Genealogy Chat

My gt grandfather changed his name after he married. He started using his grandfathers name after his grandfather died and in his will he left him money and propery. His grandparents never married.

Could this be Mary in 1861? She is listed as married.

1861 England Census
about Mary Edingbrough
Name: Mary Edingbrough
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838
Relation: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish: Aston
Town: Birmingham
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Registration district: Aston
Sub registration district: Deritend
ED, institution, or vessel: 12
Household schedule number: 61
Household Members: Name Age
Mary Edingbrough 23
Ellen Hardwick 7
Fanny Hardwick 5
Frank Hardwick 7 Mo
Henry Hardwick 3
Joseph Hardwick 42
Mary Hardwick 34
Selina Harris 31

Rose

Still don't see a marriage for them though.

Did you see a Robert Henry appears in 1881?

Rose

Hi Jan,

You can't do it on this site but you can use first names only on Ancestry. I was using Ada born 1869 with parents Thomas and Mary with keyword Birmingham.

Rose

Hi Rose, thanks for response.
I did notice the difference in jobs, but then a lot of our ancestors changed jobs frequently so I haven't given it too much importance. How do you do a first name only search? I thought you always needed a surname.
Regards
Jan
PS Sylvia - you were right then when you suggested they might have changed their name! More like living under an alias. Obviously scoundrels.

Hi Janet,

I saw the Edinburgh show up a few times in my first names only searches too. The only issue is Thomas is a coal dealer in 1881 and a wardrobe dealer in 1891.

All the sibling's births seem to correspond to Vaux births on FreeBMD.

Rose

Hi all, and many thanks again for your input. I really do appreciate it.
I also subscribe to ancestry, and have asked for help there. Someone has come up with this - it seems very of the wall, but has taken some effort, so I would appreciate your comments.
I do know that Ada was born in 1869 at 43 Waterloo St B'ham, her parents Thomas and Mary. Ellie has found Thomas, Mary and Ada EDINBURGH living at the same address in 1871! Now I am totally confused. What was going on?

LATER! I think this might be them, bizarre as it seems. On her marriage certificate, Ada is recorded as living at 57 Church St Bham (so is her husband, so probably not too precise). On the 1881 census, the Edinborough family are at 55 Chuch St.!!!

AND in 1901. Thomas and Mary "Edinborough"'s grandaughter Florence Lewis aged 1 was staying with them. And Ada's oldest child was Florence Lewis born about 1890. This really must be them I think.

Jan

Janet

I have seen one, and have heard of many, marriage certificates where it just says father's name ........ only after long searching has it been proven that he was in fact deceased at the time of the marriage.


It seems that if the vicar or registrar did not ask specifically "is he alive?", some people omitted that piece of information.

Understandable maybe if the question is "Name of your father".



especially when you're dealing with illiterate or semi-illiterate people.



sylvia

I found this Thomas Vaux in 1841 but have been unable to find him later on:

1851 England Census
about Thomas Fance
Name: Thomas Fance
[Thomas Vaux]
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1838
Relation: Grandson
Gender: Male
Where born: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish: Birmingham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Paul
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Registration district: Birmingham
Sub registration district: St Paul
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 68
Household Members: Name Age
Sevender Fance 15
Thomas Fance 13
Ann Powell 20
John Powell 27
Ann Sana 55

I found Sevender/Serrender in 1841 and in later censuses and he was in the brass business as was his father.

Rose

Jan,

Any clues with the witnesses to the marriage?

I can't see the marriage to Mary Spencer.

Rose

Hi Sylvia.

Ada's birth certificate gives her birthplace as Birmingham, specifically Waterloo St. This still exists and is right in the city centre. I think Birmingham was quite small back then.

Sylvia, these are very useful suggestions about the name. Ada did marry as Ada Vaux though. I wonder if I should look for the death of Thomas.

Rose - Mary's maiden name was Spencer. Thomas was a brass tap maker - it does also say journeyman. Now then, I wonder if they moved around more than I thought? mmm....

I may have to admit defeat - there seem to be so many possible variants of this name! I have even come across "Voice" - not that outrageous I suppose.
I'm sure Vaux must be French originally.
Anyway,thanks for the input evryone. Much appreciated - as will be any other ideas!!

Regards

Jan

PS I have found the death of one Thomas Vaux in Birmingham - in 1895. Also - in other marriage certificates I have, if the father was deceased it was stated, and on Ada's it does not, so I suspect he was alive.

I wonder if they changed their name for some reason???

I don't mean just getting assigned the wrong name by the enumerator, but literally changing their surname??

I had a case of this a few months ago when I was helping someone. We could not find this one particular family, then it turned out that dad had seeningly taken on another surname. The family (including Mom) reverted to the old name after Dad died. No idea why, particularly as they had stayed in the same geographical area!!

What was Ada's actual birthplace on the birth certificate?? Does it just say Birmingham, or an area within Birtmingham?


A second thought .......... could it be that Thomas has died and Mary re-married, so she and Ada are shown under the "new" name? The fact that Thomas is on the marriage certificate, doesn't always mean that he is alive!



sylvia

Janet

Keep this thread going, don't start a new one

All the information is together in one place, and everyone can see what has been found and why it's been ruled out.


at least that is my opinion, I don't know what others think!


sylvia

The Vaux name also appears in Somerset - I have often wondered where the name came from but always thought it sounded French.

Hi Rose (sorry for changing the subject, Janet).

Good memory, Rose! I was asking about pronunciation, as the earliest record I can find on my Vaus/Vaux ancestors is Vous. I was wondering if the rellie with Vous spelling could be my link to France, where one of my ancestor's was supposedly born (where Vaux supposedly originated).

Would have never thought to look for "F" variations. Thank you. Will give that a shot. :)

What's Mary's maiden name and Thomas' occupation?

Rose

It's me again!
Well now. I think Ada might well have been born in Birmingham, and just maybe the contact I mentioned had followed the wrong Ada path! I have obtained certificates for both her birth and her marriage to Thomas Lewis. My problem now is that I cannot find this family before Ada's marriage (in 1889). There should be Thomas and Mary Vaux (her parents) plus Ada of course. I have tried name variations with no joy.
Is it pushing my luck to ask for help again?
Thanks all.
Jan
PS should I make this search a new thread do you think?

Yes Sylvia, I think you did! Many thanks for that.
Jan

wow, you mean I did find and follow the right Vaux???



sylvia

Wow, thanks everyone! The Vaux name really is tricky isn't it?
I think the Yorkshire Ada might well be mine - got a message this morning from someone with Clarence Lewis (her son) born Birmingham and Ada born in Leeds in their tree.
Can't thank you all enough for your efforts.
With my best wishes
Jan