Contessoir

[Woodsmoke]

I think this document probably relates to FW's father, who was also a seaman:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d...doc_Id=6935959

You can download it for £3.50, but never having downloaded any naval documents myself, I have no idea what information it's likely to contain.

Mary - I downloaded the suggested document & thought you might be interested in a little feedback, others might as well.
FW Harnett - dob 24/07/1884 - joined Royal Navy 24/07/1902 & served for 12 yrs - occupation Boilerboy - 5ft 3in - complexion Dark - scar left side of face - served on 12 ships - was recovered from desertion Oct.1902 & sent to Chatham? before being sent to HMS Pembroke - was written up for insubordination Sept.03 - left the Navy in1914

How interesting & just a pity that there is not more to read, some of this particular page is missing(bottom right corner) & bits are very difficult to read but lovely to have just the same. Thank you for the pointer Mary.

[Mary from Italy]

How fascinating, and what a pity there isn't more

You can always post here the parts you're having trouble reading; somebody may be able to help. You'll need to upload them to a photosharing site like Photobucket or Flickr first.

[Woodsmoke]

(He was born Eolus Victor E Caunter, 1901).

Woodsmoke - thanks for that. So Eileen gave her grandfather's name as that of her father, which is quite usual under the circumstances. The fact that the MC is a copy and not an original, gives lots of scope for mistranscription - was it a Church wedding, please?

I have three different copies of a marriage cert for one of my ancestors. One taken as a photocopy of the church record, one a photocopy from the local RO and one a modern handwritten copy from the GRO. You would hardly know it was the same people marrying because the information is so mangled up - they have each other's fathers listed on the GRO copy, their addresses have gone from South Street to Smith Street (and both addresses exist!). So it would not surprise me in the slightest if somewhere along the line, the Caunter Squire bit got transposed to Frederick's side of the marriage cert.

OC

OC - Might I ask you how you know Eileen gave her grandfathers name as that of her father? I got confused when I searched for the Naval records of Charles Henry Squire & can only find 1 that matches but he was born 16/02/1901, so I assume this was not her grandfather??

[Mary from Italy]

Charles Henry is the grandfather she was living with in 1911.

[Woodsmoke]

Mary - I am guessing that this info. came from the 1911 Census? ok, thanks.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Woodsmoke

I have received your pm but will answer on here as it is the same as your post 83 above.

As Mary says, she was living with her grandfather Charles Henry Squires in 1911 and as he presumably brought her up, she gave his name as her father on her marriage certificate. This was quite usual when someone was illegitimate and was embarrassed about it, or didn't actually know who their natural father was.

OC

EDIT - Just to labour the point - your post 60 on this thread gives us the information that Eileen said her father was Charles Henry Squires on her marriage cert - he wasn't her father, he was her grandfather.

[Mary from Italy]

Mary - I am guessing that this info. came from the 1911 Census? ok, thanks.

Yes, see post #48.

As I said earlier, you can view the censuses on Ancestry (or FindmyPast, but I prefer Ancestry personally) by getting a 14-day free trial or using it free at your local library.

[Woodsmoke]

Mary/OC - Thank you both & to all the others that have assisted in any way with this thread, it is much appreciated.

[Olde Crone Holden]

Woodsmoke

Well we are all still here and desperate to help, so don't be afraid of asking more questions!

OC