I have a mystery on my research into our great great grandfather and his wife and their emigration to England.
This is what I know:
Siegmund OPPENHEIM was an African Merchant boarding with a Cotton Spinner's family in Cheshire on the 1861 census. It says he is 26 and >from Germany.
In 1871 he is a Commission Merchant and a naturalised British Subject who is single and boarding with a Widow in Moss Side Lancashire.
Then in 1881 we have him not only married to Adele >from Schwerin Mecklenburg in Prussia, but also with 4 children all born in Chorlton Medlock in Manchester and living at East Beach in Lytham Lancashire.
There is no mention on this census of his first born son Eugen who would have been born around 1873 and in Germany. In fact, we don't see any records of Eugen in England until he is married in 1899 (aged 26)and then when he is naturalised in 1911.
I've also not been able to find any record of Siegmund's marriage to Adele in England and I'm assuming they were married in Germany (possibly Hamburg).
Does anyone have any suggestions as to why Eugen may have been left behind (in Prussia or Germany) and not at a later stage joined the family in England?
There is a record of an Eugen OPPENHEIM arriving at Castle Garden immigration point in New York in 1886 which gives a probable match due to age and last address being Prussia. But other than the fact that he was listed as a Paper Merchant/Stationer on his wife's death certificate we know nothing else about him. We do have of course the link to Siegmund and Adele OPPENHEIM as his parents >from his marriage certificate.
Many thanks in advance for your time and consideration.