Genealogy Chat

I'm trying to track down my great grandfather's family - he died in WW1 aged just 20 so my grandmother has little knowledge of him or his family. Using his death certificate I've found what must be him on the 1901 census, along with his parents and siblings. I'd now like to find out what his mother's maiden name was - any tips on ways of doing this would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Sarah

If you can track down the birth certificate it should have mothers maiden name on there, I would of thought.

Nicola

Try looking on free BMD for his birth registration
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/
then you can send for his birth certificate which will give his parents' names.

Just to add, assuming that you do have the correct family with mother and father both living at the correct address, you could always try and find them on the 1911 census, on there it should have roughly how long they were married. You can then work out when they got married and search fo rthe entries for around that time. If you don't have access to the 1911 census, if you put your details on here there maybe some kind person that will be able to do a look up for you.

Nicola

Thanks everyone. I don't have access to the 1911 census but if anyone could look them up for me that would be great. I'm looking at my great grandfather being Charles V Hill, born 1897, and the 1901 address is 36 Cromwell Street Sheffield (Nether Hallam ward).

It would also be helpful to know if there were any further children younger than Reginald, who was 5 months in 1901. This is because what's confusing the issue is that my Nan thinks he may have had sisters called Gwen and Ada but neither of these names were mentioned in 1901. Its feasible that they were born later so if they were there in 1911 that would settle it for definite.

Charles V Hill's parents were Edwin and Sarah so my original query is to find out what Sarah's name was previously.

Thanks again, Sarah

By searching the site that I posted for you - there is Charles Vincent Hill, registration September qr 1896 Ecclesall Bierlow which, I believe, is the Sheffield area.

His birth certificate will give his parents' names, ie his father's first name and surname and his mother's first name, surname, and previous surname.

To order a certificate from the GRO -
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

Was looking for the marriage. Wouldn't you know it? Two Sarah's!

Marriages Sep 1887 (>99%)
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Crookes Sarah Jane Ecclesall 9c 407
HILL Edwin Ecclesall B. 9c 407
HUDSON Sam Ecclesall B. 9c 407
SHAW Sarah Ann Ecclesall B. 9c 407

I suppose Gwen could be either one of these?

Births Dec 1901 (>99%)
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Hill Gwendoline Styring Ecclesall B. 9c 509

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Births Dec 1906 (>99%)
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Hill Gwendoline Mary Ecclesall B. 9c 461

Possibles for Ada?

Births Dec 1905 (>99%)
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Hill Ada Ecclesall B. 9c 438

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Births Jun 1910 (>99%)
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HILL Ada Winifred Ecclesall B 9c 425

Guess not for Gwen and Ada, they weren't on the 1911 census.

Thank you so much everyone for your efforts - much appreciated, though I confess to still being rather confused - especially by the mentions of Ecclesall. This is an area of Sheffield but my Charles Hill was from the Crookes/Walkley area which I thought came under Hallam. I need to find out about boundaries I think. It is feasible that the area came under Ecclesall but Hallam was given on the 1901 census. Anyway you've all given me some good food for thought.

Aha! Have Googled around and discovered that Nether Hallam was a sub district of Ecclesall Bierlow so that's cleared that up. I'm seeing my Nan on Sunday so will put some of these names to her see if any ring a bell, though I know that her father's family had little contact with her after his death. If not I will send for a birth certificate now that I have more information to go on.
Thanks again all.

Great, thanks Margaret I'll report back after a family gathering at the weekend.

have you got your great grandfathers marriage cert to confirm his fathers name? or do you already know this for sure

No I haven't got a marriage certificate so that might be a route to go down if I'm still uncertain after speaking to my Nan. There is a question mark there because previously she thought he was also called Charles but this family on the census has the father as being Edwin. However, one of my Grandads was also only ever known as Charles when his name was Edgar so it's still possibly the same person. If you follow all that - aren't families complicated and official records don't record all these little foibles!

have you got the right death cert?

Given Name: Charles Vincent
Surname: Hill
Last Place of Residence: Sheffield, England
Date of Arrival: 01 Aug 1923
Age at Arrival: 26y
Ethnicity: Britain, English
Port of Departure: Liverpool
Port of Arrival: New York
Gender: Male
Marital Status: M
US Citizen:
Ship of Travel: Franconia (1923)
Collection: New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924

If he died in WW1 in battle then there wouldn't be a death cert?
did you send for it or is it an original?

? same man coming back
Name: Charles Vincent Hill
Birth Date: 23 Sep 1897
Age: 59
Port of Departure: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Arrival Date: 13 May 1957
Port of Arrival: Liverpool, England
Ports of Voyage: Montreal
Ship Name: Empress of Britain
Search Ship Database: View the 'Empress of Britain' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping Line: Canadian Pacific
Official Number: 3141/01

Before I get into searching, Walkley and Crookes are adjacent to Ecclesall. My daughter lives in Walkley.

You can determine registration districts at this reference:

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/genuki/reg/

And census districts can be determined by opening any original census image and clicking back in the Ancestry bar to find the town and registration district - though I have to add that Sheffield is a bit of a nightmare with Ecclesall appearing in 3 different guises as well as Sheffield itself.

I am a bit bothered about you searching without evidence. You say Charles Vincent died during in WW1 aged 20. There is only one C V Hill on the Commonwealth Graves Commission website and he isn't from Sheffield, and is Charles Victor, aged 19 in 1918.

How do you know your g grandfather died in WW1 age 20?

There is no matching death that I can see in Sheffield.

There is this marriage in Sheffield:

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005
about Charles V Hill
Name: Charles V Hill
Spouse Surname: Lloyd
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1916
Registration district: Ecclesall Bierlow
Registration county (inferred): Yorkshire - West Riding
Volume Number: 9c
Page Number: 754
Find Spouse: Find Spouse

Ellen M Lloyd.

Are these your grandparents?

I would seriously reccomend getting that marriage certificate as we are now throwing in doubts as to his name and parents. There is no point in tracing your family history down the wrong line.

You say your grandmother remembers nothing about her father, but does she remember her mother being Ellen M Lloyd?

If not, we have another battle to fight.