Find Ancestors

I am a bit new to finding out about my families ancestors, my mothers family are going to be more difficult for me to find out about them. I have found out more about my late fathers family tree than my late mothers ancestors, she had a very large family but she could'nt tell me anything about them...?
My mother was born in 1943 and she was the third child to my grandparents, i know about my mothers sisters but not my mothers grandparents or their parents or children they had...?
My mothers maiden name was Carol Powell, her fathers name was Henry and her mothers name was Laura Cove, they both originated in the Wandsworth areas of Southwest London. My grandfather Henry Powell was born in 1915 and i dont know when Laura Cove was born but she died in 1962, my grandfather died in 1995. This is about all i know so it's going to be a bit of a problem for to sort out for my tree, i hope that some help is out there...?
Many Thanks ....

Hi Wendy, first thing to do is to get a copy of Laura and Henry's marriage certificate to see what info it gives re their ages and their fathers:

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Mar 1937
Cove Laura Powell Battersea 1d 734
Powell Henry Cove Battersea 1d 734

This is from FreeBMD - if you're not already using that for your searches then bookmark it. http://www.freebmd.org.uk

You can order the cert on-line from GRO, costs £9.25 http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Not really a problem...............truly

Look for the marriage between Henry and Laura on freebmd

You could also look for Laura's birth.....based on her age at death

Hi Wendy.
Do you have your grandparents marriage certificate among family papers?
That will give you the age & occupation of your grandparents at the time of their marriage. Also, the address they were living at, the names & occupations of their fathers & the names of witnesses to the marriage.
You can then start looking for your 2 great grandfathers on the 1911 census.
Don´t be afraid to come back on the board & ask if you get stuck.
Good luck.
Marion
PS If you don´t have the certificate you need, you can get a copy of it. for 9.75p

Births Dec 1915 (>99%)
Cove Laura Sweatser Wandsworth 1d 817

Now look for the marriage of the parents

Cove to Sweatser

Although Sweatser seems somewhat unlikely, I must say

Are you sure Laura's death was 1962?

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
Name: Laura Powell
Birth Date: abt 1915
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1961
Age at Death: 46
Registration district: Lewisham
Inferred County: London
Volume: 5d
Page: 75

Certs cost £9.25 including postage when ordered on line for the GRO

Laura's brother, one assumes

Births Jun 1912 (>99%)
Cove Charles W Sweetser Wandsworth 1d 955

Marriages Mar 1894 (>99%)
Cove William Wandsworth 1d 799
Hinxman Rose Wandsworth 1d 799
Morgan William Thomas Wandsworth 1d 799
Sweetzer Elise Wandsworth 1d 799

Possible marriage of Laura's parents:

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
Name: William Cove, bachelor. A labourer
Age: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Spouse Name: Eliza Sweetser, spinster. A confectioner.
Spouse Age: 19
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 25 Mar 1894
Parish: Battersea St Stephen
Borough: Wandsworth
Father Name: Thomas Cove - labourer
Spouse Father Name: Henry Sweetser - labourer
Register Type: Parish Register

William and Laura both gave their address as Knowlsey Road, 11 and 13 respectively.

Witnesses: Dan Cove and Janet Flower.

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921 about William Cove
Name: William Cove
Age: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Spouse Name: Eliza Sweetser
Spouse Age: 19
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 25 Mar 1894
Parish: Battersea St Stephen
Borough: Wandsworth
Father Name: Thomas Cove
Spouse Father Name: Henry Sweetser
Register Type: Parish Register

Wendy, we hit lucky with Laura's side as the surnames were so unusual.

Because Henry Powell is a much more common name you really do need to get that marriage certificate to get his father's name & occupation - it will also hopefully verify what we've found about Laura. You should now have a good start to work back from the 1911 for her family.

Just for reference, does this look like Henry's death?

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
Name: Henry Powell
Birth Date: 31 Aug 1914
Date of Registration: Jan 1995
Age at Death: 80
Registration district: Lewisham
Inferred County: London
Register Number: D34A
District and Subdistrict: 2421D
Entry number: 12

??

1891 England Census
about Eliza Sweeter
Name: Eliza Sweeter
Age: 14
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Henry Sweetser
Mother's Name: Harriett Sweetser
Gender: Female
Where born: Battersea

Civil parish: Battersea
Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephen
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: West Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 431
Folio: 7
Page Number: 7
Household Members: Name Age
Henry Sweetser 60 (General Labourer)
Harriett Sweetser 58
Eliza Sweeter 14
Florence Sweetser 12


Possibly "Eliza's" baptism...


