Genealogy Chat

Have just read a letter from a relative , giving me a list of names and dates, and I had to laugh , I cannot give you the surnames for privacy reasons, but it goes like this Jack(John) Bill(William) George (we called him Tom) Arch(Tom) again Gladys(Maud) Samuel(Charles) all brothers and sisters in one family How are we supposed to find anyone ?????

I think you're in line for some sort of award, because I've never come across a whole family of brothers and sisters calling themselves by alternative names lol!! My best one so far (most have just used their middle names etc) is my Dad's Aunt Edie, who was baptised Bertha Alice. How did they arrive at Edie?? Mandy :))

I would rather have the right names than an award it would be so much easier. How they came to Edie who knows I dont know why they named them at all , do you ???

I had an Auntie Pet. I struggled for ages to find her, to no avail. Recently, my Uncle told me her real name was Gladys - Pet was a form of endearment!!!! (As in 'Auntie, dear' OC

I have heard of Dolly/littleun/pet/and all sorts does make you wonder. I wont tell you my nickname my Husband calls me .

I've got (same family) Ruth Amelia, known as Millie; William John known as Jack; & a Jane Armour known as Armour, but her birth registration is indexed as Jane Alma. Two of these emigrated, so I pity their descendents trying to trace them back! Ruth & Jane are on the 1901 census (no middle names) but father was out of the country, so it might be difficult to match them up!

Took me ages to find out who my Nan's 'Uncle Non' was. Nan assumed he was an Algernon but I couldn't find him anywhere. Finally found him as William Albert. Best guess is he was known as Albert, shortened to Al, nicknamed Algernon, shortened to Non. Thank goodness he was the only Welshman with the surname Gurney who served in the Canadian Army in WW1 or I don't think I would have ever realised who he was.

I wrote to my uncle in Australia about his siblings and parents. I enclosed a list of their dates, as far as I knew. When he wrote back he said he didn't know a lot more, but ''Who is this Edwin you keep on about?'' How embarrassing to have to say to him.....''He is your brother''.....he had no idea that was his brother's real name! They called him Ted so he assumed bro's name was Edward! Merry

Methinks this is going to be one of those threads great for a laugh (sorry Val, not laughing at you, just with you!). I just love OC's Auntie Pet and Merry's Edwin! Mandy :))

I had some trouble finding my grandma's cousin. She was Matilda Mallet in 1881, Nellie Winkle in 1901, and Helen Steele-Taylor when she died.

Mary, I love your Nellie Winkle, I'd like one of those for my tree! LOL

Mary It's really hard to imagine (in particular) that Nellie Winkle and Helen Steele-Taylor were one and the same person!! Those names conjour up such completely different images! Merry

Mary LOL! Are you sure its the same woman?!?! OC

Don't they just. She obviously wanted a more upmarket image. Even added an 'e' to her mum's maiden name.

Definitely the same person, Crone, and I've even found someone from this site who's also related to her, and has her silver-topped cane.

Mary I think you've overtaken Val for the award, that's incredible! Your rellie obviously had a huge sense of humour lol! Mandy :)

I thought my great gran had 2 sisters Martha and Charlotte, they turn out to be the same person and why are Mary Anns called Polly, I asked my Nan about her aunt Polly and she replyed of course she was called Polly her name was Mary Ann?????? by the way Non is a popular Welsh girls name, St Davids mum was Non! Caroline

I have a Violet (Doll), Lionel (Bert), Eric (Buck), Thomas (Bill and/or Clyde), Bertie (Ted), Roland (Ron) & Gladys ... called Gladys. All siblings. Also a grandmother Martha called Selina. No wonder it requires sleuthing to find anyone.

My most unfortunate relative went by the name of John Thomas.

WHY POLLY? It goes like this: Mary>Mally>Molly>Polly. Obviously lots of our ancestors lisped! My mum was Mary/Molly Great Aunt Mary Emma/Polly But a next door neighbour, a very jolly woman called Mrs Ann Parrott, was universally known behind her back as Polly! OC