Genealogy Chat

I think I found them on the 1891 census. It looks as though some of Julius Clarke's children have been wrongly listed as the householder's children. There is also a daughter , Phyllis Clarke age 7. I first thought that maybe they were the householders but there is another child in between Phyllis & Arthur, Alexander Best age 5. Julius Clarke was originally put down as a "widow", then that was cancelled out and replaced by "single". I'd look for a Kate Clarke dying between Arthur's birth and the census. It may have just been chance that his wife was called Kate and the householder was Catherine. This might be completely wrong though... Rachel

Hi Rachel It was on the 1891 census. My Grandad was 5mths old, he was born 5/11/1890. It does say Catherine Best - Head, married, charwoman, so it looks as though she could have been widowed/divorced? Kate Clarke formerly Mc Arthur- mother- registered the birth. Perhaps my Gt Grandad & Granny weren't married? x

Hi Maggie The thing is though that he was known as Arthur Julius Clarke all his life - which he was registered as. Perhaps my Gt Grandad and Granny never married then? x

Which census are they listed on & when was his birth? Circumstances might have changed between the two dates. Was the married woman's husband also around at the time? Also who registered the birth, was it his father or his mother? Questions, questions, questions.....sorry to ask so many but I confuse really easliy!! Rachel

Lorraine, Sounds to me like 'Lodger syndrome'. Lodger has his evil way with landlady, all hunky dory for a few months/years, so woman calls herself by the lodger's name, and registers the baby under it's father's name, Lodger does a bunk, woman reverts to her own name, and calls the child by her surname, as it saves scandal. My G Grandmother had 9 children out of wedlock, and on every birth certificate she gave her surname as the same as that of the children's father (my G Grandfather) Ontheir marriage, she declared herself a 47 year old spinster, which she legally was!

I have a problem that someone may be able to help me with? I'll TRY not to be too long winded with it..... I received my Grandad's birth cert yesterday and since then someone has done a census search for me. On the census my Gt Grandad Julius Clarke was a lodger at a married woman's house, Catherine Best. The house where my Grandad was born. On the census my Grandads surname and his mopther's is Best - but on his birth cert his surname is Clarke and so is hers. Kate Clarke formerly Mc Arthur. Has anyone any ideas what's going on? Thank you for any ideas x UPDATE! Today I received my GT Grandads and Granny's marriage cert'. Julius Clarke to Catherine Best. - see message