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If he was born to Mary Elizabeth Woolhouse and there is no fathers name on the birth cert. then he was born out of wedlock. He could have been brought up by his grandparents Sarah and James Hirst, the father being one of their sons. They would still be his grandparents and then Mary Elizabeth Woolhouse married a Charles Hirst afterwards. They would not want this published in a book if it was covered up. The cricketer was a hansome fellow was'nt he!!

This is driving me mad! I did wonder if one of the sons was the father but the eldest one was on ly 15 in 1871, not out of the question of course, but a bit young. I then wondered if Mary Elizabeth Hirst had been married and was a Woolhouse. There is no record of the marriage but there is one for Mary E Woolhouse and Charles Hirst. That is what lead me to think that the wrong certificate had been obtained.

Diane

Diane, get the birth certificate which your cousin has checked out!

Wilma x

Will do.

Diane

Wilma

I contacted my cousin and she said that the birth certificate says:-

George Herbert Hirst 7th Sept 1871 St. Marys Kirkheaton. Mother Mary E Woolhouse. No father named.

This sounds more like the parish record for the birth/christening than an actual birth certificate.

The birth certificate would have an address for place of birth whereas St Mary's, Kirkheaton sounds like a church.

As there were no George Herbert Hirsts registered in 1871 I'm veering towards the birth certificate for George Herbert Woolhouse and the later marriage of Mary E Woolhouse to Charles Hirst.


What do you think Wilma and Mel?

Agree, doesn't sound like a birth certificate details. Can't find a connection between Mary Hirst and Mary Woolhouse (if there is one).

Two George Hirst's can't have been born on the same day in the same place - one to Mary Woohouse and one to Mary Hirst

His biography can't be wrong can it, as to his mother and date of birth? Surely they would have checked details.

Diane, I think you need to 'see' the birth certificate. Can your cousin scan it to you?

I will contact her and ask.

Thanks,

Diane

I have emailed my cousin and await the reply. She is in the USA so may not get a reply until later.

Diane

Hi-If this relative was born on the 7th Sep 1871 he wouldn't have been born when the census was taken on the night of 2 nd April 1871-JLe

This is quite intriguing is'nt it??

As I said before if Mary Woolhouse had George before being married perhaps they did'nt want to put that in the book. Then she married Charles and thats why George was brought up by his grandparents. Not hers but his???????????

You can view the book on the web about the cricketer and see a picture of him.

My cousin emailed to say that the certificate is with her parents in Lancashire but says that on the cert is says George Herbert, mother Mary Elizabeth Woolhouse , registry number 226. She got this from Kirklees registry office. The first one she got was for the wrong George. He was the one living in Manchester as a boarder and was born in July. She is going to get her parents to scan the cert and send it to me tomorrow.

Diane

The birth cert doesn't give any more than previously stated. Look like I'm at the brick wall stage!

Diane

Hi Diane,

another brick wall it seems. Can I just confirm that it is the 'birth' certificate and not the baptism certificate, as you mentioned 'St Marys, Kirkheaton' before.

A birth certificate usually has columns stating, amongst others, 'when and where born', which I thought would be the clue that might lead somewhere. It doesn't usually have a church mentioned on it?

Can you set out exactly what the whole certificate says, as all the birth certificates I have ever sent for never mention a church.

If I PM you my email addy, are you able to scan it to me?

Hi Diane
Like Wilma I have found your thread interesting but disappointed that the mystery isn't resolved. I called in at the Huddersfield Family History this afternoon to collect a booklet and decided to look for your George Herbert. I couldn't locate any baptism for him around the date for either Hirst or Woolhouse.
Just to clarify the name of the parish church in Kirkheaton is St Johns and the address of St Marys is the main road St Marys( Lane).-
Still hope you solve it!
-JLe

Well I still think that George was born to Mary Woolhouse before she married and thats why he was brought up by his grandparents. Some G parents brought their grandchildren up as their own to hide the fact that they were born out of wedlock. This was a common practice.

Hi
Have to agree with Mel.
Just think that the book has got its facts wrong. The person writing it may have known his mother's surname in later years, presumed that was her maiden name, from that decided that the grandparents were her parents and it would all fit in-to them- just a case of two and two making five.-JLe

Still think this is his birth.

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
about George Herbert Woolhouse
Name: George Herbert Woolhouse
Year of Registration: 1871
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Huddersfield
County: Yorkshire - West Riding, West Yorkshire
Volume: 9a
Page: 311

Hi Diane

When you get the certificate from your cousin, if the person who informed the registrar of the birth was someone other than Mary Woolhouse that might give us a clue where to look next. That information will be in column 7 of the certificate.

This is really intriguing!!

Haven't got the cert as my cousins parents didn't know how to scan it! I will ask her who registered the birth. Hopefully, it wasn't Mary Woolhouse and could be of some help.
Thanks to all of you for the help.

Diane xxx