Where was he from?

[Expat in Oz]

G'day
My Great grandfather, George Gerome, is my "brick wall". My Mum remembers him telling her that he was from Martinique in the French West Indies & that he was a fisherman. She says he spoke with a strong French accent, had a fairly dark complexion & wavy hair. She has a family bible confirming the spelling of his name, but no other information. I've found his marriage on freebmd to my ggm registered in 1887, again showing Gerome, but on the 1901 census it shows his name & that of all the family as Jerome & his birthplace as Jersey. I've also checked the 1881 & 1891 census for both spellings but no matches are shown. He died c1938. Please could some-one tell me where else to look
Thanks
Expat

[Just Gillian]

Hi Expat

George seems to be on the 1891 with his wife, spelling Gerome, if I have the right George -

RG12 Piece:3918 Folio 40 Page 27

Birthplace Jersey

[Elaine ..Spain]

I would suggest the first thing you do is to get his marriage certificate, if you haven't already done so. This will give you his father's name and occupation and might help to find him prior to his marriage in either the UK or the Channel Islands, presuming of course he was born in Jersey and not the French West Indies!

[Rachel Scand]

That certainly looks like him (Gillian's post) 1891

Can not see him in the previous censuses

[Muggins in Sussex]

Hi Expat - there are some Jeromes on the Jersey Heritage Trust Website - WWW OPAC

Can't see any Geromes or a George though

[Mary from Italy]

Jerome would be the usual French spelling.

However, the name Geromey existed in Martinique, according to this database prepared after the 1902 earthquake:

Recherche dans la base de donnée

Might be worth trying the Rootsweb mailing list for information about Martinique genealogy:

RootsWeb: Genealogy Mailing Lists: Martinique : MARTINIQUE

[Mary from Italy]

How sure are you that the 1887 marriage is the correct one?

[Expat in Oz]

Hi Expat

George seems to be on the 1891 with his wife, spelling Gerome, if I have the right George -

RG12 Piece:3918 Folio 40 Page 27

Birthplace Jersey

Thanks Gillian (& Rachel)
There is no entry on the Genesreunited 1891 census, but as you seem to have access to a different version, could you please tell me if these details fit - spouse Sarah Ann (nee Colby) b1870 Heckington/Dunston Lincs. I don't think there would be any children as the first I have is Blanche b9/1891
Thanks again
Expat
(Maybe I'll have to try for the actual marriage cert)

[Rachel Scand]

Hi Expat
We're looking at the 1891 census on Ancestry

1891 Census

George Gerome born c 1861 Jersey, Channel Islands

Household Members:
George Gerome 30 ... General Labourer
Sarah A Gerome (wife) 22
John Colby (brother) 20 ... General Labourer

Sarah and John both born in Lincolnshire (Heckington)

Looks like ... 52 Chiltern Street, Kingston upon Hull, Newington, Yorkshire


post edited: Please do not copy and paste from sites such as Ancestry as it contravenes copyright.

Civil Parish ... Newington
Ecc Parish ... Newington
County ... Yorkshire
Reg district ... Sulcoates
Sub Reg District ... Hessle

ED ... 11

[Little Nell]

1891 has Sarah Ann as wife b abt 1869 Heckington.

Gives George's birthyear as 1861 and Jersey, Channel Islands as birthplace.

[Little Nell]

No George Gerome death in GRO indexes 1837-9

[Little Nell]

No death for Jerome in 1938 either.

There's a death for

George Jerome aged 81
1939 Dec Hull 9d p.578

This would give a birth year of abt 1858.

[Expat in Oz]

How sure are you that the 1887 marriage is the correct one?

Hi Mary
I have found the corresponding entry for his wife Sarah Ann Colby

Expat