my lords, ladies and gentlemen!

[gloryer]

I have just come across a very distant rellie through marriage and what I hope to prove a birth before marriage and as I entered the name a warning came up on FTM saying that this is a title and not a name.

The person is question is registered at birth as LORD Robert Theod (sp) Titley b Dec 1901 Gravesend. Just found his marriage certificate and he does not call himself Lord but just Robert Theod. So would he be a Lord at birth or would this just be a name given by his parents.?

[Little Nell]

I guess it was just his first name. If he was a Lord then his father would be a peer of the realm and it would say so on the father's occupation bit of the marriage cert.

[Little Nell]

Only Titley family in Gravesend in 1901 are headed by Thomas W Titley who is a licensed victualler.

[Little Nell]

Birth index has him as Lord Roberts _ I am guessing the s was an error. Perhaps he dropped the Lord as he found it embarrassing.

[Little Nell]

There seem to be quite a few births with Lord as first or 2nd name, and lots in unposh areas.

[gloryer]

that is the correct one in 1901 his father was a licensed victualler. oh well not yet related to aristocrosy

[Little Nell]

Racked my brains to think of an aristo birth I could check to see how it appears in indexes. Here's Prince Harry:

Henry Charles A D Windsor Spencer Sep 1984 Westminster London
and

Henry Charles A D (His Royal Highness Prince) Windsor Spencer Sep 1984 Westminster London

Not sure if the brackets were put in on the original or by the transcriber, as can't check actual image. But it does give his surname as Windsor, not Wales.

[gloryer]

you live and learn, Never knew his name was Henry always thought it was Harold as he is called Harry!!!!!!!!

[Little Nell]

Harry is a pet name for Henry.
Harold is traditionally shortened to Hal, though of course Shakespeare used Hal as a pet name for Prince Henry in his history pages.

[Olde Crone Holden]

My Holdens thought it was hilarious to call their sons Squire, Captain, Lord, Doctor, etc. They all worked in the cotton mills, must have been a laugh a minute, with people shouting "Over here, Lord Holden". It does seem to be a particularly Lancashire thing.

Right - the TITLE of Lord does not appear on a birth certificate, except in brackets possibly, after the surname. That is because it is a TITLE, just like Mr, Mrs, Miss and Ms is a TITLE - it isn't part of your given name.

People would address you as Lord Fandango but you would introduce yourself as Alfred, Lord Fandango in an official situation, but as Alfred Fandango in a casual situation. You would never refer to yourself as Lord Alfred Fandango.

OC

[Little Nell]

OC

Don't try and impress us with your Squires and Lords. We know your ancestors were all called Holden Holden or Fish Fish!