In 2010 Brad Michael Little, who was born in Australia and now lives in America, was told of a family rumour that his maternal grandfather, William James Shepherd (sometimes Shepheard or Sheapheard), who was born in England in 1890 and went to Australia in 1912 [not in 1908 as detailed on pages 39-40], was closely related to the British Royal Family. He set out his story in two works published in January and April 2012 as The king's son and has now compiled a third edition dated September 2017 [The king's son (The evidence) (3rd edition), published by Amazon Italia Logistica S.r.l (Torrazza Piemonte (TO), Italy, 2017, ISBN 9781549675362, 558 pages]. In it he starts by claiming to prove that his great-grandfather 'is a member of the British Royal Family from the late 1800's/early 1900s' [Little (2017) page 22] but subsequently concludes that there is 'clear evidence based on actual Y-DNA that there was no male line connection, in recent history for thousands of years' between the Royal Family and William James Shepherd [Little (2017) pages 149-51]. The fact that Y-DNA samples from both Simon Coburg (born 1985 a son of the late Prince Adrian of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) and from the late Alarich von Eppinghoven (1930-2018; descended from a recognised illegitimate son of King Leopold I of Belgium) matched each other, but did not match the Y-DNA of Brad Little's late uncle Eric (1928-2013) made that conclusion 'absolutely and categorically irrefutable'. It is a conclusion which will have important implications for others who claim to have male line descents from the House of Wettin.
However, it is generally considered [e.g. as recently stated in the NGS Magazine, vol. 45, No. 4 (October-December 2019, page 61] that in cases where DNA evidence is being used, it should 'be considered within the context of available documentary evidence'. In this case only a minimal amount of basic research has been carried out and clear lines of research which may have indicated other possibilities, were not pursued. The suggestion, based merely on the size of his nose nose and ears and a perceived similarity with the present Prince of Wales, was that William James Shepherd was the son of Prince George of Wales later King George V. There is no documentary evidence that his mother and the Prince ever met and the life of the man who may well have been the boy's father receives scant attention. I am therefore setting out a little of what I have found here.
The boy's mother was Ellen Mary Sheapheard who was born 3 June 1870 and baptised at St Peter, Hackney, 26 June 1870, the daughter of William and Mary Ann Sheapheard, of 14 Bohemia Place, turner [Registers, Page 394, Entry 3151]. Ellen's parents had married by banns at the same church on 14 December 1869 when her father, William Shepheard, described himself as of full age, widower, turner, of De Beauvoir Town, the son of Edward Shepheard, turner, and her mother (who was unable to sign her name) described herself as Mary Ann Goode, of full age, widow, also of De Beauvoir Town, daughter of William James, wheelwright [Registers, Page 187, Entry 374]. In later census returns Mary Ann says that she was born at Newbury, Berkshire, and searches show that her father, William James, was a coach maker, aged 40, at Newbury in 1841 when Mary Ann was aged 3 [1841 Census, HO107/35-5-18]. By 1851 he was a coach wheelwright, widower, aged 55, born at Speen, and with other family members in Newbury Union Workhouse [1851 Census, HO107/1685-399-8]. In 1871 he was in the same Workhouse, infirm, aged 78, wheelwright (journeyman), born at Speen [1871 Census, RG10/1250-109-2].
In 1871 Ellen Mary Shepheard, aged 10 months, and born at Haggerston, Middlesex, was living with her parents William T. Shepheard, aged 32, ivory turner, born at Shoreditch, his wife Mary Ann, aged 33, grocer and chandler, born at Newbury in Berkshire, and Ellen's brother Samuel Shepheard, aged 6, scholar, born in Clerkenwell, at 1 Gloucester Street North, Haggerston, Shoreditch [1871 Census, RG10/469-35-14]. They also had a lodger, Thomas C. Harris, aged 35, an auctioneer's porter.
In 1881 Ellen Mary Shepheard, aged 10, scholar, saying that she was born at 'Gloster, Haggerstone' was living with her mother Mary A Shepheard, widow, aged 43, a charwoman, at 107 Livingstone Road, Battersea, and the latter's son, now described as Samuel Good, aged 16, general labourer, born in Clerkenwell [1881 Census, RG11/643-40-12]. This Samuel James Goode (1864-1935) was next-of-kin to his half-sister's son, William James Shepherd, in 1911 [Little (2017) 420].