London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
about Ada Eliza Sweetser
Name: Ada Eliza Sweetser
Record Type: Baptism
Estimated Birth Date: abt 1876
Baptism Date: 22 Oct 1876
Father's Name: James Henry Sweetser (Labourer)
Mother's Name: Harriett Sweetser
Parish or Poor Law Union: Battersea St George the Martyr
Borough: Wandsworth
Register Type: Parish Registers

It would seem that in some census records, James preferred his second name of Henry and ada preferred her second name of Eliza....


1881 England Census
about Ada Eliza Sweetser
Name: Ada Eliza Sweetser
Age: 4
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: James Henry Sweetser
Mother's Name: Harriet Sweetser
Gender: Female
Where born: Battersea, Surrey, England

Civil parish: Battersea
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address: 11 Aegis Grove
Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 70a
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 653
Folio: 12
Page Number: 17
Household Members: Name Age
James Henry Sweetser 50
Harriet Sweetser 48
Ellen Sweetser 13
Ada Eliza Sweetser 4
Florence Sweetser 2


1871 England Census
about Henry Sweetser
Name: Henry Sweetser
Age: 44
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1827
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Harriett Sweetser
Gender: Male
Where born: Stratfordsey, Berkshire, England
Civil parish: Battersea
Ecclesiastical parish: St George
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 37
Household schedule number: 245
Piece: 706
Folio: 127
Page Number: 45
Household Members: Name Age
Henry Sweetser 44
Harriett Sweetser 38
Ann Sweetser 14
Elizabeth Sweetser 11
Ellen Sweetser 3


1861 England Census
about Henry Sweetser
Name: Henry Sweetser
Age: 30
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Harriot Sweetser
Gender: Male
Where born: Winchfield, Berkshire, England

Civil parish: Battersea
Ecclesiastical parish: St George
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 17
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 56
Piece: 371
Folio: 129
Page Number: 12
Household Members: Name Age
Henry Sweetser 30
Harriot Sweetser 28
Ann Sweetser 4
Elizabeth Sweetser 3

Well the 1911 seems to tie in ........and yet it has her married to a Thomas!

Household transcription
1911 census
Person: COVE, Ada Eliza

Address: 50 Brougham St Battersea SW
COVE, Thomas Head Married M 38 1873 Mason's Labourer Westminster VIEW
COVE, Ada Eliza Wife Married17 years F 37 1874 Battersea VIEW
COVE, Alice Maud Daughter Single F 16 1895 Calendar Hand Battersea VIEW
COVE, George Thomas Son M 10 1901 School Battersea VIEW
COVE, Aurth Son M 7 1904 School Battersea VIEW
COVE, Mary Ann Pollie Daughter F 6 1905 School Battersea VIEW
COVE, Florence Daughter F 3 1908 Battersea VIEW
COVE, Ernest Son M 0 (11 MONTHS) 1911 Battersea VIEW
RG number: RG14
Piece: 2150
Reference: RG14PN2150 RG78PN74 RD26 SD1 ED7 SN254
Registration District: Wandsworth
Sub District: East Battersea
Enumeration District: 7
Parish: Battersea
Address: 50 Brougham St Battersea SW
County: London
(Edit:....9 children born, 6 living, 3 had died)


There is a marriage for a Thomas Cove to an Ada" Emily"!!!

Cove Thomas Islington 1b 373
Jones Ada Emily Islington 1b 373

It definately says "Eliza" on the image.


Will have to come back to this later.

pm from Wendy:

"Hello, thankyou for you'r kind help i certainly would not of gotten anywhere at all on my own has both my parents have passed away.
Infact most of my parents families are no longer alive now. There was another person who looked up the:; Sweetzer: family a couple of years ago for my late father, this person was looking up his own family tree at that time but he was not sure if this was our family...?
I will look up the marriage between my grandparents and try and find out more about their parents and the children they had too. The only name that came up was Carey, and this family was mentioned a few times but i don't think that this could be right...?
Many Thankss again for you'r kind help..... Wendy 760.. "

I do believe i am going quite mad!!

Here is a baptism for Ada Emily Jones........

London, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
about Ada Emily Jones
Name: Ada Emily Jones
Record Type: Baptism
Estimated Birth Date: abt 1878
Baptism Date: 12 Apr 1878
Father's Name: Richard Jones (Engine Driver)
Mother's Name: Eliza Jones
Parish or Poor Law Union: Battersea St Mary
Borough: Wandsworth
Register Type: Parish Registers


A marriage.....


