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I have the birth certificate for my mother, Frances, and her brother, Walter but there is no father's name on them.

I know that my grandmother was married to a man with the Surname of Connor with whom she had three other children.

Both my mother and her brother were registered under the Connor surname, but years later legally adopted their real father's Surname, which was Rooke.

On both birth certificates the address for the births is given as 26 Westmoreland Street, West Gorton, Manchester (Registration District Chorlton: Sub-District Ardwick)

My mother was born in 1917 and her brother in 1920 so I am assuming that between those dates at least, my grandmother was living with my grandfather, without the benefit of marriage.

Given the nature of this relationship, it was never discussed within the family and I have no idea of my grandfather's first name, nor the dates of birth of the other three children, whose names were James, Mary and Jean who was a witness at my mother's marriage in 1939 but signed as Agnes

My Grandmother's maiden name was Quinn

As I live in Australia I am unable to look up the electoral rolls for the years 1917 to 1920 to see who is listed for the Westmoreland Street Address.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated

Allan

Hi Allan.

Its unlikely your grandmother would be eligible to vote in 1917-20. Women were given the vote in 1917 if they were over 30 years old who were householders, the wives of householders,occupiers of property where the rent was 5 pounds annually or university graduates.

It wasnt till 1928 women were given the vote on the same terms as men
You could always try contacting the Manchester library to see if they have the electoral roll and if they do searches for others

Thanks, Quinnsgran, i hadn't factored that in.

But possibly my grandfather could be shown?

I know a little more about my gran as she ended up living with us before she died sometime in the earl 1950's when I was just a little 'un

But as for my g/f zilch, apart from the surname!

G/F's on both sides of the family are causing me grief!!

Regards

Allan

I would change your title to include Manchester electoral roll look up 1917-20.
Hopefully someone living in Manchester can look at the fiche for those years.
If you google Gorton electoral roll 1917. Manchester archives and local studies comes up

Many thanks for the help and advice, Quinnsgran

Regards

Allan

Possible marriage for a Mary Quinn to John Connor 1903 Chorlton and a birth of Annie Connor, mothers maiden name Quinn, June qtr of 1914 Chorlton

Thanks, Julie

I'll take a look at those two

Kind Regards

Allan

n

nudging up

Allan

n

just wondering if there were actually electoral rolls taken during the war years??


I know they weren't done during WW2 ........ adn just have a feeling that I read somewhere that they also were not done for some years in WW1




sylvia

There were no electoral rolls taken 1916,1917.

The important 1918 Act recognising the part that men and women played in WW1abolished the property qualifications gave the vote to men at 21 and women at 30,that right being dependent on 6 months residence or occupation of business premises worth 10 pound a year.

The women had to be householders or wives of householders or to have been to university
From 15 Oct 1918-1926
the electoral registers were compiled twice a year .

Well that rules my lot out

Thanks all

It also rules my gran out, but I have her name...it's my grandfather I am trying to trace with only the surname to go on

regards

Allan

What do you know of Mr CONNOR?
Your mother was born in the war years, so perhaps he was away from home and your grandmother met your grandfather then.
Who did your mother name as her father when she married?

Gwyn

Gwyn, I know nothing of Mr Connor, but I do have a cousin in the UK who may be able to shed some light on him as the cousin is from the connor side of the family.

Both my mother and her brother reverted to the surname Rooke, my mother when she married in 1939. I'm not sure when her brother did. He enlisted in the Navy during WW11. But certainly when he married in the early1950's he was married as Rooke

Regards

Allan

Sorry Gwyn...still early morning in West Oz!

I have just reread your post. My Grandfather was not named on the marriage Certificate. I have the original amongst my documents.

Regards

Allan

One would think that if the 2 children wanted to be ROOKE, then their father must have been around, or at least be known to them?

When your grandmother died, was he mentioned, as informant perhaps, or was he witness at any of the children's marriages?
Was he mentioned in Grandmother's Will.

If you know where your grandmother lived in later years, the electoral lists could be searched to see if he lived there too.

Thanks Gwyn,

My grandmother was living with us at the time of her death, so the informant would have been my mother.

The witnesses at my Mother's wedding were her full brother, and her half sister.

I believe that religion played a part in the origins of the family split as th eldest brother J. Connor claimed my g/mother's body (Well he was next of kin) but contrary to my g/mothers wishes had her buried at Moston Cemetery in Manchester saying 'once a Catholic, always a Catholic'

Whatever happened, the brothers and sisters of both my grandmothers unions kept in touch and did the usual visiting etc so that we as the respective children didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Regards

Allan

What about baptisms, ...Was Mr ROOKE named there, when your mother and her brother were baptised,...or perhaps he was recorded as a parent on their school admission log?

If we could 'kill off' Mr CONNOR, perhaps we would find Mr ROOKE arrives on the scene.
There MUST be record of him somewhere, but think I've exhausted my ideas at this time of night.

Gwyn

Gwyn

I'm not sure where they would have been baptised or even if they were! I'm assuming so as they both had Church Weddings.

I do know my mother's School, but as my grandmother never married Mr Rooke, and my mother did not change her name from Connor to Rooke until 1939 then I am making the quantum leap that by 1939 both Mr Connor and Mr Rooke may have died

Many thanks for your help, you have certainly given me some leads to pursue

Regards

Allan