James Henry Leake

[Cassy]

Hi - I'd be grateful for help on this matter please. I am researching James Henry Leake born 1866 in Staveley, Derbyshire. I know that he died between April 1911 and May 1914 as he is on the 1911 Census (living at 35 Bournville Lane, Stirchley, Birmingham with his wife Emma) and that on the marriage banns of eldest daughter Alice in May 1914 he is shown as deceased. However the General Register Office are not able to find a record of his death. The Birmingham Record Office can only find an unknown male aged about 40 who was drowned in the Birmingham and Worcestershire Canal in July 1911 and suspect that it may be him. I tried to obtain a copy of the coroners report but unfortunately all the reports prior to 1948 in that area were used in WW2 as salvage. I have had a short search of local newspapers done but nothing was found. I've asked surviving relatives but they tell me that he was never spoken about. I've run out of ideas on how to find out about his death and wonder if anyone can suggest what I might do now. Many thanks.

[Guest]

found the newspaper report will pm you are you sure of his name ?

[Guest]

there is a newspaper report of that drowning it was a Samuel Danks 26 Aug 1911

[Janet in Yorkshire]

Is it possible there was some kind of family split and James left the marital home, so that as far as the family was concerned, he was "dead" and never spoken of again?

Jay

[Guest]

I wondered that too

[Cassy]

The body was found on 7 July 1911 in the Birmingham and Worcester Canal at Breedon Cross, Strirchley, Birmingham which is very close to where James Henry Leake lived (35 Bournville Lane, Stirchley). His name is definitely right by the way. The inquest was held on 11 July 1911 by the North Worcestershire Coroner as Stirchley came under Worcestershire in 1911.

I think there may have been a family rift. On the 1901 Census James Henry Leake was living with his sister Eliza and brother in law in Staveley, Derbyshire. Of course I don't know if he was just visiting on that particular day. His wife Emma was living at the house of James Pearce at 54 Bournville Lane and is shown as a "visitor". On the 1911 Census James Henry Leake is living with Emma at 35 Bournville Lane and James Pearce is shown living there as a boarder. Emma signed the Census which I would thought would normally be signed by the head of house, making me think that he was actually absent or not capable of signing.

Interestingly Emma's two youngest children were named "William Pearce Leake and Lillian Pearce Leake". The two older children, Alice and Albert, were not given the name Pearce. I have their birth and marriage certificates and their father is shown as James Henry Leake, but I do wonder if it was actually James Pearce.

Can you tell me more about the newspaper article on Samuel Danks please? It might help eliminate it being James Henry Leake.

Thank you so much for all your help.

[Guest]

have emailed you

[vera2013]

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbc%2f1911%2frg14%2f21105%2f0621%2f8

Found this on FMP

1911 Census

James Leake, Boarder, married, aged 46, born 1865 Staveley, Derbyshire, Iron Moulder

living with the Symonds family at 32 Princess Street, Brimington, Derbyshire

Cant see it on Ancestry

Vera

[Night Owl]

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/recor...105%2f0621%2f8

Found this on FMP

1911 Census

James Leake, Boarder, married, aged 46, born 1865 Staveley, Derbyshire, Iron Moulder

living with the Symonds family at 32 Princess Street, Brimington, Derbyshire

Cant see it on Ancestry

Vera

That's interesting Vera. Its here on Ancestry but has been transcribed with the forename and surname the wrong way round

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2352/rg14_21105_0621_03/21115800?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3frank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-c%26gsfn%3dleake%26gsln%3djames%26uidh%3di03%26pcat%3d1911UKI%26h%3d21115800%26db%3d1911England%26indiv%3d1%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

[Cassy]

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/recor...105%2f0621%2f8

Found this on FMP

1911 Census



James Leake, Boarder, married, aged 46, born 1865 Staveley, Derbyshire, Iron Moulder

living with the Symonds family at 32 Princess Street, Brimington, Derbyshire

Cant see it on Ancestry

Vera

Thanks Vera

I've found it on Ancestry by searching on Symonds. This is interesting because he is a cast iron pipe moulder on the 1901 Census when he was living with his sister in Staveley - a couple of miles from Brimington.