On 23 November 1890 Ellen Mary Shepherd gave birth to a son, William James Shepherd, baptised at St Peter, Battersea, 4 February 1891, when she described herself as of 107 Livingstone Road, Battersea, a servant [Registers, Page 112, Entry 891]. She had been admitted to the Swaffield Road Workhouse, Wandsworth, on 12 September 1890 and was discharged with her son on 8 December 1890 [Swaffield Road Workhouse, Religious Creed Register, 1890-92]. In the Census taken in 1891 he was living with his mother and grandmother. On 15 April 1898 the boy, William James Shepherd, was admitted to the Swaffield Road Workhouse by his mother and from there discharged to the fever hospital on 16 May 1898. He was again admitted to the Workhouse on 10 August 1898, but discharged to the North Surrey District School at Anerley, Penge, Kent, on 2 September 1898 [Swaffield Road Workhouse Creed Register,1896-1900]. His nearest known relative, his mother, was noted as c/o Miss Jennings, Pembroke Road, Walthamstow, and then at Much Hadham, Hertfordshire [Anerley School, Register of Children, 1885-1904]. At the time of the Census on 31 March 1901, the boy William Shepherd, aged 10, was at the North Surrey District School, pauper inmate, scholar [1901 Census, RG13/652-168-24]. He was discharged from the School 'to Service' on 22 April 1902 [Anerley School, Register of Children, 1885-1904, image 347-8] but was again admitted to the School, 13 June 1902. He enlisted in the Royal Navy School of Music (Royal Marine Light Infantry, Portsmouth Division), 12 December 1903 [Little (2017) 413] and was discharged from Anerley to the Training Ship Exmouth (moored in the Thames), 10 August 1904 [District School Register of Children; Register of Children Admitted to Infirmary & Workhouse, 1890-1904]. His subsequent history is provided by Brad Little [pages 417-427]. He was assigned to Eastney Barracks, Portsmouth, 7 November 1907, to HMS Good Hope, 13 March 1909, to HMS King Edward VII, 4 August 1909, to the Royal Marines Band, was assigned to HMS Drake, 30 November 1911, arrived at Sydney, New South Wales, 27 July 1912, transferred to HMS Penguin and discharged, 28 December 1912. He married at St Matthias, Paddington, New South Wales, 23 September 1916,Hughina Catherine McPhee (1889-1970), and died at Kingsford, Sydney, 5 April 1981.
The Register of Births in Wandsworth Workhouse shows that an illegitimate female child was born to Ellen Shepherd, from Battersea, on 30 January 1893, but sections of the form showing when and where she was baptised and in what name were left blank [Register of Births in Wandsworth Workhouse, 1866-1906, image 37]. Ellen had been admitted to the Workhouse on 2 January 1893; her 'infant' was admitted on 30 January and mother and child were discharged on 27 February 1893 [Wandsworth Index to Admission and Discharge Registers 1890-96, image 775], but the name of the child does not appear.
Brad Little has assumed [Little (2017) page 409] that this is the Alice Shepherd who also appears in the census returns for 31 March 1901 at the North Surrey District School, Anerley, described as aged 8, pauper inmate, scholar [1901 Census, RG13/652-176-89].However, searches have shown that the child Alice Shepherd, aged 7, had been admitted from 49 King William Street [where, according to the 1902 Post Office Directory, Mrs Mary Argent kept refreshment rooms and Charles George Biddle & Co were photographers], to the City of London Union Workhouse, 26 June 1900, and was sent to the Hanworth Schools, 28 June 1900, but returned from there 'on account of alteration of day & want of room in Probation Ward', and having 'No home' was sent again to the Hanworth Schools, 5 July 1900 [City of London Union Workhouse: admissions and discharges, images 968-9]. Alice was there admitted 5 July 1900 as having been 'Deserted' but it was noted that she had a sister Marian Swinstree (recte Simester) at 49 King William Street (the address struck through and '8 King Street, Covent Garden' added in pencil). On 19 October 1900 justices for the City of London Union ordered that Alice be sent to the Wandsworth and Clapham Union, she being aged about 8 years, inhabiting the parish of St Botolph Aldgate, having become chargeable on 12 July 1900 and her last legal settlement being Streatham [City of London: Orders of Removal: Settlement and Relief 1900-1901 (images 41-49)]. Evidence was given that Alice was an inmate at the Central