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If anyone likes a mystery then this is for you! I want to know more about my grandfather and have come up with so many brick walls. His name was William Douglas Gordon, although his grave says Douglas Gordon. He died in 1928 aged 51 according to the certs.
Family legend has it that he was born in Aberdeen and became a musician in the bournemouth Symphony orchestra. He married Mona Measures in 1923. His father is Iisted as Thomas Gordon musician. have confirmed with the Bournemouth Symph that they had a member with the same name listed in 1899 and 1903, and they believe he left between 1904 and 1913. The 1901 census has a Douglas Gordon living in Bournemouth, listed as a musician with the municipal orchestra and father of 2 children. Their birth certs name their father as William herbert Gordon. The 1881 census has a family with a son William born 1870 in India (so about 7 years out), father Thomas is a bandsman.Mother Marian. IGI shows this to be William Herbert not William Douglas. Am considering trying searches for William DOuglas born abt 1877 in Scotlands people but have run out of steam at the moment. If anybody wants to see if they can find out who my grandfather was and where he came form, I'd be very grateful
Regards
Sam butler

1911:
BETTS, Robert Head Married M 47 1864 Medical Practitioner Lincolnshire Ashby Puerorum
BETTS, Florence Wife Married 16 years F 43 1868 India Bengal Resident
BETTS, Kathleen Daughter F 13 1898 Hants Bournemouth
GORDON, Douglas Boarder Married M 41 1870 Musician Bantlsman India Bengal Resident
GIBSON, May Servant Single F 22 1889 General Servant Domestic Hants Bosley
EDMONDS, Agnes Servant Single F 20 1891 General Servant Domestic Hants Southampton
RG number: RG14 Piece: 5862 Reference: RG14PN5862 RG78PN267 RD95 SD2 ED31 SN380
Registration District: Christchurch Sub District: Bournemouth Enumeration District: 31 Parish: Bournemouth Address: 3 Bechey Road Bournemouth County: Hampshire

So, still birth as 1870, and just using Douglas, not William Douglas.

His children in 1911, (no help):
HOPKINS, Lucy Head Widow F 75 1836 Weymouth Dorset
HOPKINS, Annie Daughter Single F 43 1868 Teacher Southampton Hants
GORDON, Percy Boarder M 14 1897 Bournemouth
GORDON, Dorothy Boarder F 12 1899 Bournemouth
RG number: RG14 Piece: 5955 Reference: RG14PN5955 RG78PN273A RD99 SD1 ED21 SN128
Registration District: Southampton Sub District: Southampton Eastern Enumeration District: 21 Parish: Southampton Address: 29 Denzil Avenue Southampton County: Hampshire

1901 census has his birth date as 1872.

The William Herbert you state;


Name: William Herbert Gordon
Gender: Male
Baptism/Christening Date: 05 Mar 1870
Baptism/Christening Place: Lucknow, Bengal, India
Birth Date: 04 Feb 1870
Birthplace: Lucknow, Bengal, India
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: Thomas Gordon
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Marian Letitia
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C75024-6
System Origin: India-EASy
Source Film Number: 499037
Reference Number:
Collection: India Births and Baptisms, 1786-1947



Dee x

What is the children's Mother's name?
Births Mar 1897
Gordon Douglas Percival Christchurch 2b 669
Births Jun 1898
Gordon Dora Christchurch 2b 657
Thanks

Between 1875 and 1877 there are 2 William D Gordon and 1 is in 1877
but not Aberdeen.
Do not have credits so cannot look further

For info
Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Jun 1923 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Gordon William D Measures Coventry 6d 1296
Measures Mona Gordon Coventry 6d 1296

Is this his death, because age 57?:
William Gordon
Death Registration Month/Year: 1928
Age at death (estimated): 57
Registration district: Birmingham North
Inferred County: Warwickshire
Volume: 6d
Page: 267

Hi Samantha
The musician connection may possibly be a coincidence.
This looks a possibility for Scotland 1881 for instance. Maybe his father had died or was away from home -

