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Shelley - there is a tree on Ancestry that also has that 1938 death for Nellie, however they have no sources attached so don't know if they've just found that death and assumed it is her, or if they have some other knowledge. They do say that she died Eltham. Are there any family members who might have an idea of when Nellie was last known to definitely be alive?

They have John's middle name as Stafford so that may be what the S stands for. They state his death as being in Orsett 1972.

PS - it looks like Nellie was actually around 21 when she had your gran.

Looking at www.freebmd.org.uk there are several Searson births to Searson mothers, so 'tis a case of weeding them out by process of elimination.

Karen,

I only sent details of possible children after marriage.

Ok thanks Lynski :-)
I've PM'd Shelley about births before her g.grandmother married Mr Burrell, but haven't heard back yet.
Karen

My grandmother passed away over twenty years ago. I know it makes sense that would be lots of children as it was the war era wasn't it?

Shelley has confirmed my suggested name of Phyllis Searson being her grandmother (who died 20 yrs ago).

Here's her birth registration.

From www.freebmd.org.uk
BIRTH.
March q 1915, West Ham, Vol 4a, page 24.
SEARSON Phyllis, MMN Searson.

Shelley, that is the birth registration, and not (necessarily) the birth month.
Registrations are indexed by yearly quarter, so in effect your Phyllis could have been born at the end of 1914 or at the beginning of 1915, since a baby's birth can be registered up to 6 weeks after the actual birth. That would put Nellie's age at about 17 years old when she had Phyllis, as you said.

So what all that birth registration info means is:- the birth was registered in the first quarter of 1915 in the registration district of West Ham, under Volume 4a on page 24. MMN means mother's maiden name.
That is the information you will need if you wish to purchase the birth certificate.
I would suggest using the GRO website, www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates and the cost is £9.25 per certificate (I believe, someone correct me if I'm wrong).

A birth certificate will not necessarily give you the father's name. It should give you the name of the child, date, and the address at which she was born, plus the mother's name, address and who registered her. It may show she was given a middle name, in which there MAY lie a clue as, often, unmarried mums used the father's surname as a middle name - but this is a shot in the dark I have to stress.

As for adoption info I cannot help you there, I have no experience, but there are members on here who know plenty about adoption and how it works.

P.S.
Do you by chance have your grandmother's marriage certificate? Check to see what information is given on there, she may have middle names?

Not sure what else to suggest - anyone care to add?? :-)


Karen

I've emailed a few trees but I guess we'll see - obviously with it bring a long time ago and possibly siblings still living they may not want to get in contact. My aim is a photo that's all.

Sorry Shelley, I've just re-read this post and need to clarify who it is we are researching....
Are you looking for information on Phyllis Searson or her true mother Nellie V Searson?
Or, as Phyllis was adopted, are you looking for her adoptive parents?

Karen

I looking for info on Nellie Victoria - I knew my grandmother well as she died in my teenage years. It just wasn't spoken about with her but I don't think it was a family secret. Everyone knew she was adopted. However - Nellie's family may have no knowledge of this - which means they might not be interested for obvious reasons.

I would love to know what she looked like and I would also like to know a little about what she did with her life. She left a note suggesting she loved my grandma. It's just a curiousity I've had for a long time as my family tree stops with her (although I need to update mine!) It has been fascinating to find out about my great great grandparents.

Thank you all so much,

Shelley

Marie Celeste how do I get onto that tree in Ancestry? I've searched all trees and nothing is coming up?

Hi Shelley,
With all due respect, those members trees on Ancestry aren't always very accurate especially one without any source citations, and in my opinion they can do more harm than good.
For example, I can find 5 trees with my ancestors in, each tree just about identical to the next which proves they are just copied by people who don't check, because they ALL contain a pile of identical mistakes - making the trees a joke quite honestly. The best rule is to check it all for yourself, over and over again :-)

However, from the information we have all provided for you on this thread you already have a good deal on Nellie Victoria Searson.

And I'll add a bit more....
Marriage of Nellie Victoria Searson's parents = 18 Aug 1896 Joseph A Searson (son of Edmund Luke Searson) to Nellie Newman (daughter of John Newman) at the Parish Church, Bromley St Leonards.

By using the site I suggested earlier, www.freebmd.org.uk, to find Joseph A Searson''s birth registration = Joseph Arthur Searson born in Sept quarter of 1871 at St George in the East, London.

By looking for him in 1891 Census: Joseph Searson, age 19, a dairyman, living at Bromley St Leonard, Poplar, with his widowed mother Ann Searson and his siblings – Edmund, James, Maud, Susan, Robina, Florence, Minnie, Alfred and May.

As I said, the freebmd site is free, you might like to have a play around with it and see how it works and which of your ancestors births, marriages and deaths you can find :-) :-)

Karen

Karen this is amazing - Joseph was one of ten children!

I've managed to get quite a lot from this - but I'm still no closer really. Waiting for some messages from Trees. Thanks for all your help.

Hi Shelley,

I've found Nellie Victoria Searson listed on the 1929 (EDIT: and also 1930 and 1931) Electoral Registers....she's living at home with her parents until she married.

Parliamentary Borough of Poplar.
Bow and Bromley Division.
Electoral Register 1929. Tower Hamlets/Poplar. Polling District Q.
At 18 Cotton Street, Poplar.
R O SEARSON Joseph Arthur, Senr.
R _ SEARSON Joseph Arthur, Junr.
Rw Dw SEARSON Nellie
Rw _ SEARSON Nellie Victoria



R = Residence Qualificatiion (men)
Rw = Residence Qualification (women)
O = Occupation Qualification (men).
Dw = Qualification through husband's Occupation.



I've searched for her school records but nothing's coming up unfortunately.

Karen

Nellie Victoria's mother, Mrs Nellie Searson is listed in the 1934 London Post Office Directory (precursor of the modern day telephone directory, they listed businesses, their addresses, and phone number if applicable).

SEARSON Nellie (Mrs). Chandler's Shp. 18 Cotton Street, Poplar, E14.

A chandler's shop would have originally sold candles and wax, but later, as electricity became more popuar it would have sold other things like soap, eventually evolving into more of a general store. Many people, working at home making their own products, would have set up a make-shift shop in the front room .


Karen

That's really interesting - I was just telling my mum - I haven't heard about a chandler shop - never heard that before. Still waiting for a response from the trees.

i am the grandaughter of nellie victoria searson. she married my grandfather j burrell in 1933 and had 3 children. i have some info on family including photos of nellie and her parents and my great grandfather outside of his shop. intrigued to hear more, as is my mother.

nellie passed away in 1938 six months after my mother was born. my mother then went to leave with her maternal grandmother in west sussex.

I have just messaged you!! This is brilliant news - happy to swap details and talk through our family trees - I can't tell you what this will
Mean to my family xxx