Genealogy Chat

Hi, I'm really struggling with my grandma still! Born 2/9/1909, her name was Freda Stanley and my dad now says she was born in Plumstead, I have today had an e-mail off my uncle who has found a birth cert for Freda Constant?? On her marraige and death certs she is Freda Stanley, when I've checked both names on 1837 nothing at all is coming up for her birth. I have tried a couple of months either side and still nothing. Any advice would be appreciated. Laurie

What are the names of parents on birth cert for Freda Constant? They will be on the 1901 census. George

Hi George, They only have a small cert which was re-issued 5/10/72 (2yrs before she died). As far as I am aware her dad was Charles Stanley (on marraige cert) is it likely that her surname was changed to Stanley after her birth was registered? Do you think that I should order a copy of the full cert of Freda Constant and hopefully it'll be the same person. It seems strange that she has the same birth date and first name as my nan (keep thinking it must be her, just don't want to throw money away). Laurie

Hi I'd suggest ordering the full version as it is possible her mother was not married at the time of the birth and she was registered with her mums maiden name. My ggg grandmother was not married when she had her first child. She gave her child her maiden name of Shipley. When my ggg grandmother married 2yrs later her daughter adopted the surname of my ggg grandfather. George

Had me worried for a minute, saying you had a cert and it wasn't in the index -- not good for my confidence in the system. But it's there: 1909 Oct-Dec, CONSTANT Freda, Woolwich, 1d, 1130 Plumstead was in Woolwich district, and you're allowed 6 weeks to register a birth, which can take it into October from 2nd Sept. Seems quite likely the father's name will be blank and you still won't know whether it's her or not, but you'll have the mother's full name and then you can look for a marriage after the birth, which would settle it