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Thank you to everyone for your input!
As usual, Genes members have been fantastic with knowledge & kindness!
Debbie.

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Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page

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Births Jun 1881 (>99%)
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DURRANT May Lillia F King's N. 6c 471

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Ignore George Frederick Coles and Harriet Teresa Williams, they're just the other couple who were also on that register.

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1903
Coles George Frederick Birmingham 6d 327
Durrant May Lilian Birmingham 6d 327 <<
MCNULTY Francis Joseph Birmingham 6d 327 <<
WILLIAMS Harriet Teresa Birmingham 6d 327

Thank you so much for all your efforts to help me! I really, really appreciate it & I will be ordering some certificates to help armed with some of this information.
I'm not quite sure MarieCeleste, about your reference to Harriet Williams - can you explain what I'm to look for?

I've noticed often in the old newspapers that an item will appear about something that happened in another part of the country. It may well be that the item was reported locally but those newspapers haven't yet been scanned.

It's also interesting that the notice f the bequest was in the Derby local newspaper. I'd have thought it would be in a Manchester - for Oldham - paper. Or a Birmingham one.

I can't find a May Lillian Percy in 1911 but I did find this (first name is May on image) but the birthplace isn't right:

MCNULTY, Francis Joseph Head Married M 36 1875 Chemist Stocktaker Enniskillen Co Zernmongah
MCNULTY, Mary Lilian Wife Married 8 years F 28 1883 Birmingham Warwickshire
MCNULTY, Madeline Lilian Mary Daughter F 7 1904 At School Birmingham Warwickshire
MCNULTY, Ellen May Daughter F 6 1905 At School Birmingham Warwickshire
MCNULTY, Annie Gertrude Daughter F 2 1909 Birmingham Warwickshire
MCNULTY, Annie Gertrude Sister Single F 45 1866 Private No Occupation Enniskillen Co Zernmonagh
MORRIS, Rhoda Servant F 15 1896 General Servant Domestic Worcestershire Bournbrook

RG number: RG14 Piece: 17866 Reference: RG14PN17866 RG78PN1091 RD383 SD1 ED43 SN64
Registration District: Kings Norton
Sub District: Kings Norton
Enumeration District: 43
Parish: Northfield

Address: 85b Pershore Road Selly Hill County: Worcestershire


BUT, this looks like their marriage:

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1903
Coles George Frederick Birmingham 6d 327
Durrant May Lilian Birmingham 6d 327 <<
MCNULTY Francis Joseph Birmingham 6d 327 <<
WILLIAMS Harriet Teresa Birmingham 6d 327

I can't find a suitable May Durrant in the 1901.

This may just be conjecture but I'll leave it here as food for thought.
WILLIAMS Harriet Teresa Birmingham 6d 327

Might not be connected but:

Surname First name(s) Age District Vol Page
Deaths Jun 1942
Percy Elizabeth 73 Yarmouth 4b 3

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
Name: Elizabeth Percy
Probate Date: 8 May 1943
Death Date: 17 Apr 1942
Death Place: Great Yarmouth
Registry: Norwich

Lived 33 Queens Road, Great Yarmouth, a widow (no late husband named). Administration to MAY LILLIAN McNulty, widow. Effects £530.16s

So, did she go back to her birthplace with her inheritance. Is May Lillian too much of a coincidence?

Here's that 1891 in case the references help find it:

PERCY, Lillian Wife Married F 28 1863 Gorleston, Yarmouth
PERCY, May L Daughter F 8 1883 Nottingham
WALTER, Pollie N M Niece F 6 1885 Tiddington, Norfolk
TOWLE, Annie Servant Single F 22 1869 Domestic Servant Nottingham, Old Radford

Piece: 2693 Folio: 107 Page: 19
Registration District: Nottingham
Civil Parish: St Mary Municipal
Borough: Nottingham

Address: 4, Elm Avenue, St Mary, Nottingham County: Nottinghamshire

Also, I've never been able to definately tie Sam To Thomas & Fanny Richardson because his name is mis-transcribed on all the censuses, SO - that's also confirmed his parents for me - without a doubt - Hooray!!!!!

MarieCeleste! - you are a star! The newspaper article is fabulous! Thank you so much for that. Can you tell me the address Lilian & May are at in 1891 please? I'll try & find it again.

