The OTTAWAYs of Chobham

My inability to prove William Frederick's correct parentage stemmed partly from the fact that there were two William's born within a couple of miles of one another and within a few months of each other. Both had a mother called Eliza OTTAWAY; one William was illegitimate and was born in the Workhouse, the other was born legitimately into an old established Chobham family. Without William Frederick's marriage certificate to Mary Ann HARRISON, it is very difficult to state for sure which William is "mine". As a wise person once said, "Genealogy without documentary proof is just Mythology". However, with the help of Tricia Otway, I believe we now have an answer.

These are the all the possible contenders I can find for "my" William:

William Frederick OTTAWAY was born in Chertsey Workhouse on 15 July 1861, mother Eliza Ottaway, no father. His name on the birth cert is WILLIAM FREDERICK, an important point. I cannot find anything more about Eliza, but suspect that she may be the Eliza Ottaway who married David Smithers on 14 Feb 1863 at St Lawrence Chobham (this has now proved to be true). Eliza was the daughter of Charles Ottaway, and in the marriage register she signed her name, rather than making a mark. This William was born just outside the possible timeframes based upon census and death certificate entries, but his name on his birth cert is WILLIAM FREDERICK.
William OTTAWAY, born 5 Jan 1861, baptised in St Lawrence Church Chobham on 24 Feb 1861, parents Arthur and Eliza (nee GOSDEN). Arthur had two wives, and an enormous number of children, some born when he was drawing a pension (he is described as an Almsman on some birth certificates).
Two years earlier, on 25 Mar 1859, a Frederick William OTTAWAY was born to Frederick and Eliza (nee HEWER), also in Chobham, but I think that the family must have moved from Chobham fairly soon afterwards, as in the 1881 census Frederick and Eliza were living in Oxford with a number of children the eldest of whom was born in Berkshire.
William OTTAWAY, son of John and Elizabeth, born about 1860 in Chobham. John was a farmer, and William is described in the 1881 census as Farmer's Son, unmarried.
William OTTAWAY, son of Benjamin and Mary, born about 1861 in Effingham, and living in Sutton at the time of the 1881 census. He is described as a Gardener, unmarried.
William OTTAWAY, a stonemason's labourer at the time of the 1881 census, and lodging at The Crown public House in Trumps Green, between Egham and Virginia Water. The census states that he is unmarried, 19 years old, and that he was born in Chertsey. This William is the only one with an occupation that ties in with the roadmender of later years, and the fact that he is 19 years old ties in with the William born in the Chertsey Workhouse, as it means he was born between 4 Apr 1861 and 3 Apr 1862 - William born in wedlock in Chobham would have described himself as being 20 years old in the 1881 census. The fact that he is described as unmarried is worrying, but does not necessarily exclude him, since the details may have come from the landlord who may have been unaware that William had a wife.

When William Frederick and Mary Ann's son William died in infancy on 16 Jan 1893, the informant on the death certificate is given as E OTTAWAY, grandmother, of Victoria Road, Addlestone, and she signed her name. The signature looks very similar (to an untrained eye) to the signature on the marriage certificate for Eliza OTTAWAY and David SMITHERS (but if they are the same person, why did she later sign herself Ottaway?).
In the 1881 census, Mary Ann was living with her children Louisa and Frederick, in Burrow Hill, Chobham, right next door to David and Eliza SMITHERS, rather a coincidence. If this Eliza was William Frederick's mother, then it makes sense that his new wife should take up residence next door to her mother-in-law for companionship whilst her husband was away.
The 1891 census taken on 5 April 1891 says William Frederick was aged 30; ergo he was born between 6 April 1860 and 5 April 1861; it also says born in Chobham
William Frederick's death certificate (7 July 1900) says age at death 39; ergo he was born between 7 July 1860 and 6 July 1861.
The name on birth cert of the William born to Arthur and Eliza is William (not William Frederick).
All other documents I have, birth certificates of his children and his death certificate, show him as William Frederick.
In the 1871 census, David & Eiza SMITHERS were living in Common Field Chobham with their three children - William, Elizabeth, and Emily - See note below.

So far, no marriage certificate for William Frederick has come to light. However, the 1971 census for Surrey has turned up a very interesting family group, and one which helps to explain William's antecedents:

Parish of Chobham, Common Field [RG10/806 fol. 147]

David Smithers Head Married age 31 Occupation Labourer Born Chobham Surrey
Eliza Smithers Wife Married age 27 Born Chobham Surrey
William Smithers Son Unmarried age 9 Scholar Born Chobham Surrey
Elizabeth Smithers Daur Unmarried age 6 Scholar Born Chobham Surrey
Emily Smithers Daur Unmarried age 4 Scholar Born Chobham Surrey

The Parish Records show that David and Eliza were married in 1863, yet William's age is correctly given as 9 years old, therefore born 1861. Eliza's age confirms that she is the Eliza born in 1844, and her marriage certificate shows her father as Charles, therefore confirming her place in this Ottaway family. She cannot have been the Eliza Ottaway (nee GOSDEN) married to Arthur, a) because she was nearly ten years younger than Eliza married to Arthur, and b) because Arthur was alive at least until 1881. I need to examine the 1871 census further in order to identify the William born to Arthur and Eliza. I would still like to find the marriage certificate of William and Mary Ann, but it is now not so urgent as hitherto.

The Mystery of William Frederick OTTAWAY