Genealogy Chat

Thanks Marie for sending a copy of the landing Doc for Ronald, I always find it amazing that we can see all these docs.
I know Ronald married Beatrice as I have now found photos of the two in my Grandmas garden, so they were in England. Will have another look and see if there are dated. On the doc you sent he says he is single, it does ask for widowed or divorced, so I think he only married once and the other Ronald may be someone else.J :-D

Joan - the "other" Ronald who died in Australia had the parents John Cousins and Emily Churchill. The same chap also visited Stapleton in Bristol in 1927 with his wife Constance, who he married in 1926 in Australia, and who he was with until his death in 1947.

I definitely think there is a misunderstanding somewhere along the line. You need to consider these points:

Is the Ronald on the 1911 census, who was the son of Emily Churchill definitely your Ronald? If so, then that is surely his death in Australia in 1947 (that death record I posted on page 1 names his parents).

None of the census or shipping records show a middle name, or initial A - the only place that appears is on that 1935 marriage record to Beatrice Rhodes. Ronald's birth record in 1895 does not have a middle name. (There was, however, a Ronald Albert Cousins born in Camberwell, London in 1895).

Does the photo in your Gran's garden actually name the people in it? Is there a chance that the photo could be of him and Constance? (They did visit Stapleton together for a few months in 1927).

I think it's imperative you order a copy of that 1935 certificate to check all the details on it match what you believe. Otherwise you could be following a wrong path (I've been there and done that myself!).

The document I sent was dated 1924 so would be before he'd married anyone.

Just had a look on Ancestry and there is actually a public tree that has the same information about Ronald's parents, census records, voyages, marriage to Constance and death in 1947 as I have stated. (It doesn't mention Beatrice)

There is also a private tree that has numerous records and photos associated with Ronald (these aren't visible unless invited by the tree owner). I've sent a message asking them if they have any definitive confirmation as to Ronald's spouse.

I have had another look at my Grandma photo album. It looks like my Ronald was in England in 1924 as there aare photos of him at Baugh Farm with his brother.
He is also in England in 1926 and Beatrice appears, they look very fond of each other! He is also there in summer 1927 when they are on holiday and then there are no more pics until the one sent by Beatrice after his death. There is no info on this photo.
I also looked through an album my mother had as a child in the 20s and 30s, but there are no photos of either Ronald or Beatrice.
MarieCeleste, I did send a message to thank you for the info you sent re his passage to Aus., but my computer keeps having strange moments today (know how it feels),and I don't think it was sent, really great info . Thanks to all :-D

MarieCeleste, now that my computer has caught up and I have read all your posts it looks like the marriage to Constance is right. In all the photos she is refered to as Bea, but through experience I realise this doesn't always mean its the first given name. The dates would fit better, 1935 does seem very late. :-)

Joan - please think about this! You say he's in England in **** 1926 **** and Beatrice appears. That has got to be Constance!

The marriage that you think is your Ronald to Beatrice Rhodes didn't happen until 1935.

Where did you originally get the name of Beatrice from? Who connected that 1935 marriage to Ronald?

On this site is the Hambrook school admission register and it gives details of him leaving the school in 1905 and also his date of birth. This will be useful when comparing them.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=baugh%20farm%20downend%20bristol%20and%20cousins&source=web&cd=5&sqi=2&ved=0CE0QFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.frenchaymuseumarchives.co.uk%2FArchives%2FSchools%2FHambrook_SchReg_1893-22.rtf&ei=kpNKT_njH4ry8QPa78XbCw&usg=AFQjCNF0REEy7Jz2l4CmoWF7bQgtzOiEzg


128 2.7.1902 Ronald COUSINS John Baugh Farm, Downend 6.5.1895 Private 20.4.1905 Gone to Merchant Venturers Tech Sch

Thanks LadyKira never seen anything like this before :-D

Good find LK.

Joan, I've received a reply from the person on Ancestry who has a private tree with Ronald's family (they have cousin connections). They confirm that Ronald married Constance in Australia, not Beatrice in Devonport.

That was found by google. always a good tip.

Thanks, can't afford membership of Ancestry although I have had a few free fortnights on various emails! Might invest in a months subscription, could pay dividends.
Constance must have called herself Bea!! No supprise, my husbands step mother was known by her fourth of five names!! J ;-)

Joan, Ancestry has a spin-off site called Mundia and it's completely free.

