Genealogy Chat

Just thought, have you tried Burkes Peerage - or just googled for his name? If he were a Lord or Baronet, then he would show up somewhere, even if it was his once a month trip to the House of Lords.

Well, I mean she may be right, but having had this sort of thing myself - though ours involved Russian royalty - I tend to think that each generation an elderly person is given the task of passing on tales of riches and fortune that has been lost! There may be a grain of truth - my Great Uncle reckoned my dads side had owned a large part of the Docks in London (woo hoo, multi millionairess, eh) that was leased but never sold. So far it seems to me that the family rented a warehouse to make masts! (And even then they ended up in court twice for 'impeding the river traffic with timber!). So you may find an interesting story but not quite the one elderly rellie believes!

Thanks everyone. Have just ordered the certificate. Looked for it under my uncle's name and wife's maiden name is stated as Clark or Mears, never seen two names before, no sign of a Cocking!!! The mystery deepens. Can't wait for this cert, to arrive...... LINDA..... ps Aunt has just phoned again and said she thinks that her Mum MAY NOT have been married to her Dad when she was born. Bless her. She's well confused

I've just looked on the Nat Archives site for PCC Wills of people named Offin up to 1858. None have the sort of occupation that fits with being a Sir and none mention a title. One is this chap.... Will of Abraham Offin, Farmer of Hutton , Essex 03 December 1855 PROB 11/2224 who might be Henry's dad..... I think it's at this point where I say, ''Time to get that 1908 marriage cert''!!! Might find it's a different Bernard altogether!! Jess - That is really SAD about those MANNINGS :o(( Merry

Hi Linda.......well we might be looking at the wrong Bernard, but I have found once before that this type of ''unlikely story'' has turned out to have happened further back on the tree and then been transposed to a later person. When Henry Offin was first married to Clara, he was a Clerk to a Law Stationer on the 1871 census. So he must have had some sort of reasonable education and seems to have gone ''downhill'' jobs-wise after that!!........... In 1871 he was 30 and Clara only 21 but they already had 3 children, so she was quite young when they married: 1871: Infant (No Name) abt 1871 Forest Gate, Essex, England Son West Ham Essex Clara Office abt 1850 St George in the East, Middlesex, England Wife West Ham Essex Frederick C Office abt 1870 Mile End Old Town, Middlesex, England Son West Ham Essex Henry Office abt 1841 Hutton, Essex, England Head West Ham Essex Henry W Office abt 1868 Mile End Old Town, Middlesex, England Son West Ham Essex Merry

Hi Jess, I remember from years ago my Aunt told me she was sent to Cornwall during her teen years. I always imagined she had been evacuated but the dates don't really add up. I must admit I always suspected she had a child and that's why she was sent there, just little things you hear when you are a child yourself, but you don't really take much notice. She had never had any other children. Linda

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...... I can't find Henry in 1861. But have found him and a possible brother on Ancestry's 1851 census sample. (lol, never found a soul on that before!!).........They seem to be in a school in the High Street of Brentford, Essex..... View Record John Offen Brentwood, Essex Essex, England, Ingatestone Male 12 View Record Henry Offin Brentwood, Essex Essex, England, Hutton Male 10 Not many people at the school - 24 children and staff....... Wonder what sort of place it was?????? Merry

Hi Merry. I remember the name Ruby somewhere along the line. I have just phoned my Aunt but she is in her 80's and is having a bad day today memory-wise. In fact most days are like that now. She insists that her Dad and Grandad where both called Bernard and that the Grandad was a 'Sir'. Young Bernard married Rachel who was a maid in the house they lived in. She says that Rachel Cocking, her mother, came from Cornwall which I have discovered is correct on the Census. She said that they had land in Kent. They she goes off on a 'ramble' Wish I had spoken to her about this years ago but I expect we all wish we had done that with our elderly relatives. Linda

Manning, Vincent William 1898 June Marriages Islington Greater London London Middlesex Offin, Clara Agnes 1898 June Marriages Islington Greater London London Middlesex Name: Manning, Vincent William Record Type: Deaths Age at death: 21 < That is sad Quarter: September Year: 1900 District: Islington County: Greater London London Middlesex Volume: 1b Page: 169 (click to see others on page Name: Manning, Vincent William F Record Type: Deaths Age at death: 0 < possibly their son. probably even sadder Quarter: September Year: 1899 District: Islington County: Greater London London Middlesex Volume: 1b Page: 184 (click to see others on page

wonder if this is said rachel 1901 View Record Flora Cocking abt 1892 Polperro, Cornwall, England Daughter Talland Cornwall View Record Laura Cocking abt 1860 Polperro, Cornwall, England Wife Talland Cornwall View Record Philip Cocking abt 1832 Polperro, Cornwall, England Head Talland Cornwall View Record Rachel Cocking abt 1886 Polperro, Cornwall, England Daughter Talland Cornwall her father is a retired Fisherman and her mother is a packer in a pilchard curing factory !!

