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Unfortunately, he's the only George Elphick with the right middle name born in England, Wales, or Scotland 1900-1910.

I wonder if he was confused when naming parents on the marriage. Anna Blackwell as mother - but could that be her married name?

There is this marriage:

William Walter Blackwell
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1886
Age: 22
Father's Name: William Blackwell
Spouse's Name: Annie Elphick
Spouse's Age: 23
Spouse's Father's Name: George Elphick
Marriage Date: 19 Apr 1908
Marriage Place: Wanstead slip, Essex, England

Although I think she may have lied to him about her age. William is a widower on the 1911 census with Agnes Annie daughter age 2y 8m, and Annie had died in 1909. ADDED - this should read Maud Annie, not Agnes!

There is this census which could be her and George in 1901:

George Elphick
Age: 1
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1900
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Annie Elphick
Gender: Male
Where born: Bexhill, Sussex, England
Civil Parish: Bexhill
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
Town: Bexhill
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England
Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View Image
Registration District: Battle
Sub-registration District: Bexhill
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Schedule Number: 76
Piece: 874
Folio: 73
Page Number: 15
Household Members:
Name Age
Fredk Clarks 25
Annie Clarks 27
Minnie Clarks 7
Annie Clarke 3
Annie Elphick 23 (single)
George Elphick 1

But I can't find this George in 1911. Also, this could be his birth - but the names are wrong:
Births Dec 1899 (>99%)
Elphick George William E Battle 2b 52 Scan available - click to view

Maybe someone can eliminate him?

Patricia, what was your aunt's name and when/where was she born please?

Added: Patricia has Maude Blackwell (1908) in her tree, so this could be the right family.

Well done, Flip! That all sounds very plausible.
George sailed in Feb/March, so wouldn't be on the 1911 census.

Sounds as if Annie had given him up for adoption before she married William.
[EDIT: No, not if he named William Blackwell as his father. Maybe William wasn't prepared to keep him after Annie's death?]

[FURTHER EDIT (I'm getting confused!) I mean, he gave his mother's name as Blackwell.]

This is presumably her death:
Deaths Dec 1909 (>99%)
BLACKWELL Annie 25 W. Ham 4a 95

We really need Patricia to come and give us some feedback, and info re her aunt - presumably Maud!

Births Sep 1908 (>99%)
BLACKWELL Maud Annie W. Ham 4a 310

William and Maud Annie are only boarders in 1911. Maybe William couldn't afford to keep or house George, assuming George had lived with him at all. His occupation is Baker's Roundsman - don't suppose that was well paid.


Looks like William remarried later that year:

Marriages Sep 1911 (>99%)
BLACKWELL William W W.Ham 4a 658
Weston Christian E W.Ham 4a 658


Deaths Jun 1957 (>99%)
BLACKWELL Christian E 66 Essex S.W. 5a 190

If any of this theory is correct, then he must have been around to name his mother as Anna Blackwell on his marriage - otherwise how would he have known her name?

There is also this school admission which could be relevant, although I'm not familiar with the areas of London:

Geo Elphick
Age: 8
Birth Date: 4 May 1898
School: Choumert Road School
Borough: Southwark
Admission Date: 27 Aug 1906
Parent: George Elphick
Notes: Choumert Road School (0812) opened in 1894. Closed or reorganised 1932/3
Reference Number: LCC/EO/DIV07/CHO/AD/001

The address given was 61 Bournmouth Road. His father named as George, although it could have been his mother who registered him in school (and a pretend father's name of George, same as her father??)

I think, if the 1901 census is correct, she actually lied about her age on the census rather than on her marriage - there's a birth in Sussex for her in 1884

Perhaps, either he'd lived with William briefly after his mother's marriage , or else he'd been handed over to Barnardo's earlier, but his mother had kept in touch, so he knew her married name?

All conjecture!

Argyllgran, he was asked for his mother's maiden name but maybe he only remembered the married name of Blackwell, he was only young when she died and as time passes things get confused in your memories.

There is certainly no birth recorded under his full christian names, but if he had been with his mother until her death he may have been told his father was George (as hers had been), and when asked for her maiden name this was the only name other than Elphick that her remembered her by.

If any of this is correct, then William Walter was probably not able to keep him after Annie's death like you say. Maybe even thought he was doing the right thing in letting him have a new life elsewhere.

I just wish Patricia would come back to the thread and explain how she found out about his existence.

I've sent Patricia a PM trying to explain exactly how to get back to her thread and reply on it.

She's probably so confused by all this that she doesn't know what to say in reply!

She's not the only one!! ;-)

Looks like you may be onto something girls.

I thought there might be a clue on the record below, nope!


England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966

Name:William Walter Blackwell of 49 Washington Ave, London

Probate Date:24 Nov 1961

Death Date:28 Oct 1961 at East Ham Memorial Hospital

Death Place: London, England

Registry: London, England

Administration to Ellen Blackwell, widow £533 2s

Looks like Ellen was his third wife.
He married Christian E Weston in 1911. She died 1957 (posted today 14:03), and he married Ellen in 1960. Assuming it's the same William W Blackwell, of course, but it looks right.

Marriages Jun 1960 (>99%)
BLACKWELL William W UTTING E.Ham 5a 103
UTTING Ellen BLACKWELL E.Ham 5a 103

Thank you for your replies. George's mother Annie died in 1909 of consumption. I do not know George's father's name. My Grandfather, William Blackwell, married Annie Elphick, I think in 1908 - will have to check. George was born before my grandfather met Annie. My aunt was born in 1908 to my grandfather and Annie. My grandfather kept my aunt, but sent George to Dr Banardos. My grandfather went on to marry my grandmother in 1911. The Greenwich birth is correct in 1904.

Re-reading all the info you have sent me. My aunt was Maude Annie 1908, and yes Christian E Weston was my grandmother, and my grandfather did marry a third time in 1960. I wanted to know what happened to George Elphick and his son Gordon. It seems so sad that this little boy was sent away on a long vogage.

How do you know about the son Gordon?

There is this:



Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980

Name:Gordon Elphick

Location:Hamilton, Ontario

Occupation: Air Force -

Electoral District:Hamilton West

Year:1949



Living at the same address are:

George Elphick (Shipper)
Mr & Mrs William Wright (Mechanic)

I know of George from my aunt before she died in 1998. I believed she kept in touch with him by letter, but silly me didn't think to ask for details. Think you may be right about the Air Force. Coincidence - my aunt was in the Air Force during the war. Many thanks.

Hi Patricia,

You say the 1904 birth in Greenwich is correct, but surely that one died, and he was too young to be taken for 10 in early 1911 when shipped out to Canada. Isn't it more likely to be the other birth I posted with mother Annie living in Bexhill in 1901?

Thanks. Will look up info again.