London District School 'through distress', was the lawful child of Stephen Shepherd (who had absconded some twelve months ago) and Mary his wife (now deceased), and that Stephen was legally settled in Streatham having been a resident there for 3 years and Alice being born in Streatham. On 3 May 1901 the Wandsworth Union asked the London Union if it had further information about Alice's father, his relatives and friends, so that a warrant could be issued against him for desertion of the child; she had been passed to Wandsworth on 4 January 1900 as the result of an Order on 24 November 1899. The Wandsworth Union papers [Wandsworth: Orders of Removal, Inwards, 1900 (images 359-370) include a copy (dated 12 November 1900) of the child's birth certificate, Alice Mary having been born at 39 Leverson Street, Streatham, 1 December 1892, the daughter of Stephen James Shepherd and Mary Ann Shepherd formerly Bush, general labourer, the information of birth being given to the Registrar by S.J. Shepherd, father, 5 Ridgway Road, Brixton, 12 January 1893. Mr J. Scott for the London Union wrote on 8 May 1901 that Alice had been admitted to Homerton Workhouse from 49 King William Street, E.C., on 12 July 1900, and had been residing with Mrs Simester for 8 days at 13 Mortlock Gardens, Peckham; her father had absconded 12 months ago and had not been seen since; he had been ordered to pay ten shillings a week for the support of three children, one of which was Alice, the other two were now earning their own living; the parents had resided in Streatham a number of years; Mr Charles and Mr Brownlow, Relieving Officer, 'know the case well'. A rough note on the Wandsworth Removal Orders file says 'NB Man sentenced to 3 mos H.L. (re Alice) on 29 Aug 1902'. A note from the City, 20 October 1900, said that Alice was now chargeable and at the City of London School, Hanwell, having been received by Wandsworth, 22 October 1900. Alice was discharged as having been 'Removed to Settlement (Wandsworth & Clapham)', 4 January 1901 [Central London School District, The Hanworth Schools, Register of Children 1876-1918, images 54-55] and she was admitted to Swaffield Road Workhouse on that date, being discharged to Anerley on 1 February 1901 [Swaffield Road Workhouse: Creed Register 1896-1900, page 212]. The School Register shows her as born 1892 and admitted 1 February 1901, passed from the City of London, her mother dead, her father's address unknown, and her sister Marian Simester of 15 St Agnes Place, Kennington Park. The 1901 Census of 15 St Agnes Place, Kennington Park, Southwark, shows Marion Elizabeth Simester, aged 22, born at Norwood, the wife of Sebert Septimus Simester, aged 25, bus conductor, born at Shepherds Bush [1901 Census, RG13/382-59-43], a couple who had married in Southwark in 1898. Alice was discharged to the care of her sister Mrs Simester, 21 Bath House, Bath Terrace, Newington Causeway, 20 March 1912 [North Surrey District School, Register of Children 1885-1904, image 361]. Marion Elizabeth Shepherd had been born 29 August 1878 and baptised at Holy Trinity, Upper Tooting, 19 June 1881, the daughter of Stephen James Shepherd and his wife Mary Anne, of 11 Trinity Road, Upper Tooting, coachman [Registers, Page 119] who were at that addess in the 1881 Census [RG11/664-39-26] and had married at St Jude's Church, Upper Chelsea, 1 February 1877, when Stephen James Shepherd described himself as 32, bachelor, coachman, of 1 Dove Court, the son of William Shepherd, coachman, deceased, and Mary Ann Bush described herself as aged 26, also of Dove Court, daughter of Christopher Bush, farmer, deceased. Stephen James Shepherd had been born 6 September 1846 and baptised at St Leonard, Streatham, 11 October 1846, the son of William and Elizabeth Shepherd, of Wells Lane, labourer [Registers, Page 172, no Entry number]. The Simesters were both alive in 1939 [1939 Register for 25 Norbury Crescent, Croydon]. The later history of the child Alice Mary Shepherd has not been researched.
It is thus clear that Alice was not Ellen's child. Efforts to identify the registration of the birth of Ellen's daughter on 30 January 1893 were not successful, but it was found that she was baptised at St Peter, Battersea (the same church as William James) as Lizzie Ellen Shepherd on 21 May 1893, born 30 January 1893, daughter of Ellen Mary Shepherd, of 109 Livingston Road, (occupation blank) [Registers, Entry 1815, Page 227].
