Working back from Ada Mary Coumbe Sleeper's husband William Sleeper, we come to one Christopher Frederick HENRY Sleeper, born, according to the 1841 Census, in 'Foreign Parts'. I was hesitant to ascribe Foreign Parts to truly foreign, but the census is quite clear in the choices provided for the enumerator as to the Birth Location field:
His occupation being Pensioner is interesting as it infers having been employed in a profession that actually granted pensions... in the 1840s. Could be military... Other possibilities?
Since this was the earliest record I had for this Henry Sleeper (married to Lucy Blandford), It figured it might be the most accurate. Not a given, but a good lead.
Next were the baptisms for their first two children listed in the 1841 census, which occurred on the same day. They clearly record the father's occupation as 'soldier'.
However, the eldest child appears to be Jane Sleeper, 20. Her baptism record shows she is baptized Jane Rebbecca the same day, 21 February 1819, as her brother Frederick William. Again, at the same parish church as the later siblings. Again Henry and Lucy Sleeper of Little Smith Street as parents. However, this time Henry's occupation is clearly identified as SOLDIER:
Marriage document next. Let's confirm Lucy's maiden name, as well as when... Hopefully married prior to the birth of Frederick William and Jane Rebecca. Unfortunately, no clues to their respective birth dates save prior to their baptism dates.
I found this obscure document, well barely a document, on Ancestry which may or may not be our Henry and Lucy. Chelsea is a common denominator and the 1815 fits. However, while Hy is common abbreviation for Henry, his surname appears to first be Sohiper and then crossed out and rewritten as Schliper or Sohliper, which is how it is transcribed into Ancestry.
Needing more..finding the parish record, again from St Luke's on Sydney Street, Chelsea, for the marriage, 27 February 1915, of Lucy Blandford we can see how Henry's surname is written and still leaves me unclear as to the actual spelling. Definitely not Sleeper, but phonetics were the basis of all records during this time, except Henry signed for himself. This is definitely NOT Sleeper. It appears to be Schlieper. In fact, they both signed. Not an illiterate couple.
Says banns were posted. I wonder if I can find those and glean more information?
Back to the surname question.
A quick search on FindMyPast came up with only 7 Henry Schlieper entries using England as the location. Five are for British Army Service Records, two for incoming passengers.
Of the incoming passengers, the one in 1899 is for H. Schlieper, age 56, Merchant, who boarded at Rio (de Janeiro) and disembarked in Cherbourg, not Southampton. Birth year estimated to be 1843 - scratch. The one in 1913 for H. Schlieper, waiter, age 19 citizen of Germany, last residence also Germany, intending England as permanent residence. That would make his birth about 1894. Not a candidate, either.
That leaves the army records:
- Hy Schlieper: Royal Hospital Chelsea records of King's German Legion, a rate of 1/3, no date for admission, Residence: 2 West London, dates of pension payments: 31 Mar, 30 Jun, 30 Sep, 31 Dec. Looks like a pencilled death date of 27 Dec (18)48 in (?) lot. There is an additional notation in the transcript of Hanoverian.
- Hy Schlieper: Pension year 1815 and death as 1849. When evaluating the document itself: Date of admission: 2 February 1815, Residence London (2?); Died 27 January1848.
- Henry Schlieper: Returns of Payment of Army and Other Pensions, I Legions, Aug 1847, London 1st East. Document Heading: II. Pensioners Transferred to the District. Rank S., from district (?)W London, date to which pensioner was paid previous to transference: Not paid in this Division transfer returned. There is also a note: Cancelled, see other side. This note refers to the entry immediately below.
- Henry Schlieper: Document Heading: Monthly Return of changes which have take place among the Out-Pensioners of Chelsea Hospital in the 1st Eastern D London 1st to the 31st August, 1847, inclusive. I. Pensioners transferred from District.
- Henry Schlieper: Monthly Return of changes which have take place among the Out-Pensioners of Chelsea Hospital in the 2nd West District London 1st to the 31st August, 1847, inclusive. Pensioner transferred FROM district, Henry is crossed out with notation: Transfer cancelled.
I guess right now I just might be conflating this Henry Schlieper of Little Smith Street married to Lucy Blandford, with my Henry Sleeper of Little Smith Street married to Lucy (?) Seems like an unlikely coincidence to have both sets of Henry and Lucy's living in the same place and time. I looked through all the 1841 census entries for Smith Street and Little Smith Street, St Luke's Parish, Chelsea. No Schliepers. The only other Sleeper family is Henry (20 yrs) and his wife Elizabeth and their children. Further research confirms this second Henry is the son of Henry and Lucy.
Add to this all the records I found for Henry give his address as St Luke's Parish, Little Smith Street, Chelsea, Middlesex, London, England. Or some variation thereof. Seems he moved in and stayed put.
But what of this Christian F. Sleeper? Is that also Henry? Seems so as the England and Wales Civil Registration Death Index for the 1st Quarter of 1849 list Christian Frederick Henry Sleeper, Chelsea.
I think this is a document I should get an image of from the General Register Office...
Oh, how sad. Lots of clarification though, including that he was a German and a Sergeant in the King's German Legion, lived at 4 Little Smith Street, when found dead: 27 Jan 1849 and was reported to be 61 years of age.
All in all, I don't know if this is a good find or not. I will finish all his male descendants through to the 1939 Register for elimination purposes.
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