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Hi, I am trying to trace any member of my grandfathers family. His name was Gerald Noel Head and his father was Edward Walter Head - born in England but was in the army and went to India. He married a woman called Grace who was born in India (her family was told they could stay or leave the Guntar area of India) My grandfather (Gerald) was born in India but then the family moved back to England and settled in London.

I have been told that the family name was Ashby prior to being Head but no-one knows why it was changed and would never talk about it.
My Grandfather married Jean Davies and had 8 children, one of which was my mother Teresa Head, he divorced Jean and emigrated to Australia with his new wife Maria. We were in touch for a few years around 1992 - 1995 but lost touch.... the last we heard he had died in Australia.

Can anyone help with any names or info please.

Michelle
xx

was Gerald Noel Born Head ?

was his father?

As far as my mother is aware they were both born Head.
The name changed before Edward was born.

Sorry, only date I have is that of Gerald - 3rd Dec 1932.
I do have a list of all his brothers and sisters though, they are Patsy, Jimmy (James), Rosie, Danny and Richard.
I have no dates on these either, sorry. There was also another son who everyone called christopher although that was not his first name.

Not much help I know, sorry.

The area they all settled in when they returned to London was the Woolwich/Greenwich area.

Hi Michelle,

regarding the name change, I wonder if Edward walter still carried both names??

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Births Dec 1902 (>99%)
ASHBY Edward Walter H Croydon 2a 316


A general check on the 1911 census shows;

HOUSEHOLD HEAD ALBERT M 1904 7 Croydon Surrey
HOUSEHOLD HEAD ARTHUR M 1909 2 Croydon Surrey
HOUSEHOLD HEAD ELIZA ANN F 1846 65 Croydon Surrey
HOUSEHOLD HEAD LOUISA F 1881 30 Croydon Surrey
HOUSEHOLD HEAD ROBERT M 1910 15 MONTHS Croydon Surrey
HOUSEHOLD HEAD WALTER JAMES M 1873 38 Croydon Surrey
HOUSEHOLD HEAD EDWARD M 1903 8 Croydon Surrey


And then i find a tree on ancestry with;

Name: Edward Walter Head
Birth: 14.11.1902 (14 Nov 1902) - London
Death: 10.January.1980 (10 Jan 1980) - Woolwich, London, England
Parents: James Walter Ashby, Louisa Ince
Spouse: Grace Lilian Louisa Bailey



So it maybe worth contacting the tree owner??


Dee x

In case it's of interest, this is Edward Walter's marriage (note father is Walter James HEAD):

Groom's Name: Edward Walter Head
Groom's Birth Date: 1903
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age: 29
Bride's Name: Grace Lillian Louisa Bailey
Bride's Birth Date: 1916
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age: 16
Marriage Date: 03 Feb 1932
Marriage Place: Guntur, Madras, India
Groom's Father's Name: Walter James Head
Groom's Mother's Name:
Bride's Father's Name: Alfred James Bailey
Bride's Mother's Name:
Groom's Race:
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race:
Bride's Marital Status:
Bride's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00113-7
System Origin: India-EASy
Source Film Number: 528779
Reference Number:
Collection: India Marriages, 1792-1948

Michelle,

this shows the family coming back to the UK;

UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960 about Mr D P Head
Name: Mr D P Head
Birth Date: abt 1934
Age: 15
Port of Departure: Sydney, Australia
Arrival Date: 24 Sep 1949
Port of Arrival: Southampton, England
Ports of Voyage: Sydney
[Melbourne]
[Adelaide]
[Colombo]
Ship Name: Orontes
Search Ship Database: View the 'Orontes' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping Line: Orient Line
Official Number: 146027

Going to 109 Danbrook Rd, Streatham.