You can't search records like BMD and census but you can search and view all public Ancestry trees and contact the tree owners. It's very useful.
Here's the link http://www.mundia.com/gb/

Out of curiosity, where did you get Ronald's wife's name as Bea? Constance's full name was Constance Vere Reid Ward so wonder if she used Vere which could sound a bit similar.

This would be her birth:

Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922
Name: Constance Vere Ward Reid
Birth Date: 26 Jan 1897
Father's Name: George William Reid
Mother's name: Annie Nichols
Birth Place: Renmark
Registration Place: Burra, South Australia
Page Number: 41
Volume Number: 599

Hi MarieCeleste, will certainly give that site a go, thanks for the tip.
The photo that started this investigation is in a cardboard folder, but after I removed it (no damage caused) I found written on the back-
To Lillian (my Grandma)
In loving memory of our beloved Ronald.
Yours as always Bea x
I have looked twice and it is Bea not Ve. Could have been a nickname.
Joan

May be worth following Beatrice.
Only way to be sure is the certificates.

England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916-2005 about Beatrice H M Rhodes
Name: Beatrice H M Rhodes
Mother's Maiden Surname: Williams
Date of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1917
Registration district: Devonport
Inferred County: Devonshire
Volume Number: 5b
Page Number: 412



England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005 about Beatrice H M Rhodes
Name: Beatrice H M Rhodes
Spouse Surname: Cousis
Date of registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1935
Registration district: Devonport
Inferred County: Devonshire
Volume Number: 5b
Page Number: 819

possible death for Ronald
Deaths Jun 1943 (>99%)
COUSINS Ronald 27 Taunton 5c 274

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005 about Beatrice H M Rhodes
Name: Beatrice H M Rhodes
Spouse Surname: Tench
Date of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1953
Registration district: Plymouth
Inferred County: Devonshire
Volume Number: 7a
Page Number: 1280

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005 about Beatrice H M Cousins
Name: Beatrice H M Cousins
Spouse Surname: Tench
Date of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1953
Registration district: Plymouth
Inferred County: Devonshire
Volume Number: 7a
Page Number: 1280

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005 about Beatrice H M Tench
Name: Beatrice H M Tench
Birth Date: abt 1922
Date of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1955
Age at Death: 33
Registration district: Plymouth
Inferred County: Devon
Volume: 7a
Page: 472

Have found 2 possible children for Rhodes/Cousins and Tench marriage.

Beatrice has not left the Plymouth area for her major life events and appears to be too young to be married to Ronald!!!

Beatrices mother was maiden nam Williams and born Devonport so

possible siblings

Births Sep 1915
Rhodes Lilian M Williams Devonport 5b 433
Births Mar 1917
Rhodes Beatrice H M Williams Devonport 5b 412
Births Mar 1921
Rhodes James E Williams Devonport 5b 478
Births Sep 1923
Rhodes Kitty C Williams Devonport 5b 449

Marriages Mar 1915
Rhodes James Williams Devonport 5b 681
Williams Clara Rhodes Devonport 5b 681

This one has got my head in a spin!

I know this marriage has already been posted:

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Dec 1935
Cousins Ronald A Rhodes Devonport 5b 819
Rhodes Beatrice H M Cousins Devonport 5b 819

I think it mightn't be right for a number of reasons:

On no other record does Ronald have initial "A"
It's probably too late as "Bea" was with him in gran's garden around 1926/7

That Beatrice then married again in 1953:

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005
Name: Beatrice H M Cousins
Spouse : Eric H Tench
Date of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1953
Registration district: Plymouth
Inferred County: Devonshire
Volume Number: 7a
Page Number: 1280

She was probably too young to have been with Ronald in the 1920s:

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2005
Name: Beatrice H M Tench
Birth Date: abt 1922
Date of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1955
Age at Death: 33
Registration district: Plymouth
Inferred County: Devon
Volume: 7a
Page: 472

I think the age at death needs to be taken with a pinch of salt as she'd have only been 13 when she married in 1935.

Oh LK - we both returned at the same time (I hadn't refreshed screen) thinking the same thing!