England or Europe. My only connection to Australia was the convict husband of a great, great, grandmother.
Edith Minnie Shelley Julian died 1959 has father listed as Aldolphus Charles and mother as Minnie Ann.
You can ask for a lookup of the Sydney Morning Herald from The Ryerson Index as her death was in the SMH on 19 Oct 1959.
The children's births were registered as Edward Crompton Shelley (Q3 1901) and Minnie Crompton Shelley (Q2 1903) both in the Hendon district. I haven't had any luck finding anything about her husband but his exotic first name may suggest a New Zealand connection? Trove has some references to a Mrs Shelley Julian. For example, the social column of the Brisbane Courier of 26 November 1930 reports that Mrs Chris Baily 'is at present the guest of her mother, Mrs. E. Shelley-Julian, Sandgate'. Mrs Chris Baily was better known as Mina/Minna Shelley. There's much about her on Trove, as actress, producer, and more. The Sydney Morning Herald of 18 June 1953 has two funeral announcements for her brother Edward Shelley, one placed by Mina Shelley and Chris Baily and one by Edward's widow.
It may be a co-incidence but Edward Crompton Shelley travelled to New Zealand in 1917. Edward was an artist. I have found Edith and her husband 'Kenneth' in NSW but have been unable to find a reference to Huia.