Initials only;

Mr E W age 48 (Indian police)
Mrs G L 34
Mr R E 14
Miss P D 13
Master A N 9
Master J W 5
Miss H 5



Dee x

Appears to be the family in 1911:

HEAD, Walter James Husband Married M 38 1873 Carpenters Labourer Epson Surrey
HEAD, Louisa Wife Married F 30 1881 Dedham Essex
HEAD, Edward Son Single M 8 1903 Upper Norwood
HEAD, Albert Son Single M 7 1904 Upper Norwood
HEAD, Arthur Son Single M 2 1909 Selhurst
HEAD, Robert Son Single M 1 (15 MONTHS) 1910 Thornton Heath

RG number:
RG14 Piece:
3407 Reference:
RG14PN3407 RG78PN128 RD39 SD5 ED3 SN252

Registration District:
Croydon Sub District:
Penge Enumeration District:
3 Parish:
Penge

Address:
140 St Hugh's Road County:
Surrey

Thank you so much for this info, I would never have found asny of this with just the few names that I have.

I appreciate all the hard work you guys have put in to finding this out in such a short space of time.

Michelle
x

This looks like Walters WW1 service papers. He signed up in 1914 and states that he isn't married............ now I've had a quick look through and he marries Louisa Inch later (1914). So something very strange is going on;

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920 about Walter James Head
Name: Walter James Head
Estimated birth year: abt 1872
Age at Enlistment: 42
Birth Parish: Epsom
Birth County: Surrey
Document Year: 1914
Regimental Number: 24210
Regiment Name: Bn York & Lancaster Regt
Number of Images: 48


There are 48 pages to look through.


Dee x

Looks like they were Head back in 1881:

HEAD, George Robert Head Married M 49 1832 Coachman Norfolk
HEAD, Elizabeth Wife Married F 46 1835 London Middlesex
HEAD, Adelaide Daughter Single F 15 1866 Help In House London Middlesex
HEAD, Clara Daughter Single F 13 1868 Scholar London Middlesex
HEAD, Walter James Son Single M 9 1872 Scholar Epsom Surrey

RG number:
RG11 Piece:
761 Folio:
56 Page:
11

Registration District:
Epsom Sub District:
Epsom Enumeration District:
Ecclesiastical Parish:

Civil Parish:
Epsom Municipal Borough:
Address:
High Street, Epsom County:
Surrey

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Dec 1914 (>99%)
DALLAWAY William F Hewitt Wandsworth 1d 1396
>>>>>>>>>>>HEAD Walter J Inch Wandsworth 1d 1396
HEWITT Emma L Dallaway Wandsworth 1d 1396
>>>>>>>>>>Inch Louisa M Head Wandsworth 1d 1396


Now we can say the couple have definately been together since 1911, so i would presume that either one of them was previously married and therefore unable to marry until later ( a death of a former spouse???)

Ahhhhhhhhh.........

1901 England Census about Louisa Ashby
Name: Louisa Ashby
Age: 19
Estimated birth year: abt 1882
Relation: Wife
Gender: Female
Where born: Dedham, Essex, England
Civil parish: Dedham
Ecclesiastical parish: Dedham St Mary
Town: Dedham
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image
Registration district: Lexden
Sub-registration district: Fordham
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 151
Household Members:
Name Age
Louisa Ashby 19
Frederick Ashby 2
Bertha Ashby 1


Dee x

Hi Dee,

Where would I be able to look through the 48 pages of his service history???
I am not new to looking at my family tree but I have only limited myself to basic searches on Genes Reunited.

Thanks

Michelle
x

Dee - that's interesting, on the 1911 census they say they've been married 9 years. Something naughty afoot?

Ann-marie,

could you check this 1911 out for me please.

HOUSEHOLD ASHBY INCH BERTHA LOUISA SARAH F 1900 11 Northampton Northamptonshire


Dee x

Ooh:

Marriages Dec 1899 (>99%)
Ashby George William Lexden 4a 1267
Inch Louisa Maria Lexden 4a 1267

Hi Michelle,

the WW1 records are on Ancestry.co.uk Now if you don't have subs I think they still do a 14 day free trial, however they will want your card details, but they won't use them if you cancel your card prior to the 14 days being up.


Dee x

Dee - I'm having trouble finding that - what should I be searching on?