Hi – Long time lurker – hoping that someone may be able to help me solve a problem I have.
I am researching my mother-in-law’s family – Russell. Her father was James Russell, born on 12/7/1894 – this date is confirmed in the 1939 Register and his school admission record. I have also found a baptism record on 29/7/1894 at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, which whilst it doesn’t show his DOB, his father is shown as Alfred with a relatively unusual occupation as Sawdust Dealer, which is what is shown on his marriage certificate.
So far so good, but what I can’t find is a record of his birth on the GRO index – I have searched various spellings, just on the surname, and I have even asked the GRO to do a search – and they found nothing. His mother’s name was Lydia Gregory before her marriage to Alfred.
In the baptism records, I also found his brothers & sisters:
Lydia – born 5/5/1887
Alfred Joseph – born 12/11/1888
Mary Ann Louisa – born 8/1/1893
Caroline – born 18/7/1897
Ada – born 8/12/1898
There’s also a Rosina Martha born 25/1/1891, which I think may be a sister.
You would think with all this detail, it would be easy to find their ‘official’ birth records, but I have been unable to find any of them ( aside from Alfred & Rosina) on the GRO index with the mothers maiden name of Gregory. I thought it may be that their father had remarried and they had a different mother, but again I can’t find births registered with a common mothers surname for these children.
What makes it more confusing are the census records
1891 –is OK showing Lydia & Alfred with their first 3 children – Alfred, Lydia & Rosey.
1901 – I have found what appears to be Alfred & Lydia ( his occupation is shown as a Sawdust dealer and the ages are right – with only 2 children – Lydia & Alfred. I have searched the other children’s names and couldn’t find them with relatives etc.
1911 – Father Alfred is dead (1909) and I assume mother Lydia is (although she could have remarried). Some of the children ( Rosina, Mary, James, Caroline & Ada) are now living with a cousin.
Sorry for the lengthy story, but what I am trying to get to is, how likely is it that these children’s births would not be registered. Usually I find missing births have been mis-transcribed/mis-spelt etc, but these have me stumped. If anyone has any suggestions ideas, they would be most welcome.
I am researching my mother-in-law’s family – Russell. Her father was James Russell, born on 12/7/1894 – this date is confirmed in the 1939 Register and his school admission record. I have also found a baptism record on 29/7/1894 at St Mary Magdalene, Bermondsey, which whilst it doesn’t show his DOB, his father is shown as Alfred with a relatively unusual occupation as Sawdust Dealer, which is what is shown on his marriage certificate.
So far so good, but what I can’t find is a record of his birth on the GRO index – I have searched various spellings, just on the surname, and I have even asked the GRO to do a search – and they found nothing. His mother’s name was Lydia Gregory before her marriage to Alfred.
In the baptism records, I also found his brothers & sisters:
Lydia – born 5/5/1887
Alfred Joseph – born 12/11/1888
Mary Ann Louisa – born 8/1/1893
Caroline – born 18/7/1897
Ada – born 8/12/1898
There’s also a Rosina Martha born 25/1/1891, which I think may be a sister.
You would think with all this detail, it would be easy to find their ‘official’ birth records, but I have been unable to find any of them ( aside from Alfred & Rosina) on the GRO index with the mothers maiden name of Gregory. I thought it may be that their father had remarried and they had a different mother, but again I can’t find births registered with a common mothers surname for these children.
What makes it more confusing are the census records
1891 –is OK showing Lydia & Alfred with their first 3 children – Alfred, Lydia & Rosey.
1901 – I have found what appears to be Alfred & Lydia ( his occupation is shown as a Sawdust dealer and the ages are right – with only 2 children – Lydia & Alfred. I have searched the other children’s names and couldn’t find them with relatives etc.
1911 – Father Alfred is dead (1909) and I assume mother Lydia is (although she could have remarried). Some of the children ( Rosina, Mary, James, Caroline & Ada) are now living with a cousin.
Sorry for the lengthy story, but what I am trying to get to is, how likely is it that these children’s births would not be registered. Usually I find missing births have been mis-transcribed/mis-spelt etc, but these have me stumped. If anyone has any suggestions ideas, they would be most welcome.
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