On 14 December 1900, Ellen Shepherd, 'born 1867', with her religious persuasion un-stated, was admitted to the Swaffield Road Workhouse. She was discharged and re-admitted on 23 January 1901 [Creed Register, 1896-1900, page 212]. The next Creed Register says that 'Ellen Shepperd' admitted herself from Battersea, to Wandsworth Workhouse on 23 January 1901 as a Roman Catholic [Creed Register 1900-3 (image 517)]. She was still in the Workhouse when the Census was taken on 31 March 1901, described as Ellen Shepherd, inmate, general domestic servant, aged 31 [1901 Census, RG13/488-77-22]. She was discharged from the Workhouse on 15 May 1901 'to Service' (she being said to be born 1867; her religion unstated), but was again admitted from 21 August 1901 until 13 January 1902 when discharged to Outdoor Relief. She was re-admitted to 10 May 1902 when discharged to Outdoor Relief but re-admitted that day until 28 June 1902 when discharged to Outdoor Relief. She was admitted from 27 September 1902 until 24 October 1902 when discharged to Tooting. She was admitted from 1 May 1903 to 18 May 1903 but re-admitted that day until discharged to Outdoor Relief 3 July 1903. She was admitted 17 November 1903 (on 12 December 1903 she was next-of-kin when her son enlisted in the Royal Navy School of Music; Little (2017) 413) to 26 December 1903 when 'Discharged to be married, now under name of Martin (Folio 140)' [Swaffield Road Workhouse: Creed Register 1900-1905 (folio 180)]. The Register continues to say that she was born 1867 and from 1903 she was described as a Roman Catholic.
Ellen Shepheard married John Martin on 26 December 1903 at the Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart, Trott Street, Battersea. She described herself as aged 39, spinster, of the Union Workhouse, Wandsworth, daughter of William James (sic) Shepheard, deceased, Private in a Foot Regiment. John Martin described himself as aged 48, bachelor, general labourer, of the Union Workhouse, the son of John Martin, pensioned police constable. The witnesses were H.E. Marchant and A.M. Armstrong. With that information about her father-in-law it was possible to identify John Martin's father as a John Martin, born at Clapham, Surrey, 16 April 1831 (son of John and Eliza Martin) who joined the Metropolitan Police 26 July 1858, was a constable throughout, and who resigned on account of chronic rheumatism, 6 May 1875, being entitled to a pension of £39-0-0 commencing 7 May 1875. He had a wife Sarah Martin and intended to reside at 2 Elizabeth Place, Lawson Street, and was presently at Great Dover Street, SE [Metropolitan Police Pension Registers, 1852-1932]. He appears in the 1861 Census as a Police Constable at 240 Blackfriars Road, Southwark [1861 Census, RG9/312-175-24], and as a laborer in the 1881 Census at 8 George Street, Battersea [1881 Census, RG11/641-35-2]. In 1861 he had, with other children, a son John S Martin, aged 6, who was unmarried, aged 25, in 1881, a carman, and who seems likely to be the John Stephen Martin whose birth was registered at Lambeth in the March Quarter of 1855 [GRO Birth Index, 1d 333].
As Ellen Martin she was admitted to the Workhouse 26 December 1903 but discharged to the Infirmary 22 February 1904. She was admitted to the Workhouse 17 March 1904 and discharged to the Infirmary 4 June 1904. She had apparently given birth to a son, John Stephen Martin, there on 14 May 1904 [Births in Wandsworth Workhouse; GRO Birth Index, June Quarter 1904, Wandsworth, 1d 748] but the child died, aged 0 [GRO Death Index, June Quarter 1904, Wandsworth 1d 327]. She was admited to the Workhouse 11 June 1904 but discharged c/o her husband 23 June 1904. She was admitted to the Workhouse 28 September 1904 - 31 March 1905 when discharged to Outdoor Relief and was again in the Workhouse 6 April 1905 - 23 June 1905 [Swaffield Road Workhouse: Creed Register 1900-1905].
