Orphans, Myths, and Memories: The Truth About Ada Williams | Part Three
I LOVE our community. The genealogical community is truly one of the greatest spaces in the world. No matter our backgrounds, affiliations, ages, or geography, we find ways to come together—and work to piece our family puzzles together. This happened to me just yesterday, when the lovely Anne’s Family History sent me a message. She had been digging into my ancestor—the person behind the myth—Ada Williams, and found a breakthrough piece of evidence.
So… can we say we’ve solved the mystery? Let’s find out.
Background
A quick refresher for those who haven’t read part one or two. My Grandad remembers hearing tales during his childhood about his Nana, Ada Williams, having wealthy, estate-owning parents in Wales. They died while she was young, leaving her an orphan, and a sneaky uncle—a lawyer—managed to finesse the documents and steal her estate, kicking her out onto the streets.
In part one, we discovered that Ada wasn’t born in Wales—but her mother, Elizabeth Davies, was. So, I guessed perhaps things had been muddled up, and it was Elizabeth who was born on an estate. Part two tried to track her down, with not much luck.
Ada’s life as we know it
Ada Williams was born on 1 March 1896, at 9 Leadworks Lane, Chester.1 She had one older sister, Eva, and two younger sisters—Violet and Rhoda.2 She was baptised on 24 May 1898—alongside her baby sister Violet—at St Paul’s in Chester.3
On 8 September 1919, she married Edward “Ned” Kelly at Saint John the Baptist church in Chester. The marriage banns list Ada as living at 13 Leadworks Lane. Their first child, Phyllis Ada, was born 10 July 1920.
They would have five more girls:
Kathleen Mary Kelly (1922)
Elizabeth Joan Kelly (1924)
Muriel Kelly (1926)
Violet Rebecca Kelly (1929)
Sheila Jean Kelly (1932)
Edward Kelly tragically died young—at 39 years old in January 1931—never meeting his youngest daughter. And in 1934, while playing outside, Sheila was struck by a vehicle and died at just two years old.
Ada never remarried. She would live a long life, passing away as an old woman in the home she shared with her many cats.
So, what did Anne find?
School records. And wow—those innocuous little documents blew the case wide open.
In 1903, 7-year-old Ada Williams is listed as a pupil at Chester Grosvenor St. John’s School. She is listed as the daughter of James, living at 9 Leadworks Lane.
Her sisters Eva and Rhoda were also admitted in the same year, though Rhoda is listed as residing at 7 Cuppin Street, not 9 Leadworks Lane like the other sisters.4
Violet Williams, by contrast, doesn’t appear in school records until 1906, when she is enrolled by James and listed as living at 9 Leadworks Lane.5
Then something happens in 1908.
On 2 July 1908, Rhoda Williams has her last day at Grosvenor. She is only eight. The reason: gone to the Waifs & Strays Home.
On 20 November 1908, 13-year-old Eva also leaves— gone to live with her aunt in Wallasey.
On 23 December 1908, 10-year-old Violet ceases school admission: gone to Union Workhouse.
Finally, on 16 January 1909, 12-year-old Ada leaves: gone to Union Workhouse.
So what happened? How did these girls go from relative stability—born and raised at 9 Leadworks Lane—to being sent to children’s homes and the workhouse?
The answer was found in a death record.
On 20 November 1908, James Williams died at age 44 from tuberculosis. His mother, Hannah (who lived with the family, as you may remember), registered his death.6
It’s worth noting this was a time before welfare and public housing as we know it. If the breadwinner died, the family was often left destitute. Since James died of tuberculosis, we can assume he was sick for months beforehand, which may explain Rhoda being sent to the Waif & Stray home in July and why, on the day of his death, Eva left school to live with her aunt.
Conspicuously absent from this story is Elizabeth Davies, the girls’ mother. She didn’t register them in school, nor did she register James’ death.
Eva, the eldest, doesn’t reappear in school records in Chester or Wallasey. At 14, it was common for girls to go to work—that’s likely what happened.
By February 1909, the three younger girls are reunited at St Mary’s School in Handbridge. The parent listed is Elizabeth, suggesting she was still alive. The girls’ address is recorded as “Central Home”—likely Chester Central Children’s Home, opened in 1900.7 An image of the Children’s Home can be found here.
I’ve had little luck tracing Elizabeth Williams (née Davies) around or after her husband’s death. It’s unclear if she remained in the girls’ lives. Ada claimed she’d been orphaned young, so it’s possible Elizabeth died (tuberculosis was highly contagious, especially for family).
We next find Ada in the 1911 census: age 15, working as a general domestic servant for the Atkin family on Plough Lane, Chester.
The Grand Estate?
After these recent findings, I’ve concluded that Ada’s story—the one she told her children and grandchildren—was a myth. Not a malicious lie, but one told to save face. As a product of her time, being sent to a children’s home or workhouse carried a heavy stigma, so she adapted her story: orphaned as a child, a mother with Welsh roots. It became a more palatable version of her history.
Now, I have to break the news to my Grandad: we will not be staking a claim on a grand Welsh estate after all—we’re as common as muck.
A special thank you again to Anne’s Family History; without her detective skills, this breakthrough wouldn’t have happened. The genealogy community truly is the best!
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SOURCES:
Ada Williams, 1896. GRO Birth Index Extract. Digital image purchased.
Ada Williams. 1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census. Digital image accessed via FindMyPast on 3rd August 2025, www.findmypast.co.uk.
Ada Williams, 1898. Cheshire Diocese Of Chester Parish Baptisms. Digital image accessed via FindMyPast on 3rd of August 2025, www.findmypast.co.uk.
Ada, Rhoda & Eva Williams, 1903. National School Admission Registers & Log-books 1870-1914. Digital image accessed via FindMyPast on 3rd August 2025, www.findmypast.co.uk.
Violet Williams, 1906. National School Admission Registers & Log-books 1870-1914. Digital image accessed via FindMyPast on 3rd August 2025, www.findmypast.co.uk.
James Williams, 1908. GRO Death Index Extract. Digital image purchased.
Ada, Rhoda & Violet Williams, 1909. National School Admission Registers & Log-books 1870-1914. Digital image accessed via FindMyPast on 3rd of August 2025, www.findmypast.co.uk.
Great to see that you final have a firm idea of what happened. The thing about the Genealogy community is that they are always ready to help. I know from experience that Anne is always willing to give her advice and her ideas. I've also been a beneficiary.
Great story regardless of the inheritance.