Robyn,
Thank you for your message. I did not feel it necessary to include all my
known facts about Eleanor CHAMBERLAIN, until I found anyone else doing
research on the name in the UK. After all, most of my information is on the
TAFFS family and not the CHAMBERLAIN one.
However the family which you found for me on the 1881 census was indeed my
family. In fact the Henry F. Taffs which you listed is in fact my
Great-Great-Grandfather. I have researched the Taffs family for many years
now, going back to a Robert Taffs who died in 1547. But it is Herbert William
Taffs and his wife Eleanor CHAMBERLAIN whom I have the least information
about.
After discovering Herbert Taffs' connection with numismatics I wrote to the
BNS and received the following back:
"Herbert William Taffs MVO, MBE, born 1870, died 24th July 1955 aged 85. He
joined the Numismatic Society of London (precursor of the Royal Numismatic
Society) in 1896 and was a founder member of the British Numismatic Society
(1903). He served as Secretary for many years and was President 1938 to 1945.
He was the last surviving founder member. He was primarily a collector and
during the entire period of his membership of the British he read and
published no papers. He collected English and Commonwealth coins, also USA
and tokens of Kent. His collection was sold at Glendinings in November 1956.
The collection must have been very large, as the sale was over a period of
three days. He was described by Christopher Blunt, in his reminiscences of
numismatists he had known, as having a large old fashioned mustache heavily
stained with nicotine, until he gave up smoking late in life. An obituary was
published in BNJ 27 (1954).
(c/o Harry Mernick, British Numismatic Society.)"
I am still awaiting a copy of the obituary, in the hope of further details
emerging. Herbert and Eleanor were my Grandmother's uncle and aunt, and as
such she knew much about their family. Herbert's twin sister Amy (who I agree
is not listed on the 1881 census as far as I can see) was (obviously) born in
1870, and she died in 1963. My father knew her fairly well so I know that
she existed whatever the census says!! She married a man named Malcolm Maskey
in Eltham, Surrey and had 2 children; Norman and Marjorie.
Herbert and Amy also had another 2 sisters : Mabel Emma (my great
grandmother, born in 1877 and also not showing on the census) and Elsie (born
just after the census - in 1882).
As for the marriage of Herbert and Eleanor - My Grandmother's mother attended
the wedding in 1901, memories of which are handwritten in a journal she kept.
I have not traced the certificate of marriage yet but believe from the
journal that it took place in Woolwich, Kent.
Herbert and Eleanor remained living in the UK always. He was involved for
many years in the Maunday money giving ceremony with the Queen, when he had
to stand at her side and pass across to her the velvet bags of coins.
I would love to be able to trace more on Eleanor CHAMBERLAIN, her parents
and/or siblings, although recently other lines have been taking precedence in
my research time.
Thank you for your time doing the census look ups for me. It was much
appreciated.
Regards
Liz