I've just added the newspaper article above.

I found them in 1891 by searching on FMP for May Percy born 1882 +/- 2 years

I do think it is Miss, looks like they did that funny thing when they write one of the "s" as an elongated "f". The deciding factor for me was that she's written herself down as "Mrs" Elizabeth

Thanks Jansmith! I wonder what Mip means? I thought it might just be Miss, but doesn't look like it does it? I'm just going to look at that with a magnifying glass & see if it comes any clearer.

1911 for info married 16 yrs 2 children
1911 Census transcription details for: 157 Bristol Road Edgbaston Birmingham
National Archive Reference: RG14PN17915 RG78PN1093 RD383 SD3 ED5 SN38
Reg. District: Kings Norton
Sub District: Edgbaston
Parish: Edgbaston
Enum. District: 5
Address: 157 Bristol Road Edgbaston Birmingham
County: Worcestershire
Name Relation Condition/
Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born
PERCY, Elizabeth Widow F 41 1870 Independent Gorlestone Yarmouth
PERCY, Mip Maudie Daughter F 11 1900 School
KIMPTER, Emily Lillia Servant F 23 1888 Domestic Servant

WoW! I had seen that but hadn't really thought of the amount in todays values!

I did wonder whether Maudie's father might possibly be Sam, but I wanted to try to find them first in the censuses. Sam died in 1915, I believe, but never married as far as I know - that's another thing I'll need to look into.

Can I ask MarieCeleste - please how did you find them in 1891? I've just tried & can't locate them!

I know I shouldn't nose around, but did you know that Sam Thomas left over £40,000 when he died in 1915? That's worth over £3m now!!

Ooh - I've found an article in the papers about his death - back in a mo when I've scribbled it down ......

ADDED:

DERBY DAILY TELEGRAPH - Wednesday 10 February 1916
"Large Bequest To Housekeeper"

Mr Sam Thomas Richardson, of Sunnyside, Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham who died on October 20th left estate of the gross value of £40,835 of which £35,835 is net personalty. He left £2,000 to his housekeeper, Elizabeth Percy, and the proceeds of a life policy for £1,000 to the Oldham General Infirmary for the endowment of a "Thomas and Fanny Richardson Bed" in memory of his parents.
__________________________________________________________

I had to look up what personalty was and it means "moveable assets" - items which are not real property, money or investments. So basically he had a hell of a lot of valuable personal items.

Elizabeth's share would now be worth about £162,000
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1633409/Historic-inflation-calculator-value-money-changed-1900.html

AHA! perhaps she just used the name Elizabeth so people wouldn't know she was named in divorce proceedings!

I see Sam and Ada didn't divorce until 1913.

Is it possible that Lillian started to call herself Elizabeth so that's how she was described in the papers?

Did Sam and Elizabeth ever marry? - was wondering if we found a death for her if it would give something to work back from (I know it's a very roundabout way to find Maudie's birth but sometimes it works!).

Could Maudie have been registered as Richardson?

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Births Mar 1900 (>99%)
Richardson Maud Hilda W. Bromwich 6b 869

Births Jun 1902 (>99%)
Richardson Maud Louisa W. Bromwich 6b 885

Hmm, very odd that Elizabeth and Lillian have the same birthplace and year, and are both widows living on their own means.

Strongly suspect they are one and the same person.

On the 1911 Elizabeth says she has two children, both still alive. Could May Lillian be the other one?

1901 for background (name is actually Percy on image):

PERRY, Lillian Harcourt Head Widow F 37 1864 Living On Own Means Gorleston, Norfolk
PERRY, May Lillian Daughter Single F 19 1882 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
RICHARDSON, Sam Thomas Boarder Married M 37 1864 Wheel Maker Oldham, Lancashire
MARKLIN, Edith Visitor Single F 13 1888 Nottingham, Nottinghamshire
SMITH, Ellen Servant Single F 34 1867 Cook (Domestic) Penarchard, Worcestershire

Piece: 2709 Folio: 91 Page: 10
Registration District: West Bromwich
Civil Parish: Handsworth

Address: 44, Claremont Road, Handsworth County: Staffordshire

** on the 1891 May's mother is still called Lillian.