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As it currently stands i cannot find him as a small child on the 1911 census.

This does not mean he wasn't on it, nor does it comfirm any Adoption etc.... it also doesn't discount his mother having him back in later years and remarrying giving him another name.

We have given you a little more help, and you now have a little more background, but sadly we still haven't answered your original question.

As to why he changed his name i think you'll never know. The last thing i would say is contact the Salvation Army ([email protected]) as they looked after childrens homes, mainly for boys, and also the local Social Services there. Altho formal adoption didn;t start until 1927 there may still be something set in place about him.

Good Luck.

Tracey xx

Also as a matter of interest:-

Lizzie in 1901

Name: Lizzie A James
Age: 12
Estimated birth year: abt 1889
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Charles
Mother's Name: Rosaria S
Gender: Female
Where born: Ashford, Middlesex, England

Civil parish: Ashford
Ecclesiastical parish: St Matthew
Town: Ashford
County/Island: Berkshire
Country: England

Street Address: Chesterfield Road

Registration district: Staines
Sub-registration district: Sunbury
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 283
Household Members:
Name Age
Charles James 32 -
Rosaria S James 32
Charles R James 14
Lizzie A James 12
George H James 10
Rosa James 7
Beatrice James 1

and 1891
Name: Lizzie A James
Age: 2
Estimated birth year: abt 1889
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: Charles
Mother's Name: Maria S
Gender: Female
Where born: Ashford, Middlesex, England

Civil parish: Ashford
Ecclesiastical parish: St Matthew
Town: Ashford
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street Address: Day's Cottages

Registration district: Staines
Sub-registration district: Sunbury
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Charles James 24 - Gardener
Maria S James 22
Charles R James 4
Lizzie A James 2
George H James 11/12
Florence M Read 8 - Sister in Law

Thank you once again for your help, looks like it is possible Thomas was adopted in 1911 as those helping me are unable to trace him, or maybe he changed the name himself and noone picked it up.

Sharon x

Doesn't help in the search but just as a matter of interest:-

Name: Lizzie Ann Maria James
Record Type: Baptism
Date: 14 Oct 1888
Father's Name: Charles Robert James
Mother's Name: Maria Susan James
Parish: Saint Matthew, Ashford
Borough: Surrey
County: Middlesex

Just spoken to mother in law she is abit hazy but she now remembers Florence Thomas sister and said that she thinks she emigrated to New Zealand - she is now saying that Thomas and Mildred met in London and worked she thinks the strand palace, they went to Folkestone, Kent then to Jersey settling in Brighton, sussex

OK,

Sharon, do we know how he ended up in Brighton? Could he have been adopted there?

Tracey x

My money is on him being adopted out.

I do wonder if her mother helped them out when she got pregnant the first time, but the second time was too much considering how many children she had herself at home?

It's gonna be a case of hunting all the Kershaws in Brentford and seeing where he went!

He's born Jun 1910 so he has to be somewhere on the 1911!!

I still think there's been an informal internal family adoption somewhere.

Tracey x

Two possible births for sibling Florence Johnson:-

Type:Births Surname: johnson First name(s): florence
Start date: Mar 1908 End date:Dec 1910 District: Brentford

Births Jun 1909 (>99%)
Johnson Florence Elizabeth Brentford 3a 135

Births Sep 1909 (>99%)
Johnson Florence Emily Brentford 3a 218

so either way looks as though she has a middle name!

Yes both certificates are copies, but mother-in-law is sure that this is his cetificate and remembers the surname Johnson being mentioned, could it be that he changed his name by deed poll because of the shame of being born in a work house or could one of his aunties married a Kershaw and he adopted the surname that way

These are the only Thomas Bertram ? born in 1910 that come up so far:-

Births Mar 1910 (>99%)
ALGER Thomas Bertram St Olave 1d 230
BEDDOWS Thomas Bertram Chorlton 8c 880
CASTELOW Thomas Bertram Leeds 9b 865

Births Jun 1910 (>99%)
EVANS Thomas Bertram Kidderminster 6c 205
HILL Thomas Bertram Mansfield 7b 114
MITCHELL Thomas Bertram Steyning 2b 243
SELLEN Thomas Bertram F Sheppey 2a 1026
SMITH Thomas Bertram R Sculcoates 9d 188

Hi Sharon
Thanks for the reply. Could it be that the birth cert, given to you could be the wrong one. Is it a copy of an original? Could it be that someone previously had applied for a wrong cert, perhaps by mistake. Whilst it does seem a mystery the link between his possible birth in Brighton and your mother in law's birth in the same town still seems a possibility.-J

On the 1911 Rose, Lizzie's sister is a mother's help, i wonder if she worked at the workhouse??


Tracey x

Birth certificate and death certificate was given to me by my mother-in-laws sister she does not have any other info. and so I am trying to help them both.

I thank you all for your support in trying to find out the answer for me.

Sharon x

Bingo...got the other child!!!

posting in 2 mins....dosn't solve your issue, but i'd lay money one of her sister's/Aunts maybe has Thomas??

1911 RG14PN6915 RG78PN343B RD128 SD4 ED48 SN13
Address: 43 Layton Road Brentford County: Middlesex
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JAMES, Charles Head Married M 43 1868 House Painter Ross Herefordshire
JAMES, Maria Wife Married 24 years F 41 1870 Ashford Middlesex
JAMES, Rose Daughter Single F 17 1894 Mother's Help Rickmansworth Herts
JAMES, Lily Daughter F 7 1904 Brentford Middllesx
JAMES, Richard Son M 5 1906 Brentford Middllesex
JAMES, John Son M 4 1907 Brentford Middllesex
JAMES, Alice Daughter F 3 1908 Brentford Middllesex
JAMES, Ada Daughter F 1 1910 Brentford Middllesex
***JOHNSON, Florence Grandchild F 2 1909 Brentford Middllex

Tracey xx

EDIT:

The story for adoption is picking up speed, but it does scare me a little an assumption has been made about the name change....we def ought to investigate the other side of the facts that indeed the real Thomas Bertram Kershaw may just exist as he was and we're chasing our tails.

T x

Hi Sharon
I know that you have the birth cert, but what we were trying to ask was, how do you know that the birth cert is the correct one?-J

Lizzie Annie Maria James - 1888 - Ashford, Middx her father Charles Robert James - 1868 - Ross, Herefordshire - Mother Maria Susan Read - 1869 - Ashford, Middx - Siblings Charles R - 1887, George H - 1891, Rosa - 1894, Beatrice - 1900

Sharon

Does the death cert alude to anything Johnson?

Does it give his parents details or anything?

The question is how do you know this Thomas Johnson is the same man? What actual evidence do you have (not just word of mouth)??

Tracey x

If his birth was registered as Thomas Johnson, then maybe the Bertam was added when/if he was adopted?

Any idea what his sibling was called?

I have the birth & death certificates, but do not have a marriage certificate or any other info. as to why from being born Thomas Johnson on birth certificate to Thomas Kershaw on the death certificate

OK we have him and his parents....

I wonder where her parents are?

Could the children be with them?


Tracey x