I know you like something interesting to do :)

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I think whoever their father was (and who says they all had the same father? lol - William didn't seem to go along with his siblings) they didn't know him.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

If Fred forgot to mention his father was dead, did he give him an occupation?

[yogi82]

Daughter Beatrice states fred deceased on marriage cert 1900 also , on all certs he is referred to as a labourer and masons labourer

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Hmmmm....was that (masons lab) the occ of anyone else in the family? I've forgotten......

The 1855 Fred was an uphosterer in 1881 1891 and 1901.

[yogi82]

Fred in the workhouse was an upholsterer i think wasn't he ?

[Heather Positive Thinker]

Hi guys just catching up on this - well done Merry, you are such a clever girl.

Just a thought though probably useless - a lot of masons seem to go to and fro from Wales didnt they? Have we checked out Wales for any connections?

[yogi82]

A thought, could we find birth certs for Freds daughters Maud Ellen 1878 and Francis Beatrice 1879, its possible they could reveal something about Fred .

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Sorry, I went off to the Co-Op!

You could get their birth certs:

Name: Maud Ellen Neal
Year of Registration: 1878
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Exeter
County: Devon
Volume: 5b
Page: 94

I can't find one for Frances Beatrice. She's not on the 1881 census with the others either.

I don't think the one for Maud Ellen will have a father's name unless Ellen senr said she was married to a Mr Neal. if the father had a different surname then there would be another index entry with the same page ref, but there isn't another Maud Ellen X.

[yogi82]

Sorry Ive been on GR searching births, god its a frustrating site ,you click on view record and it goes straight back to listing ggrrrr! I have left a complaint with them as i have lost credits every time. Any way to the point at which i could retrieve records i think i have found Beatrice Francis @Stoke T (near exeter) b.1879 which concurs with her marriage cert. age . Plus i see you have found maud well done !!! , how do i go about retrieving copy certs for them these days ?

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Sorry, where is Stoke T?? I only know of Stoke Damerel in Devon!

I can't find Beatrice - do you mean you have found her on the 1881 census? What surname does she have?

To order certs, either the GRO online or Exeter reg office:

The Register Office, Castle Street, Exeter, EX4 3PQ.
Tel: 01392 384230. Fax: 01392 384232.
E-mail: srexeter@devon.gov.uk

[yogi82]

I thought it might be Stoke-in-Teign, i found the entry in register of births oct-nov-dec 1879.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

What was the surname?

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Ah.....Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire lol

[yogi82]

Surname was Bellamy, if its Stoke on Trent guess that rules that one out then! or does it ? She's the only Beatrice in 1879 do we know middle name ?

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

The Staffordshire one is with her parents in Stoke on Trent in 1881.

Your Beatrice is recorded as aged 10 and her name Frances Neal, in 1891. She probably isn't quite 10 as she isn't on the 1881 census. Do you know how old she was in 1901? Who did she marry?

It was common for people to up their age to 21 (or 22 for those who were more sophisticated!) in order not to need parental consent for marriage. Plus not everyone new their exact ages, in any case.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Did she marry George Duckham? She said she was 21 in 1901.

[yogi82]

According to her marriage cert. Beatrice Frances married George Duckham in Exeter 25/12/1900 aged 21 spinster ,residence Sidwell St. Father Frederick Samuel Bellamy Masons Labourer. Sister Maud Ellen and Brother Frederick were witness.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Well, I don't know what's happened to her birth reg. here are the possibilities:

She wasn't registered
She was registered but the record didn't reach the GRO
She was registered but not as a Neal or a Bellamy (there are no female names in the right place)

[yogi82]

Oh dear, another mystery ! feel like i'm treading water and getting nowhere . ah well don't know about you but i'm whacked and my wife will divorce me if i spend any time on the trail tonight , so thankyou ever so much for all your help i hope this one will keep you interested and perhaps we can pick up the trail again in the next few days ,i shall keep watching this site though just in case anything materialises.

Thanks again, Rob.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

OK Rob. Goodnight!