London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921
about Ada Emily Jones
Name: Ada Emily Jones
Age: 28
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1878
Spouse Name: Edward Brindle
Spouse Age: 28
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 3 Jun 1906
Parish: Battersea St Stephen
Borough: Wandsworth
Father Name: Richard Jones
Spouse Father Name: Edward Brindle
Register Type: Parish Register

And here they are in 1911...


Household transcription
1911 census
Person: BRINDLE, Ada
Address: 68 Abercrombie St Battersea S W

BRINDLE, Edward Head Married5 years M 34 1877 Seaman Labourer Paddington London VIEW
BRINDLE, Ada Wife Married F 33 1878 Battersea London VIEW
BRINDLE, Edward Son M 4 1907 Battersea London VIEW
JONES, Lizzie Sister In Law Single F 38 1873 Card Board Box Maker Battersea London VIEW
RG number: RG14
Piece: 2201
Reference: RG14PN2201 RG78PN75 RD26 SD2 ED13 SN157
Registration District: Wandsworth
Sub District: North West Battersea
Enumeration District: 13
Parish: Battersea
Address: 68 Abercrombie St Battersea S W
County: London

I have not long arrived home from a course i have been on this evening.........i think my brain is a wee bit addled and something is staring me in the face but i just can't see it!!

Will pop back tomorrow.

:-S

Well, at least one of us has had their efforts acknowledged

Wendy...........

There is a large white box below the posts entitled 'add your reply'...................that's how messages are posted to your thread.

Please use it to add your feedback

Ok.........i am back! :-D

I have just spent an hour going though the muddle i posted yesterday to see if i can make any sence of it.

We have the marriage that states that "Eliza" Sweetser married William Cove... who's Father is a Thomas Cove.....Labourer.

Searching through the records........i cannot spot a Willam Cove with the details given on that marriage record.

Assuming the details i posted are correct and that "Eliza" Sweetser was actually baptised "Ada Eliza Sweetser"..........and as i already said, the 1911 census i posted all seems to tie in, except for the fact that it has "Thomas" as the husband.

I have traced that Thomas back through the records and this is what i have found........


So on the 1911 census, we have Thomas Cove born 1873 Westminster London....Occupation...Masons Labourer.

On the marriage record, we have William Cove, age 19 (Labourer) born abt 1875....Father Thomas Cove (Labourer)..........One of the witnesses..........Dan Cove.



Thomas and Ada in 1901....


1901 England Census
about Thomas Cove
Name: Thomas Cove
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ada Cove
Gender: Male
Where born: Westminster, London, England

Civil parish: Battersea
Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephen
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: East Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 179
Piece: 441
Folio: 46
Page Number: 27
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Cove 26 (Masons Labourer)
Ada Cove 25 Born Battersea
Alice Cove 6


1891 England Census
about Thomas Cove
Name: Thomas Cove
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Mary Ann Cove
Gender: Male
Where born: Westminster, London, England

Civil parish: Battersea
Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephens
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: East Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 421
Folio: 14
Page Number: 21
Household Members: Name Age
Mary Ann Cove 59 (Widow)
Mary Ann Cove 21
Thomas Cove 16 (Stone Masons Labourer)

1881 England Census
about Thomas L. Cove
Name: Thomas L. Cove
Age: 6
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Mary A. Cove
Gender: Male
Where born: Westr, Middlesex, England

Civil parish: Battersea
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address: 40 Carpenters Rd
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Scholar

Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 49
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 648
Folio: 51
Page Number: 24
Household Members: Name Age
Mary A. Cove 49 (Widow)
Danl. Cove 27 >>>>>>>>>>>The witness at the wedding???
Alice W. Cove 17
Lucy W. Cove 11
Thomas L. Cove 6

Struggling to find the 1871 at the moment!


1861 England Census
about Thomas Cove
Name: Thomas Cove
Age: 26
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1835
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary Ann Cove
Gender: Male
Where born: Faringdon, Berkshire, England

Civil parish: Faringdon
Town: Faringdon
County/Island: Berkshire
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View image

Registration district: Faringdon
Sub-registration district: Faringdon
ED, institution, or vessel: 2f
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 8
Piece: 728
Folio: 7
Page Number: 2
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Cove 26 >>>(Agricultural Labourer) Faringdon Berkshire
Mary Ann Cove 27
Arthur Wm Cove 3
Dan Cove 1 >>>>>>>The witness at the wedding??
Richard Farr 25 (Brother in Law)


Births Mar 1860 (>99%)
COVE Dan Chippenham 5a 47



Marriages Dec 1857 (>99%)
Cove Thomas Chipping Sodbury 6a 287
Farr Mary Ann Chipping Sodbury 6a 287

So all in all...........i think that Willam Cove stated on the marriage entry was an error and should have stated...........Thomas Cove. :-)