I wonder if he wasn't actually with his wife in Birmingham in 1911 but she entered him on the Census? It would make sense as it seems his sons and daughters didn't talk about him (ie - he wasn't around!), and a death in Birmingham can't be found. I haven't been able to find a death in Derbyshire for him though.

Carole

[Janet in Yorkshire]

There's one much later death reg in Worksop Reg dist, which is in the Chesterfield locality - James Leake Dec qtr 1927 - 60 yrs.

Were some of the children down as Leake in 1911? - he may have been added to make it all look respectable.

Jay

ETA - if you look here, this shows how the Workshop Reg Dist covered bits of 3 different counties.

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/districts/worksop.html

[vera2013]

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&uidh=000&rank=1&new=1&msT=1&MS_AdvCB=1&MSAV=2&gsfn_x=XO&gsln_x=XO&cp=0&cpxt=0&catBucket=rstp&_80018003=Leake&_F0005648=7b&_F0006310=1564&_80004003=Symonds&db=ONSmarriage1984&r=5538&noredir=true&gss=angs-d&pcat=BMD_MARRIAGE&fh=0&h=63871490&recoff=&ml_rpos=1&hovR=1

If this is your James, he was still alive 1916. Married the lady he boarded with in 1911

James Leake
Spouse Symonds

2nd Q 1916
Chesterfield Registration

7b 1564

Spouse Dorothy Ann Symonds.

Vera

[Cassy]

There's one much later death reg in Worksop Reg dist, which is in the Chesterfield locality - James Leake Dec qtr 1927 - 60 yrs.

Were some of the children down as Leake in 1911? - he may have been added to make it all look respectable.

Jay

ETA - if you look here, this shows how the Workshop Reg Dist covered bits of 3 different counties.
http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/d...s/worksop.html

All the four children were called Leake, but the two youngest ones were given a middle name of Pearce - William Pearce Leake and Lilian Evelyn Pearce Leake.

[Cassy]

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin..._rpos=1&hovR=1

If this is your James, he was still alive 1916. Married the lady he boarded with in 1911

James Leake
Spouse Symonds

2nd Q 1916
Chesterfield Registration

7b 1564

Spouse Dorothy Ann Symonds.

Vera

I wonder how to check it is the right person. Also - on his eldest daughter's marriage banns in May 1914 he is shown as deceased. I suppose that is not necessarily correct though - perhaps she assumed he was deceased.

[vera2013]

Cassy

The marriage cert entry for eldest daughter could just be a cover up for the fact that the parents split.

I have looked for another James H in the Derbyshire area. There is one but he is with family through to 1911. I note that on the 1911 census form that Emma signed, James H is recorded as being born in Sheffield so he was not likely to have been there at the time the form was completed.

I have looked for a possible death for Dorothy A and James H. Seeing a Dorothy A in Staincliffe, Yorkshire but no fuller records on that death.

As well as the death that Jay found post 11, I saw a death in Chesterfield for an 80+ years James.

Can't see any criminal records relating to the marriage on Ancestry. Looking for newspaper articles, death notices may show up something.

Vera

[Guest]

dont know whether this will help or not but, if that is the marriage of James to Dorothy then her maiden name was Dorothy Ann Musgrove born 1863 Brimington Derbyshire she married an
Alfred Symonds born abt 1856 died in 1908 Chesterfield Derbyshire

Think this might be her death Dorothy A Leake born 1863 died 1st quarter of 1949 Staincliffe in Yorkshire 2D 506

as she died in Yorkshire wonder if this is his death

James Leake born 1862 died 1st quarter of 1925 Pontefract Yorkshire 9C 145

check this out before ordering anything as I am tired tonight and may have made a mistake

[Guest]

this death for him might be nearer the mark
James Leake born 1866 died 1st quarter 1942 York Yorkshire 9C 1455

[Guest]

james leake will.JPG this is that ones probate on that will site

[Guest]

or this death
James Leake born abt 1867 died 4th quarter of 1952 Chesterfield Derbyshire 3A 113

[Guest]

1952.JPG and this is his details on the will site