Ellen Martin, aged 38, was admitted into the Workouse with her husband John Martin, aged 47, and a child Mabel, aged 1, all Catholics, on 15 May 1906 (folio 150). They were again admitted 24 September 1906 when he was discharged, but his wife and child were sent to the Infirmary (folio 262). The three were again admitted 8 June 1907 (folio 157) [Swaffield Road Workhouse: Creed Register 1905-1907; the more detailed parallel Creed Register has not been searched]. The three were again admitted 10 October 1907 (folio 103) when Mabel was sent to the Infirmary. The birth of the child Mabel Martin was registered at Wandsworth in the June Quarter of 1905 [GRO Birth Index, 5c 50] and her death, aged 1, in the December Quarter of 1907 [GRO Death Index, 1d 301]. John and Ellen were again admitted 12 November 1907 (folio 144) and again 13 October 1908 (folio 434) when she went to the Infirmary [Swaffield Road Workhouse: Creed Register 1907-1909]. John Martin was admitted 3 June 1909 (folio 58) and 18 September 1909 (folio 127). Ellen was admitted with a son Robert George, aged 1, 27 July 1909 and sent to the Infirmary (folio 90) and John was admitted 22 March 1910 (folio 259) and sent to the Infirmary [Creed Register 1909-1911]. The birth of the child Robert George Martin was registered at Wandsworth in the June Quarter [GRO Birth Index, 1d 707] and his death, aged 0, in the September Quarter [GRO Death Index, 1d 252], both in 1909.
John Martin continued to be admitted for periods until the Registers available online end in 1915, but the only mention of Ellen was when she, aged 43, was admitted by the Master on 15 April 1910 and sent to the Old Infirmary (folio 274) [Creed Register 1909-1911], being again admitted and sent to the Old Infirmary 1 (?7) February 1911 (folio 149) [Creed Register 1911-1915]. Brad Little had presumed that Ellen died in 1910 [Little (2017) 420, 445] but she must be the Mary Ellen Martin, patient, aged 46, married 8 years, 5 children (1 living, 4 dead), born Wandsworth, in the 1911 Census at Wandsworth Union Workhouse Infirmary, St John's Hill, Battersea, London, S.W., and she died there of rheumatoid arthritis and Bright's disease on 28 September1911, aged 45, being described as a domestic servant, the wife of John Martin, a general labourer, of 112 Livingstone Road, Battersea [GRO Death Certificate]. The 1911 Census of 112 Livingstone Road shows only Joseph Pond and family in 4 rooms and Robert Millsom and family in 2 rooms. John Martin was himself found in the Swaffield Road Workhouse in the 1911 Census when he was described as inmate, aged 56, married, builder's labourer, born Clapham, London, and his death seems likely to be that registered at Wandsworth in the December Quarter of 1933, aged 79 [GRO Death Index, 1d 615].
Ellen Shepherd's father, William Thomas Shepheard, was baptised at St Leonard Shoreditch, 26 August 1838, the son of Edward William and Mary Akerman Shepheard, of New North Road, turner [Registers, Page 67, Entry 531]. He is probably the William Shepherd, lodger, unmarried, bone turner, at No 1 Park Street, Shoreditch, in 1861 [RG9/239-80-2]. He seems to have married firstly at St Jude, Bethnal Green, 25 November 1861, describing himself as William Thomas Shephard, aged 24, bachelor, ivory turner, of 50 Hope Street, son of Edward Shephard, ivory turner, and marrying Mary Ann Sexton, aged 24, widow, of the same address, daughter of Henry Stratford, labourer. The witnesses were John Mills and Thomas Porter [Registers, Page 237, Entry 473]. However, William Thomas Shepheard seems also to have married secondly at St James, Shoreditch, 25 May 1863, as aged 26, bachelor, ivory turner, of 8 Worship Street, the son of Edward Shepheard, ivory turner, to Emily Louisa Davey, aged 21, spinster, of the same address, daughter of William Davey, tailor. The witnesses were William Clince and Maria Hodges [Registers, Page 180, Entry 360]. However again, he seems to have married thirdly at St Peter, West Hackney, 14 December 1869, as William Shepheard, of full age, widower, turner, of De Beauvoir Town, the son of Edward Shepheard, turner, to Mary Ann Goode, of full age, widow, of De Beauvoir Town, daughter of William James, wheelwright. He signed as William Shepheard and she made her mark. The witnesses were Elizabeth White and Frederick Fisher [Registers, Page 187, Entry 374].
This Mary Ann James, of full age, spinster, of Berkley Street, daughter of William James, wheelwright, had married firstly, also at St Peter, Hackney, by banns, 8 April 1867, William Goode, widower, gentleman, of Berkley Street, son of William Goode, gentleman. The witnesses were Edward William Shepheard and Ellen James [Registers, Page 230, Entry 459]. Mary Ann's first husband, William Goode, to whom she had been a servant in 1861 [1861 Census, RG9/192-90-27], had died a year after the marriage on 9 September 1868 at 6 East Street, Hoxton [Principal Probate Registry, Calendar of Grants]. Although himself married with children he seems to have fathered Samuel James Goode in 1864. By his first wife Frances Elizabeth, William Goode had a son Henry William Goode (1835-1902) who played a prominent part in the life of his step-mother's daughter Ellen Shepheard.
