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Help dating man and child in locket bit.ly/dating-locket
This (pictured right) is a locket found among my grandmother’s possessions; nothing is known about it.
The hallmark is 9 carat gold, Birmingham with a date stamp of possibly M (1911). I have been unable to identify the maker’s mark (AJH or AJN). Do the images look to be from around this time, or could the pictures have been taken earlier? Thanks. Lusby84
Missing in the 1911 census bit.ly/missing-1911
In 1889 my paternal grandfather Michael Henry Nathan (1860– 1936) married, outside the Jewish faith, Ellen Mary Bossley (1867–1951). As far as I know, they had two children – my father Charles Henry (1891–1937) and my aunt Sarah Elisabeth (1889– 1974). In the 1901 census they are all living together on Fitzroy Street, St Pancras.
In 1911 he and his divorced brother Asher (1856–1942) are living together in Kew while the children are earning their livings elsewhere. But Ellen Mary is not to be found in the 1911 census.
Thanks to the 1939 Register, I discovered that in 1916 she had married one Thomas George William Reed (1877–1952) giving her condition as Widow (and I have found no evidence of any divorce). And that she had a daughter Nellie Nathan, also known as Nellie Reed, born in 1904 with my grandfather given as her father on her birth certificate! Nellie and TGW Reed are also nowhere to be found on the 1911 census.
The only other information I have found is that Ellen Mary was admitted to the Lewisham High Street Workhouse, Lewisham, Kent on 25 July 1910 being joined by Nellie two days later. They were both discharged at their own request on 13 August.
I really, really want to find out what happened to them between 1901 and 1916. nsquared
Old maiden names bit.ly/old-maiden-names
As I have been researching my ancestry I have found especially in the early 19th century that people would give maiden names of their forebears to their children as middle names, such as Mary Ellis Johnson, Jane White Painter, George Taylor Painter and Fanny Fox Johnson. I was wondering if anybody else has found this and if there was any special reason for doing so?
Will Mundy
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1st Battalion, Northampton Regiment bit.ly/northampton-reg
Hi. I have a marriage certificate for Arthur George Stoten to Beatrice Maud Hutchby dated 7 September 1929. Arthur gives his rank/profession as
“5946240 Private, 1st Battalion, Northampton Regiment”. I need to find out more about Arthur and his military records seem the best source. Can anyone advise where to look for them please? I cannot see anything in the First World War records. His supposed date of birth is 1909. batty
Hale/Dressler research bit.ly/hale-dressler
I have hit a brick wall with my ancestor Bessie (Elizabeth) Hale b1875 Gloucestershire, England, daughter of Henry b1849 and Elizabeth (Vera) Critchley. Bessie is found in the Gloucestershire 1891 census,16 and single, still at home with her family. From then on she is a missing person. I have a faded photo of the Hale family taken in 1908, before they emigrated to New Zealand. This has Bessie and husband Ernest Arthur (?) Dressler with sons Franz and Fritz – the sons look like toddlers. However, I cannot find a marriage cert for Bessie and Ernest, who was born in Germany. I have spent many hours looking for this couple’s marriage in England and Germany, and also for the birth of sons to no avail. I seem to be at a dead end. Hopefully someone can help me. thecatsmother
Date the wills were proved bit.ly/date-wills-proved
Hi, I was wondering if I could ask for some advice please? I am a little fearful that this question will sound silly, but I was just wondering if the date that an old will was proved is an indication of the date that the person passed away? Were the wills usually proved immediately after the person died?
TCJ