Find Ancestors

See what you can come up with and let us know !


What year was your father born and where ?

my dad was born in 1947 in hailsham. he is david john gosden. his brothers maurice born 1929 - 2008 and arthur born 1934 - 2004 were born in hailsham and so was douglas 1924 - 1926 buried in Hailsham Cemetry, died from meningtis.
i have been on free bmd and it shows on there that the marriage has been transcript(?) Thomas HH spouse Hall in Dec 1921 Hailsham

Definitely says mother's maiden name is Hall -


England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916-2005
Name: David J Gosden
Mother's Maiden Surname: Hall
Date of Registration: Jul Aug Sep 1947
Registration district: Hastings
Registration county: Sussex
Volume Number: 5h
Page Number: 418


(just noting the big age difference between David and his brothers) - his mother would have been mid-40s when she gave birth.

England & Wales, Marriage Index: 1916-2005
Name: Thomas H H Gosden
Spouse Surname: Hall
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1921
Registration district: Hailsham
Registration county (inferred): Sussex
Volume Number: 2b
Page Number: 237
Find Spouse: Minnie Hall

Between 1898 and 1905 there are two births for a Minnie Leeson:-

Births Jun 1901 (>99%)
LEESON Minnie Newark 7b 492
The district Newark spans the boundaries of the counties of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire

and this one

Births Mar 1902 (>99%)
Leeson Minnie Aston 6d 324
The district Aston is in the county of Warwickshire

so are you sure you have the correct family?

This would be the Lincolnshire birth in 1911:-

LEESON, Robert Head Married M 46 1865 Odd Man Domestic Lincolnshire Allington VIEW
LEESON, Sarah Wife Married 18 years F 42 1869 Lincolnshire L Bennington VIEW
ALCOCK, William Father In Law Widower M 81 1830 Labourer Farm Lincolnshire Oasby VIEW
LEESON, Florrie Daughter Single F 16 1895 Dressmaker Lincolnshire L Bennington VIEW
LEESON, Doris Mary Daughter F 11 1900 School Lincolnshire L Bennington VIEW
LEESON, Minnie Daughter F 10 1901 School Lincolnshire L Bennington VIEW
LEESON, James William Son M 6 1905 Lincolnshire L Bennington VIEW
LEESON, Ethel Mabel Daughter F 1 1910 Lincolnshire L Bennington VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
19627 Reference:
RG14PN19627 RG78PN1177 RD416 SD1 ED24 SN109

Registration District:
Sleaford Sub District:
Billinghay Enumeration District:
24 Parish:
Leadenham

Address:
Leadenham Lincoln County:
Lincolnshire

and the Aston one:-
1911
LEESON, Edwin Head Married 12 years M 58 1853 Labourer Birmingham VIEW
LEESON, Frances Wife Married F 47 1864 Stone VIEW
LEESON, Edwin Son Single M 24 1887 Stoker Birmingham VIEW
LEESON, Ernest Son Single M 23 1888 Striker Birmingham VIEW
LEESON, Minnie Daughter F 9 1902 Birmingham VIEW
LEESON, Joseph Son M 8 1903 Aston VIEW
LEESON, Albert Son M 4 1907 Aston VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
18303 Reference:
RG14PN18303 RG78PN1102 RD385 SD4 ED34 SN79

Registration District:
Aston Sub District:
Aston Manor Enumeration District:
34 Parish:
Aston Manor

Address:
69 Wainwright St Aston Manor County:
Warwickshire

......even if it's just for elimination purposes!

This looks to be a possible marriage for the Newark birth:-
Marriages Sep 1928 (>99%)
LEESON Minnie (Brown) Newark 7b 1135

and for the Aston birth:-
Marriages Jun 1928 (>99%)
LEESON Minnie (Hone) Birmingham South 6d 118

I noticed Christina was missing from the 1911 census.

Possible for her:-
ATHERTON, William Thomas Ricpens Father Widower M 63 1848 Independent Nambury Wilts VIEW
ATHERTON, Constance Elizabeth Daughter Single F 30 1881 Independent Marden Wilts VIEW
ATHERTON, Ida Mary Garldin Daughter Single F 29 1882 Independent Marden Wilts VIEW
ATHERTON, Isabel Grace Daughter Single F 27 1884 Independent Marden Wilts VIEW
HALL, Christina Elizabeth Servant Single F 15 1896 General Domestic Ticehurst Wilts VIEW
RG number:
RG14 Piece:
11936 Reference:
RG14PN11936 RG78PN663 RD246 SD2 ED1 SN67

Registration District:
Devizes Sub District:
Lavington Enumeration District:
1 Parish:
Marden

Address:
Marden County:
Wiltshire

...........................although this one states birth place as Wiltshire.

thanks catherine, minnie was definitely married to thomas henry hermon gosden in hailsham.

we are not sure on the leeson side of it at the moment, am having to look in to it.
mabel and chris were the first to move down here then minnie followed.

choccy gran was about 45 when she had my dad, she actually didnt realise she was pregnant, thought she had a lump in her stomach. he ended up being a 25th wedding anniversary present!!! i have part of my uncle maurices diary that he wrote stating that he was 18 and coming back from the army to meet my dad. he was a surprise to everyone. he still lives 3 doors down from where he grew up!!!

Have you actually seen your father's birth certificate ?

It might make it clearer to you where the 'Leeson' part comes into it.


By the way, what an unusual 25th wedding anniversary present !

i've got to get mum to find it, so when she gets chance i will let you know what it says on there.

I know what you mean!!! Gran was shocked, especially because of the age gap between the brothers. She hadnt thought of having any more children but im glad she carried on otherwise i wouldnt be here!!!

Come back and let us know what you find .....

i have found Lucy Hall married to George Hall on the census for 1901 being of Oxfordshire, eynsham born in 1863 but her place of birth was scotland.
would someone have a look for me please?
i remember my dad saying that my gran had roots in scotland and Lucy could well be the link.
Many thanks

here's the 1901 census, which I posted at 12.41 -


HALL, George Head Married M 36 1865 Game Keeper
North Tedworth
Wiltshire VIEW
HALL, Lucy Wife Married F 38 1863
Scotland VIEW
HALL, Christina Daughter F 5 1896
North Tedworth
Wiltshire VIEW
HALL, Mabel Daughter F 3 1898
Eynsham
Oxfordshire VIEW
HALL, Victor Son M 1 1900
Eynsham
Oxfordshire VIEW

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RG number:
RG13 Piece:
1393 Folio:
39 Page:
7

Registration District:
Witney Sub District:
Ensham Enumeration District:
3 Ecclesiastical Parish:
Eynsham St Leonards

Civil Parish:
Eynsham Municipal Borough:
Address:
Lingarsley, Eynsham County:
Oxfordshire

my apologies choccy thank u.........

Hi have spoken to my dad and it turns out that gran Minnie was definitely Hall. the Leeson was apparantly a relative/ family that lived in London somewhere. Fairly well off as dad remembers all 3 sisters going off to London and coming home with an envelope with some money in, presumably an inheritance or something.
My auntie had put that gran was a Leeson on an old family tree but it wasnt on dads birth certificate. Now I am going to have to find that connection somehow!!
Thank you all for your help so far.
It does all tie up, think i made my dads day yesterday confirming a few things and finding out many others.
A big thank you

Hi all I found out where the lesson came from. It was actually relatives on my grans side born to sutherlands. My grans ancestors were sutherlands from Scotland moved down to London and Josephina Sutherland married job lesson.

:-) :-)