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Researching Thomas Saunders Married Lydia Bedford i know information up until they left UK to go to Australia then the trail goes cold. left UK in late 1920s

Just for helpers' benefit to give an idea of time-scale:

Marriages Mar 1908 (>99%)
BEDFORD Lydia Berkhampstead 3a 961
Saunders Thomas Berkhampstead 3a 961

They are not going to be living relatives - but presumably you mean any descendants they may have had.

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
59 George St Sunnyside, Sunnyside, Hertfordshire, England

Thomas Saunders Wife Married Male Tennis Hoop Maker 29 1882 Ivinhoe Bucks Transcription
Lydia Saunders Wife Married Female - 24 1887 Pottenend Gt Berkhamstead Herts

Are you certain they left ( or at least may they have returned?) as this couple have same birth years and I can't see a record for them going to Australia?

Saunders Household (2 People)
Lyndale Poplar Drive , Herne Bay U.D., Kent, EnglaFIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB OCCUPATION
Lydia Saunders 31 Mar 1887 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Thomas Saunders 07 Feb 1882 Confectioner & Tobacconist Retired

Lydia had no middle name, which might cut down any search:

Births Jun 1887 (>99%)
Bedford Lydia Berkhampstead 3a 602


I don't see them together on any Australian ER.

Unless you were looking at this one?

First name(s) L
Last name SAUNDERS
Title MRS
Gender Female
Age 49
Birth year 1880
Occupation H W
Departure year 1929
Departure day 26
Departure month 1
Departure port LIVERPOOL
Destination port SYDNEY
Destination SYDNEY
State New South Wales
Country AUSTRALIA
Destination country AUSTRALIA
Ship name CERAMIC
Ship official number 135474
Ship master's first name T
Ship master's last name MUSGRAVE
Shipping line WHITE STAR-ABERDEEN
City LIVERPOOL
Ship destination port AUSTRALIA
Ship destination country AUSTRALIA
Ship registered tonnage 18495
Number of passengers 391
Record set Passenger Lists leaving UK 1890-1960
Category Travel & migration
Subcategory Passenger lists
Collections from Australasia, Great Britain, Ireland, United States

Travelling with Mr CL or CH, and Mr VA from 4 Chesham rdAmersham Bucks...they would be her sons I think age 20 and 18

Just a guess at the son VA :

Births Sep 1910 (>99%)
SAUNDERS Victor A Romford 4a 548


EDIT:

this is possibly that Victor, with mother Louisa (Mrs L Saunders in that travel record?)


Victor Arthur Saunders

in the 1911 England Census
Name: Victor Arthur Saunders
Age in 1911: 10/12
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1910
Relation to Head: Son
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Ilford, Essex
Civil Parish: Ilford
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Street address: 55 Jersey Rd, Ilford, Essex
Registration district: Romford
Registration District Number: 191
Sub-registration district: Ilford
ED, institution, or vessel: 50
Household schedule number: 28
Piece: 9899
Household Members:
Name Age
Louisa Saunders 33
Cyril Lionel Saunders 3
Victor Arthur Saunders 10/12
Ethel May Porter 20

Looks likely ArgyllGran as there is son CL

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
55 Jersey Road Ilford, Ilford, Essex, England

Learn more

Louisa Saunders Wife Married Female - 33 1878 London Marylebone
Cyril Lionel Saunders Son - Male - 3 1908 London Cricklewood
Victor Arthur Saunders Son - Male - 0 1911 Essex Ilford
Ethel May Porter Servant Single Female General Servant Domestic 20 1891 Essex Barking

Back to the drawing board, RR!

I can't see any 'obvious' births to Thomas and Lydia after the 1911 census ( there are Saunders/Bedford births but they seem to be accounted for by other marriages with same surnames).

A late second marriage ????


Lydia Pocock
in the England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Lydia Pocock
Birth Date: 31 Mar 1887 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< (as per 1939)
Date of Registration: Jun 1972
Age at Death: 85
Registration district: Hemel Hempstead
Inferred County: Hertfordshire
Volume: 4b
Page: 278



Frank Pocock
in the England & Wales, Marriage Index, 1916-2005
Name: Frank Pocock
Spouse Surname: Saunders (Lydia Saunders) <<<<<<<<<<<
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1964
Registration district: Berkhampstead <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Inferred County: Hertfordshire
Volume Number: 4b
Page Number: 29

Therefore, possibly Thomas's death??

Deaths Mar 1962 (>99%)
SAUNDERS Thomas 79 Berkhamsted 4b 1

And Frank's - only married 2 years:

Frank Pocock
in the England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2007
Name: Frank Pocock
Birth Date: abt 1884
Date of Registration: Jun 1966
Age at Death: 82
Registration district: Hemel Hempstead
Inferred County: Hertfordshire
Volume: 4b
Page: 113


Address: 7 Darrs Lane, Northchurch, Berkhamssted..
Admin of estate to Frank William Pocock, presumably son from an earlier marriage. £158.

To tie in with that death

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=saunders&yearOfDeath=1962&page=12#calendar

Probate to Lydia Saunders widow.

Argyll Gran that is the same address for Frank as it was for Thomas.

So they didn't go to Australia - or if they did, they came back again.
And it doesn't look as if they had children.


7 Darrs Lane is a nice little bungalow, per Streetview.

All i know is they had boy's whether two or three i do not know

I have a picture of my Uncle Tom Plowing a field in Australia and it says and boys on the picture. Also there are gum trees in the picture. but might be them as he did own a sweet shop in Birkhampsted before they left

Lance, that can't be the same couple then so perhaps if you want to post who Tom was related to, father siblings etc we might be able to check.

That couple Saunders/Bedford didn't have children in this country at least from freebmd, and you would expect to be able to find them travelling, given the age of Thomas and Lydia.

PS does it say Tom Saunders on the photo, or just "uncle Tom"? Could it be an uncle on the other side of the family?

If he was your uncle, did you know him personally, Lance?
I mean, do you recognise him in the photo as your uncle?
What exactly does it say on the photo?

Are you sure he was married to Lydia, or has that come from your own research on genealogy websites?

The fact that he ran a sweet shop is certainly interesting.