Biographical notes

Robert John Southwell was the lover of Mary Ann Cardell (nee Brook, wife of George Cardell), and they fled from London to Bristol after the birth of their illegitimate daughter, Mary Ann Southwell in 1852. A complication in tracing their subsequent family history is the identity theft of George Cardell by Robert Southwell. On all subsequent registration documents he is named as George Cardell and not Robert Southwell.

The family had moved to Bristol by 1854 when Robert Southwell Cardell was born and may have moved soon after the registration of the birth of Mary Ann Southwell (see below), in February 1853. The BMD registers record that a child with the name Edwin Southwell Cardell was born in the first quarter of 1859 at Bristol but died in the last quarter of the same year.

In the 1861 Census the family (entered as Cardill), are in residence in Bristol, St Philip and Jacob Parish, living at 4 Providence Place. George has an age of 45 and is a Warehouseman, born in Oundle, Northamptonshire. Mary Ann, his wife, has an age of 36, born in Middlesex. Mary Ann Southwell is listed as Mary Ann Cardell Two other children are Robert Cardell, aged 7, born in Bristol, and Henry Cardell, aged 5 and also born in Bristol. The actual BMD documents show the names of the children as Robert Southwell Cardell and Henry Southwell Cardell

1871 is the last census year in which this family is recorded as an entity. They are living at 3, Captain Carey's Lane in Bristol. George Cardell is a Warehouseman, aged 50, born in Oundle, Northants. Mary Ann Cardell is a dressmaker, aged 47 born in Middlesex. Robert S[outhwell] Cardell is a Haulier, aged 17 born in St Philips (Bristol). New children are Laura S[outhwell] Cardell, a Scholar, aged 9 born in St Philips ( Bristol), Edwin S[outhwell] Cardell, aged 7 born in St Philips (Bristol) and George S[outhwell] Cardell, aged 3 born in St Philips (Bristol).

In the 1881 Census Mary Ann Cardell is described as a Widow, (Robert Southwell, under the alias of George Cardell, had died in 1875), born in Shoreditch, Middlesex, with the occupation of Dressmaker, aged 58 and living with her son Henry Southwell Cardell with his wife and family at 4, Park Field Place in Llandaff (Cardiff). Edwin Southwell Cardell (Henry's brother), aged 17, unmarried, born in Bristol, has the occupation of a general labourer.