1 Oct 2024

We spent some time looking again into the origins of Alfred Rogers. All we know is that he claimed his father was called Joseph and that he was born in London around 1846. He married Sarah Ann Whitbread in 1868 and appeared in the census in 1871 at Rushden, Northamptonshire.

We found an Alfred W Rogers aged 7 in the 1851 census living in Lambeth with his mother Emma W Rogers (b. 1823) and his two brothers William J Rogers (b. 1847) and Henry J W Rogers (b. 1850).¹ They were living in William Street off Waterloo Road in Lambeth (NLS map). The children were born in Lambeth but Emma was born in what looks like Surrey, Chuster or similar. We thought this might be Sussex, Chichester though

We obtained the birth certificate of Henry J W Rogers and found that his full name was Henry Jenkins Wood Rogers, son of Emma Wood Rogers, no father and no occupation for the mother. He was born on 30 Oct 1850 at 36 Isabella Street which is just a couple of hundred yards south-east from William Street.

We already had the birth certificate of an Alfred Rogers in Lambeth from an earlier investigation. He was born 16 Aug 1844 at The White House, Vauxhall Walk, Lambeth. His mother was Emma Wood Rogers and again there is no father or occupation. This does seem to be the same Alfred as we found in the census despite the lack of a middle name. Vauxhall Walk is quite a few miles away from William Street.

We think we found Emma Rogers in the 1841 census living with her parents John (b. about 1791) and Sarah Rogers (b. about 1801) and siblings Sarah (b. about 1821), John (b. 1829) and Francis (b. 1831).² All except Sarah the mother were born in the county of Surrey. They were living in Kinaston Street near to William Street and Isabella Street.

In 1851 John and Sarah were still in Kinaston Street in Lambeth living with daughter Ann (who we think is Sarah, full name Sarah Ann) and sons John and Francis.³ There is no Emma in this family which lends weight to the Emma we found earlier being their daughter. Sarah the mother was born in Kent, the rest were born in Lambeth.

Emma’s son Henry died in 1855 and was buried 18 Mar 1855 in Bethnal Green⁴. He died 3 Mar 1855 at 22 Saunders Street, Lambeth of Measles. We don’t know why he was buried in Bethnal Green. We think Saunders Street was nearer Vauxhall Walk near present day Lollard Street.

We found an entry in the 1861 census which could be Emma, now aged 36. She was a servant to a Maria Botwell in Camberwell.[emmacensus1861]. Her children are not with her.

In 1861 her possible parents John and Sarah Rogers are still living in Kinaston Street.⁵. John is recorded as John Thomas Roger, born about 1791 in Surrey. His wife, Sarah, was born about 1798 in Kent. Their daughter Sarah Ann is still living with them, unmarried, and now aged 43

We also found a William J Rogers in 1861, born about 1846 working as a servant in Flore in Northamptonshire.⁶He states he was born in London. Flore is 20 miles from Rushden where we first encounter Alfred Rogers.