And in 1901 dad Henry is a night watchman. Bernard is already working, aged 14, but I'm not sure what it says?? Clara Manning abt 1880 Wansted Hats, Essex, England Daughter Islington London Clara Offen abt 1850 Stephey, London, England Wife Islington London >>>>Emard Offen abt 1886 Holloway, London, England Son Islington London Henry Offen abt 1841 Hutton, Essex, England Head Islington London John Offen abt 1882 Holloway, London, England Son Islington London Ruby Offen abt 1899 Holloway, London, England Daughter Islington London it may say ''Van Guard''??? Doesn't make much sense?? Sister Clara Manning is only 21 and already a widow :o(( Maybe dad, Henry, is the chucked out son of a sir?????? Am going back in my time machine to 1861........ Merry

Bernard born 1885 in Islington is the son of an ''Infirmary Clerk''........ 1891: Office, Albert abt 1877 Forest Gate, Essex, England Son Islington London >>>>Office, Bernard abt 1886 Islington, London, England Son Islington London Office, Clara abt 1850 Mile End, London, England Wife Islington London Office, Clara A abt 1880 Wanstead, Essex, England Daughter Islington London Office, Florence M A abt 1882 Islington, London, England Daughter Islington London Office, Henry abt 1841 Hutton, Essex, England Head Islington London Office, James I abt 1876 Forest Gate, Essex, England Son Islington London Office, John E abt 1884 Islington, London, England Son Islington London Merry

No mention of a Bernard Offin in The Times newspsper archive :o(( Merry

Name: Offin, Bernard Record Type: Births Quarter: December Year: 1885 District: Islington County: Greater London London Middlesex Volume: 1b Page: 200 (click to see others on page) Wonder if this is your Bernard? there are loads of Offins in Kent in 1891 - cant see Bernard. Do you know any other names at all?

Even without an occupation in 1901, what's he doing visiting a goods guard (which I take to be a railway worker)!!!! Merry

Not a bride missing, but a groom too many! Bernard O should be page number 743, with Rachel... Merry

View Record COPONET, Eugene Edward 1908 September Marriages Islington Greater London London Middlesex View Record HAGGER, Beatrice Selina 1908 September Marriages Islington Greater London London Middlesex View Record HARDWICK, Fanny 1908 September Marriages Islington Greater London London Middlesex View Record NASH, John 1908 September Marriages Islington Greater London London Middlesex View Record OFFIN, Bernard 1908 September Marriages Islington Greater London London Middlesex Record Type: Marriages Quarter: September Year: 1908 District: Islington County: Greater London London Middlesex Volume: 1b Page: 713 1 woman missing off the page ! GGGrrrr -------------------------------- 1901 - Alfred Gambill abt 1856 Billingshurst, Sussex, England Head Preston Sussex Edith Gambill abt 1881 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England Daughter Preston Sussex Ellen Gambill abt 1887 Brighton, Sussex, England Daughter Preston Sussex Grace Gambill abt 1890 Brighton, Sussex, England Daughter Preston Sussex Harriett Gambill abt 1857 Horsham, Sussex, England Wife Preston Sussex William Gambill abt 1885 Brighton, Sussex, England Son Preston Sussex Bernard Offin abt 1862 Brentwood, Essex, England Visitor Preston Sussex < occupation - doesnt seem to have one! address Viaduct St Maybe not yours will look at 1891.

Do you think it would say it on marriage or death certificate? Linda

Linda The 'Sir'on my husbands side of the tree is not recorded as this on census. Sue

Hi Jess, Bernard Offin married Rachel Cocking from Cornwall in Islington in 1908. It may be a vivid imagination. My Aunt said that her Dad was called Bernard Offin and that he married Rachel who was a servant and was then thrown out of the the family as he married beneath him. His Dad was called Bernard also and was a 'Sir'. She also said he came from Kent but the only one I can find came from Essex Linda