>Frederick William INKSON, b: 17 Jul 1842, family group

Frederick William Inkson, although born in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England, lived his early adult life in London and then moved to Grimsby, Lincolnshire where he eventually died. He was the oldest child of John and Mary to have survived to adulthood.
He doesn't obviously appear in the 1861 census but a likely fit is a Frederick Inkston [how often do we have to say that there is no 't' in Inkson in modern times?] who was working as a manservant in Honey Lane Market, London Cheapside. Ten years later our Frederick William was a journeyman butcher. Did he learn that trade with his uncle William in Kings Lynn or did he learn at the Honey Lane Market?
It is unclear whether the first two of the children listed are the true sons of Frederick William. Charles, the oldest child of his wife Ellen, was certainly registered as Charles Dossett yet at the time of the 1871 census he is noted as Charles Inkson, son of Frederick William. Albert, the second son of Ellen, was probably registered as Albert Dorsett but again appears in the 1871 and 1881 censuses as Albert Inkson, son of Frederick William. Thereafter he seems to become Albert Arthur Dossett.
The only son known to be a true son, also Frederick William, died in infancy. All of the other children were girls who went on to marry and have families of their own.

The problem with Frederick William's wife is that she seems to have taken different names through her life. She seems to have been born and certainly married as Eliza née Dossett but even before then she adopted the name 'Ellen' as can be seen in the Whitechapel Union Workhouse record when Charles, her first child, was born. Some researchers have her as 'Elenor' or even 'Eleanor'.
It is difficult to track down her birth but she seems to be the Eliza Dossett born in St Pancras, London in about 1836 which doesn't tie in with being 23 when Charles was born. If she is that Eliza then her father would be Thomas but on the wedding certificate it states that her father was John.
She had had two children by the time she married Frederick William and it is unclear who the father(s) was/were. This is discussed in more detail in the notes for Charles and Albert below.

On 2 May 1862 Ellen Dossett, a 23 year old single woman who worked as a needlewoman and lived at 9 ? Dean Street, was admitted to the Whitechapel [Mile End, London] Union Workhouse in labour and gave birth to Charles Dossett later that day. Mother and child were discharged from there on 13 May the same year. Charles' birth certificate does not give a father's name but again gives the mother's surname as Dossett [in 1865 when Albert Arthur, her second son, is born she claims to be Ellen Dorsett, wife of a Henry Dorsett.]
In 1866 Ellen married Frederick William Inkson so, in the 1871 census returns, Charles is noted as Charles Inkson, son of Frederick William. Was this a convenience or was it fact?
What happens after that is unclear. There are too many Charles Dossetts [none of which really fit with the known data] and the only Charles Inkson which might fit is a Charles Joseph Inkson, 16 year old deck hand, reported to have drowned in the North Sea on March 28 1879 from a vessel called the Vigilant out of Grimsby. By the time of the 1881 census, Charles is not to be found but Frederick William and his family were living in Grimsby and Charles' brother Albert is noted as a fisherman.

The story of Albert [Albert Arthur] is more difficult to untangle. The likely birth was registered as Albert Dorsett Q1 1865 in Whitechapel, London. Some researchers claim that Frederick William Inkson was the father .... In the 71 and 81 censuses he is Albert Inkson, son of Frederick William but by the 91 census he is Albert A Dossett staying with Jemima Neal née Inkson his [half?] sister. At that point he was a 26 year old widower working as a painter.
The full story of Albert [Albert Arthur] can be found by following his tree line from Frederick William's tree

Frederick William [b. 17 Jul 1842] Family Group