What happened to Tom?

[Kit]

Tom Drake (b abt 1886) appears on the 1891 with his parents Dennys and Sarah.

RG12/112/104/42

I can not locate a suitable entry on freeBDM and he has disappeared on the 1901. His parents are divorced but he is not living with either of them.

Can anyone find him?

[Chrissie Smiff]

Where are his mother and father (separately) in 1901 Kit and have you traced all his siblings in 1901? Also, do you know if she married again and where she died?

[KiteRunner]

Where was he born, please?

[Chrissie Smiff]

It says Hemington in 1891 Kite but I wondered if it should be Kensington

[Kit]

The original says Kensington Chrissie. Mum doesn't appear to have remarried but I don't klnow when she died. I'll go and get the references for the census for the parents.

[Kit]

Sarah in 1901 RG13/128/83/17

Dennys in 1901 RG13/242/31/1

Dennys died in 1908.

The eldest son is missing too but he is in the army later and I think he may have been overseas. Tom however would be 15 so should be in school.

[Kit]

The other children, except Dora (married to Francis Geoghegan) are living with their mother. I haven't traced them any further forward as I haven't trawled the BMD indexes.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Do you think this may be her death?

Deaths Mar 1924
Drake Sarah M 72 Pancras 1b 110

[Chrissie Smiff]

Was he born Tom or Thomas on his birth ref?

[Chrissie Smiff]

I don't suppose this could be him in 1901? Tom Drake born 1886 - at a top school in Rutland. The only trouble is it says born in Orpington - Kent.

Class: RG13; Piece: 3016; Folio: 10; Page: 11.

[Jeanette In Yorkshire]

Could this be a possibility? It's a school

Name: Thomas H Drake
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Male
Where born: London, Middlesex, England

Source Citation: Class: RG13; Piece: 1924; Folio: 80; Page: 12.

[Kit]

I can't find his birth ref. Nothing I think fits the 1891 census anyway.

The death could be Sarah. From the census I have her at born 1850-1851. No idea why I don't have a ref for her. Mustn't have liked inlaws that day.

[Kit]

I have to go to bed now. Have to work tomorrow. The family (extended family) were well off and it wouldn't surprise me that Tom was in a good school or a boarder. I'll have a better look at both census tomorrow.

Thank you all for looking.

[Chrissie Smiff]

If that is him at the Rutland school - this could be his birth -

Births Jun 1885
Drake Tom Bromley 2a 421

What I meant to say is that this is probably the birth for the chap in Rutland and it could possibly be your Tom as there isn't a birth listed in Kensington on free BMD that fits.

Have to dash now - good luck.

[Kit]

I'm leaning towards Chrissie's Tom as I've had another look at the 1901 census with Tom's mother. His youngest elder sister was born in Orpington Kent but on the 1891 all the children were said to be born in London.

Thank you very much for looking for me.

I've just had another look at freebmd and there are 2 more children born Jun 1886 and Jun 1887 in Bromley, Kent. Might have to investigate them as well.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Have you ever found Tom's mums birth Kit? The reason I ask is because the marriage details give her as Sarah Maiban West and the 1891 says she was born Carlisle. The most likely match I can find is the one below and I wondered if Maiban was a mistranscription -

Marriages Jun 1871
Drake Dennys Kensington 1a 106
West Sarah Maiban Kensington 1a 106

Births Sep 1850
West Sarah McLean Carlisle 25 80

[Kit]

Chrissie I have found those refs too. I think one is a mistranscription but I don't have the certs to be sure. That or the family changed their mind on her name.

The 1851 census says she was 7 months old so the birth ref you found would fit.

[Chrissie Smiff]

Yes Kit, I checked 1851, that's what made me think it was probably the same person.

[Kit]

Great minds, Chrissie.