Name: William D Gordon
Age: 8
Estimated birth year: abt 1873
Relationship: Son
Mother's Name: Annie
Gender: Male
Where born: Trinity, Edinburghshire
Registration Number: 685/5
Registration district: Newington
Civil parish: Edinburgh St Cuthberts
County: Midlothian
Address: 137 St Leonards Street
Occupation: Scholar
ED: 67
Household schedule number: 5
Line: 23
Roll: cssct1881_293
Household Members: Name Age
Annie Gordon 47
Charles Gordon 20
Annie Gordon 18
Wilhemina Gordon 16
William D Gordon 8

I think this is the death that Samantha means Patricia - Maybe he just preferred to use the name Douglas -

Name: Douglas W Gordon
Death Registration Month/Year: 1928
Age at death (estimated): 51
Registration district: Eastbourne
Inferred County: Sussex
Volume: 2b
Page: 131

p.s. His sons were born in Sussex

I wonder if his wife died giving birth to the last child? -
A possible death if she was a lot younger? -


Name: Mona Gordon
Death Registration Month/Year: 1927 (Jan-March)
Age at death (estimated): 28
Registration district: Eastbourne
Inferred County: Sussex
Volume: 2b
Page: 111

If so, this looks like her birth -

Births Mar 1898
Measures Mona Bromley 2a 468

The father of the 1881 one sounds like a Charles though - here they are in 1871 -

Name: Wilhelmina Gordon
Age: 6
Estimated birth year: abt 1865
Relationship: Daughter
Father's Name: Charles
Mother's Name: Annette
Gender: Female
Where born: Grange, Edinr
Registration Number: 685/5
Registration district: Newington
Civil parish: Edinburgh St Cuthberts
Town: Edinburgh
County: Midlothian
Address: 11 E Sciennes St
ED: 84
Household schedule number: 77
Line: 7
Roll: CSSCT1871_166
Household Members: Name Age
Charles Gordon 45
Annette Gordon 40
John Gordon 15
Jessie Gordon 14
Charles Gordon 11
Annie Gordon 8
Wilhelmina Gordon 6

In 1881 there is another possible William D Gordon born in Aberdeen but his father is Charles. However, there are 2 Williams of about the right age with father Thomas but born in Glasgow and Kirkcudbrightshire.
Also several possibles living as boarder, orphan, brother and one with grandparents born in Aberdeen.

yes this is him.
SB

Which is him Samantha ?

Sorry if I'm confusing people - I thought I was adding an answer to separate replies!
The death certificate is the correct one. His wife was Mona and she died in childbirth followed by her husband the next year.

The reference to DOuglas Herbert is, I believe my William DOuglas as there are connections to the Bournemouth orchestra and the father Thomas.
He was listed as a widower when he married my grandmother.
The children listed in 1901had a mother called Ada formerly Smith but I can find no marriage for her.

I'm sure this baptism record is him and he uses various names - how can I find out his mother's maiden name as I can find no birth certificates for him or his siblings all born in India (Herminie, Lovell, Thomas, Marian) nor a marriage certificate for his parents?

In 1881 there is another possible William D Gordon born in Aberdeen but his father is Charles. However, there are 2 Williams of about the right age with father Thomas but born in Glasgow and Kirkcudbrightshire.

Are you able to look and see if the ftaher is a musician?
Many thanks for your help

I can't Samantha as I haven't got credits for Scotlands people. I have just looked at the transcription on Ancestry.

What age did he give on the marriage cert to Mona? Because if the one you think that was born in India is him he must have knocked a few years off going by his death age. MInd you, Mona was a lot younger than him so perhaps he lied about his age ?

What were the actual Christian names that the Bournemouth Orchestra had for him in their records?

So this is them in 1881 -
Have we got them in 1891?

Name: William Gordon
Age: 11
Estimated birth year: abt 1870
Relation: Son
Father's Name: Thomas
Mother's Name: Marion
Gender: Male
Where born: East Indies

Civil parish: Alverstoke
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England

Street Address: 2 Hope Villa
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Scholar

Registration district: Alverstoke
Sub-registration district: Alverstoke
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Gordon 42
Marion Gordon 34
William Gordon 11
Thomas Gordon 9
Lovell Gordon 5