Brett

[angela32nd]

My husbands mother died recently and we are unable to find a birth certificate. Where do you suggest we start? Her birthdate was 24th December 1919. She was born in Norfolk - place unknown, possibly around North Walsham - we suspect she was born of an unmarried mother. I am unable to find her in the births for that period.

[Jessbowbag]

what was her name, please. I will have a look for you if you like.

[angela32nd]

Miriam Doreen Alcock

[Jessbowbag]

That was her maiden name, yes? Alcock?

[angela32nd]

that was on her marriage certificate

[Margaret in Burton]

Do you happen to know her mothers maiden name? I presume you believe it was Alcock if you think her mother was unmarried?

Was there a fathers name on the marriage cert? If so what was it?

[angela32nd]

The fathers name was blank - she was a very secretive woman. She had a sister Lily but that doesn't mean it was her first name!

[Margaret in Burton]

Did a 5 year search around 1919 in Norfolk

The only Alcocks with mother Alcock born in that time frame were

Sep qtr 1919 Peggy V Alcock
Reg dis Mitford 4b 341

Doris M Alcock Dec qtr 1919
Freebridge Lynn 4b 449

I suppose Doris could be Doreen, Names were always changed around. I wonder if the M was for Miriam


Was Lily older or younger?

[Margaret in Burton]

Is her name Miriam Doreen formerly Alcock on your husbands birth cert?

[frostbarter]

Could Minnie be short for Mildred, I have found a Mildred D Allcock mother's maiden name Allcock, born 1920 Jan/Feb/March, Walsingham Norfolk, vol 4b pg 578. It is Allcock not Alcock.

Barbara

[angela32nd]

We think Lily was older. Not thought of looking at hubby's birth certificate - but can't remember it being on there. Will have a look for it.

[SuffolkSue]

How did she get on when applying for her pension or anything else you need a birth cert for?

:confused:

[angela32nd]

Do you think it could have been transcribed as Mildred instead of Mririam? If so how do I view the original? or do I just order a copy of the certificate and cross fingers??? Maybe the birth was registered slightly late as it was over Christmas?

[angela32nd]

I don't know how she got a pension etc. but there isn't a certificate anywhere that we can find.

[Jessbowbag]

Given that she was born christmas eve, its more than likely to be registered Q1 of the following year.

What was her mothers name??

[angela32nd]

Possibly Frances Catherine and died around 1985

[angela32nd]

nothing on husbands birth certificate! It's not much bigger than a postage stamp!! Will have to send for another one. It just says receipt.

[Margaret in Burton]

Was Frances Catherine still an Allcock or Alcock when she died as no one of that name died 1984-2005

[Margaret in Burton]

nothing on husbands birth certificate! It's not much bigger than a postage stamp!! Will have to send for another one. It just says receipt.

Yes, thats just the short cert. You don't get parents names on that.

[angela32nd]

It is all so frustrating as we have very little to go on. Nobody recalls Frances getting married.

[Margaret in Burton]

Then she died before 1984 perhaps.

Where did she die and what sort of age was she?

[Christine in Herts]

Could Minnie be short for Mildred, I have found a Mildred D Allcock mother's maiden name Allcock, born 1920 Jan/Feb/March, Walsingham Norfolk, vol 4b pg 578. It is Allcock not Alcock.

Barbara

Even in C20th people have varied their surname spellings. The addition or loss of a doubled letter wouldn't be particularly unusual. As spelling for records became more critical (card-indexes, computers), names became more fixed... but people have still decided they preferred a different version of a name for one reason or another.

If everything else is a plausible fit, then you shouldn't rule something out just for the sake of a double/single letter discrepancy.

Christine

[angela32nd]

One family member can remember a lady coming to tell Miriam that her mother had died and she went home and that was about 1985. She was living at Aldborough in Norfolk then.

[Canadian Cousin]

Do you think it could have been transcribed as Mildred instead of Miriam? If so how do I view the original? or do I just order a copy of the certificate and cross fingers??? Maybe the birth was registered slightly late as it was over Christmas?

Hi Angela,

Another possibility is that she was given the name Mildred at birth and decided she preferred Miriam instead when she got older. In which case I think your only hope of knowing whether you have the right birth would be if the mother's name matches what you expect (i.e., Frances Catherine).

Good luck -

Tim

[angela32nd]

We have had a reply from GRO saying they cannot find a Miriam Al(l)cock in Norfolk for the period we want. Any other ideas anyone?

[Glen in Tinsel Knickers]

Might be worth trying local registrars in Norfolk, if they can't find a match they shouldn't charge. As long as you try and narrow the search to a year (possibly two) and explain the problem they should be able to look for you, it's certainly worth a try.

Norfolk register office details are in the wiki;

Norfolk - Family Tree Forum (http://www.familytreeforum.com/wiki/index.php/Norfolk#Register_Office)

[angela32nd]

Is her name Miriam Doreen formerly Alcock on your husbands birth cert?

Yes, it is