Frederick Pitt is driving me mad

[norwayjane]

Frederick Pitt married Elizabeth Harriett Bull (nee Collier) in Chatham in 1913 - the 13th September.
He gave his age as 37, bachelor, Private RMLI living at Redvers Road. His father George Pitt (deceased) was a labourer.

He died 29 07 1941 aged 65 at 53 White Road, Chatham.

My 'problem' is that I cannot find out anything else about him. I've looked and looked til I'm going cross eyed - found a frederick, with George as father in Wiltshire but he seems to have been in the Wiltshire regiment - so I can't imagine him suddenly upping sticks to join the marines presumably in Chatham.

Is my only option a trip to TNA?

Thanks for any input
JANE

[KiteRunner]

Hi Jane,
It sounds as though he would have fought in WW1, so hopefully there will be a medal index card for him on TNA website and maybe on ancestry - have you already looked for one?
The National Archives | DocumentsOnline | World War One medal cards

[KiteRunner]

Okay, looking at the WW1 medal index cards, that Wiltshire one is probably not yours as there is a card for a Frederick Pitt who was a corporal in the Wiltshire Regiment and then in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry. There are quite a lot of Frederick Pitts, though.

[norwayjane]

I thought the medal cards were for the army and that the marines were something else or somehow seperate -

As for the number of Frederick Pitts - that's why he's driving me mad 'cos I've bought the certs and can't get any further:(

Thanks though

JANE

[Rachel Scand]

No doubt you've seen this birth

Frederick James Pitt ... 1877 ... Medway

[norwayjane]

No I hadn't - dashes off to check censuses;)

Jane

[norwayjane]

Can't find Frederick J on the 1881 in Medway but have found Frederick Patt with father George (labourer) born in Chislehurst in1871. What do you think? She asked hopefully
Jane

[KiteRunner]

There are a few medal index cards on ancestry for RMLI but on TNA site you have to spell it out in full - Royal Marine Light Infantry and there are hundreds of those. But none of them is called Pitt. :o

[Rachel Scand]

I was thinking that if that Frederick James is he .... then maybe he used the name James

Have also gone cross-eyed looking through the censuses for anything that looked reasonable ....

There was a George Pett/s who could have been his father (1881) ... but no children

[norwayjane]

I've checked for births of Patt surname in Kent but there aren't any.
Looked for George Pitt on 1891 but can't find him (born in Faversham from 1881 census).
Got to go and be motherly and do homework now - back later

JANE

[Rachel Scand]

Do you have the age of Elizabeth ?
Just wondering if we could locate her on a census, it might somehow lead to Frederick

[norwayjane]

Thanks Rachel for showing an interest.
Elizabeth was the same age on the marriage cert 37 but I've just been back and checked her dob and that's 12 Nov 1872 (though my mum says she celebrated her birthday in August lol). The birth was registered the following March. So she was at least 41 when she married and maybe he was too! Where has my brain been at!!!

I've found her on the censuses in 81, 91 and 1901. In 1901 transcribed as Bell and living in Gravesend.

Still looking for Frederick..........
JANE

[brenmac]

there was a pitt a polatition we have a monument here to him he was called william pitt and was in london.brenda xxxx

[norwayjane]

Thanks Brenda - they claim to descend from william pitt the politician but I think most Pitts seem to say that.
Still searching for Frederick and George
JANE

[Little Nell]

Just wondering if Pitt wasn't his birthname. Perhaps he adopted stepfather's surname and regarded stepfather as his father. I have an instance where my gt gt grandfather married 2nd wife, who already had two children. One of them adopted gt gt grandfather's surname on later censuses and marriage index - as he isn't a direct ancestor I didn't get his marriage cert, so I don't know if he put my gt gt grandfather's name down as his own father or not.