Genealogy Chat

I am helping a friend research her family history, and she said that her great grandparents had a tailoring shop in George Street, Hastings. I have found an entry in the 1921 with the correct names (Alfred and Ada Martin) at 15 George Street, but he is listed as Wardrobe Dealer. I have not heard that before, could it mean tailor?

Quick Google

https://www.familyresearcher.co.uk/glossary/Dictionary-of-Old-Occupations-jobs-beginning-W.html#:~:text=Wardrobe%20Dealer%3A%20a%20second%2Dhand,docks%2C%20port%20or%20canal%20basin.

Wardrobe Dealer: a second-hand clothing merchant.

Thank you - not quite what was expected :)

There is a comprehensive description of the term below the 1921 census transcription at which you looked on FMP

In 1911, the family are calling themselves DAY……….he was still a wardrobe dealer, and says he was born USA

Claims to have been married for 9 years

Living at East Street, Chichester

Alfred John Martin married EMILY Day in 1901……….she is recorded as Emily in 1911

MARTIN, ADA DAY
GRO Reference: 1903 S Quarter in FULHAM Volume 01A Page 209
MARTIN, NELLY DAY
GRO Reference: 1907 M Quarter in WATFORD Volume 03A Page 836
MARTIN, SAIDIE DAY
GRO Reference: 1907 M Quarter in WATFORD Volume 03A Page 836
MARTIN, DAVID DAY
GRO Reference: 1909 S Quarter in GUILDFORD Volume 02A Page 97


1911 Census For England & Wales
29 East Street Chichester, Chichester, Sussex, England
Alfred Day Head Married Male 54 1857 Wardrobe dealer U S A
Emily Day Wife Married Female 38 1873 Assisting in the business London W
Ada Day Daughter - Female 7 1904 - London Bayswater W
Jessie Day Daughter - Female 5 1906 - London Ealing W
Nellie Day Daughter - Female 4 1907 - Watford Herts
Sadie Day Daughter - Female 4 1907 - Watford Herts
David Day Son - Male 1 1910 - Watford Herts
Amy Day Daughter - Female 0 1911 - Chichester Sussex

Can't find birth registrations for Jessie or Amy under either Martin or Day. David's is the right timeframe, but wrong area based on censuses

Births Jun 1918 (>99%)
Martin James Day Hastings 2b 50

????????
Deaths Sep 1950 (>99%)
Martin Ada E 78 Eastbourne 5h 214

Posting this just in case there's any connection:

DAY, AMY mmn GROVE
GRO Reference: 1911 J Quarter in CHICHESTER Volume 02B Page 339

The child with the Day/Martin family in 1911 is said to be aged "under 1 month"
- so born between 2 March and 2 April, which could fit that registration.

There's no Day/Grove marriage from 1880 until her birth.

There's one in Yorkshire in J/A/S quarter 1911 - William Henry Day (28) to Edith Grove (27) - but they're living in Yorkshire in 1921 (with no children) and also in 1939.
In 1911, Edith , born Birmingham, was a nurse in a Yorkshire hospital - therefore not giving birth in Sussex.

Amy isn't with the Day/Martin family in 1921 - or anywhere that I can see, nor did she die 1911-21, anywhere in England/Wales.

The birth should be registered as Martin………the father’s surname

There seems to be a lot of misinformation :-S :-S

Name Ada Emily Day
Gender Female
Age 9
Birth Date 19 Sep 1872
Admission Date 22 May 1882
School Saunders Road School
Father William Day

From FMP as previously mentioned

This is the closest definition we could find in the Ministry of Labour’s 1921 dictionary:
Dealer, wardrobe; A retail shopkeeper who sells all kinds of cast-off clothing; buys second hand clothing by calling from house to house, and at auctions; purchases mis-fits from tailors; sells from private house, shop, store or market stall; repairs garments ready for sale as necessary

The man's daughter, Jessie, married in 1933 and said that her deceased father's occupation was TAILOR. Probably a face-saver, or a bit of snobbery ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-)

Ada had a sister named Amy:

Ada P. Day [Ada E Day ]
in the 1881 England Census
Name Ada P. Day [Ada E Day]
Age 8
Estimated Birth Year abt 1873
Relationship to Head Daughter
Father William Day
Mother Maria Day
Gender Female
Where born Kensington, Middlesex, England
Civil parish Kensington
County/Island London
Country England
Street Address 50 Portland Road
Occupation Scholar
Registration district Kensington
Sub registration district Kensington Town
ED, institution, or vessel 28a
Neighbors
Piece 31
Folio 9
Page number 11
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
William Day 61 Head
Maria Day 48 Wife
Aamy Day 24 Daughter
Lucy Day 21 Daughter
William S. Day 19 Son
Charles H. Day 17 Son
Ada P. Day 8 Daughter
Ellen Day 6 Daughter


DAY, AMY MARY mmn WATTS
GRO Reference: 1857 J Quarter in SAINT LUKE MIDDLESEX Volume 01B Page 564

DAY, LUCY mmn WATTS
GRO Reference: 1859 S Quarter in SAINT LUKE MIDDLESEX Volume 01B Page 595

DAY, WILLIAM SAMUEL mmn WATTS
GRO Reference: 1861 S Quarter in KENSINGTON Volume 01A Page 75

DAY, CHARLES HENRY mmn WATTS
GRO Reference: 1864 M Quarter in KENSINGTON Volume 01A Page 74


Ada and Ellen had a different mother (their father had remarried in 1867):

DAY, ADA EMILY mmn BAKER
GRO Reference: 1872 D Quarter in KENSINGTON Volume 01A Page 101

DAY, HELEN mmn BAKER
GRO Reference: 1874 S Quarter in KENSINGTON Volume 01A Page 131

Wow, thanks for all the above - for some reason I didn't get notification of replies to my post, so didn't realise you had added so much. Thank you

I had found them listed as Day, goodness knows why unless he was a dodgy wardrobe dealer.

GR is NOT like Facebook - you have to monitor your threads

The GR site says they will notify you of replies - but they haven't for many years, if at all.