Henry William Goode was born 1 May 1835 and baptised at St Andrew, Holborn, 2 June 1835, the son of William Goode and his wife Frances Elizabeth; William was then a merchant in Ely Place, Holborn [Registers, Page 471, Entry 3766]. William Good (sic) came from Warwickshire and was an oil merchant, aged 45, at 23 Frederic Place, Finsbury, in 1851 [1851 Census, HO107/1502-177-21]. In 1861 when 26 his son Henry William Goode was living with his sisters at 526 Oxford Street, Bloomsbury, and described himself as a dealer in Chinese curiosities [1861 Census, RG9/107-43-19]. On 1 October 1872 his partnership with William Paas, at 32 King William Street, City of London, as retail dealers in Chinese and Japanese wares, trading as W. H. Goode & Co., was dissolved by mutual consent, he carrying on the business alone [London Gazette, 18 October 1872, page 4955]. From at least 1875 to 1895 Henry William Goode & Co, curiosity dealers, direct importers of chinese and japanese goods, gongs, etc., had an address at 32 or 39A King William Street in the City [London Post Office Directories]. By 1881 he was living at 2 Bellefields Road, Stockwell, oriental importer, with a wife and one child [1881 Census, RG11/620-6-5]. In 1891 and 1901 he was living at 43 Loughborough Park, Brixton, describing himself as a tea merchant or dealer [1891 Census, RG12/414-115-3; 1901 Census, RG 13/431-100-7]. He left no Will or Administration and was buried from that address in Norwood Cemetery, 11 November 1902, aged 67 [Registers, Page 12889, Entry A32273; GRO Death Index, Lambeth 1d 291]. In 1911 his deaf and dumb widow and a daughter (a dress and mantle maker) were in one room at 47 Alma Street, Hoxton [RG14/1336].
There seems to be some uncertainty about the background of Henry William Goode. Details on Ancestry show that his parents were William Goode (who died in 1868) and Frances Elizabeth Fleetwood (who died in 1861) who had married at Holborn in 1834 (but latterly lived seperately). Frances Elizabeth was the daughter of Mary Ann Mansell by her first husband Joseph Fleetwood whom she had married in 1810. Mary Ann, born about 1793, subsequently married John Paas, an engraver and stationer in Holborn who died in 1832 and was presumably related to the John Paas who was later (prior to 1872) the partner of Henry William Goode. These relationships need exploring in greater detail. Frances E. Good was living with Mary Ann Paas in 1861 and described as her 'daughter' [1861 Census, RG9/64-94-10] whilst William Goode was living with Mary Ann James [1861 Census, RG9/192-90-27]. There was a case in Chancery in 1866, Paas v. Mansell, involving George Thomas Mansell, William Goode, Henry William Goode, Thomas Walkinshaw Goode, Thomas Mendham, Frances Mendham his wife (formerly Frances Goode) and others [The National Archives, C16/364/P11] and there are other Paas wills in the National Archives which together may throw further light on the family. William Goode died in 1868 at 6 East Street, Hoxton [PPR will proved (under £2,000) in 1869]. His wife, Frances Elizabeth, had died in 1861 but administration of her estate (under £1,500) was not granted to Henry William Goode until 1869.
When Ellen's illegitimate son, William James Shepherd, married in New South Wales in 1916 he invented a name, Horatio Shepherd, for the father he had never known and said that his mother was Ellen Goode [Little (2017) 497]. He seems thus to have thought that she was the daughter of Henry William Goode (1835-1902), a friend of the family whose wife was deaf and dumb. Brad Little says that the son William James Shepherd 'referred to his mother as "the Good Shepherd" (with a chuckle)' [Little (2017) 31] which may suggest that he knew that Goode was his father. Was that why he took to Australia the two rare Chineses vases [Little (2017) pages 56-57] which, I surmise, had been presents from Goode's shop to his mother and a reminder of happier days? With his feet firmly on the ground William James Shepherd would have dismissed out of hand the worthless stories of royal ancestry which were so often told by nuns and carers, and which supposedly bolstered the self confidence of those born in similar circumstances.
Anthony J. Camp,
28 January 2020 (amended re birth of Lizzie Ellen Shepherd in 1893, 31 January 2010).