Written by Ian Davis. Last updated 25 March 2026.

This question concerns Alfred Rogers (1846–1906).

Background

We believe that Alfred was born somewhere in London around 1846 and that his father’s name may have been Joseph. His age varies a little with each record so it’s possible that he didn’t know (or care about) his precise age.

• When he married in Mar 1868 he was aged 22, a shoemaker living in Irchester, his father was recorded as Joseph (b. 1846)
• In the 1871 census he is 27, born London (b. 1844)
• In the 1881 census he is 33, born London (b. 1848)
• In the 1891 census he is 46, born London (b. 1845)
• In the 1901 census he is 53, born London (b. 1848)
• When he died in Dec 1906 his age was recorded as 62 (b. 1844)

We don’t know for sure that his father was Joseph. We have examples of other people who state a made-up name on their marriage certificate if they were illegitimate or orphaned.

We don’t know where he was before 1868.

In the 1861 census he would have been aged 15-17 and would almost certainly be an apprentice shoemaker. He may already have been living in or around Irchester and Rushden, with their strong shoe industries.

In the 1851 census he could have been in London still.

Discussion

2024 Research

(see original diary entry)

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.⁵. Her children are not with her.

In 1861 her possible parents John and Sarah Rogers are still living in Kinaston Street.⁶. 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.⁷He states he was born in London. Flore is 20 miles from Rushden where we first encounter Alfred Rogers.

Barry’s Earlier Research

In the early 2000s Barry researched this branch of the family and identified Alfred Rogers as the son of William Rogers and Elizabeth Cockerill, born in 1842. William was a Housesmith born in 1809 in St. Pancras. Middlesex. Elizabeth was born in 1813 in Woodbridge, Suffolk. In 1851 the family (including Alfred) were living at 16 Stibbington Street, St. Pancras (Class HO107, Piece 1496, Folio 1025, Page 30, ancestry)

In 1861 the family were still at the same address, with three generations sharing the property (Class RG9, Piece 114, Folio 10, Page: 40, ancestry). Alfred, along with his father and brothers were all recorded as being lockmiths.

However, with the subsequent information from Alfred’s marriage certificate that his father’s name was Joseph, this research needs to be reconsidered. It seems that this Alfred Rogers went on to marry Elizabeth Anne Holskamp in 1866 (St. Lukes Church, St. Pancras, 18 Dec 1866, ancestry) and was living in St. Pancras in 1871, working as a Whitesmith (Class RG10, Piece 199, Folio: 40, Page: 22, ancestry)

Hypotheses

Hypothesis 1: Alfred is the son of Emma Wood Rogers

Evidence in favour

• The birth in 1844 is roughly consistent with the ages given in later census returns
• Emma’s son Alfred is not present with her in Camberwell 1861, which is consistent with him leaving home as an apprentice aged 14 or 15
• Emma’s son William has moved to Northamptonshire by 1861, twenty or so miles from where we find Alfred in 1868

Evidence against / uncertainties

• Alfred gave his father’s name as Joseph on his marriage certificate, but Emma’s son Alfred has no father recorded on his birth certificate.

Possible research avenues

• Try and find Alfred in the 1861 census. Possibly already in Northamptonshire or still in London. Likely to be an apprentice shoemaker.
• Try and identify possible DNA matches on the Rogers side of the family. We did attempt this via the Leeds method but no obvious matches could be located.
• Investigate or eliminate any link between the Rogers of Rushden (Linda’s maternal line) and the Rogers of Greens Norton (Linda’s paternal line). If there was a crossover here then it could explain the Leeds method not revealing matches on the maternal Rogers side.
• Look for apprenticeship records for Alfred in general and specifically for the sons of Emma Wood Rogers: Alfred W Rogers and William J Rogers.
• Trace the fate of Emma Wood Rogers to see if there is any contact with Alfred later. A will or death certificate could mention him, or she may move to or visit Rushden.
• Trace the fate of William J Rogers to see if there is any contact with Alfred. Tracing descendants down to present day may reveal potential DNA matches.
• Trace Emma’s parents and siblings, again to try and uncover potential DNA matches.
• Search for other Alfred Rogers in the 1851 and 1861 census.