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Hi My Nan's maiden name was(so I had always believed) was Smith. I have since been told that this wasn't her real surname, her family were a gypsy/ traveler family who changed their surname, but were known locally as the Smiths of Oxford. (I think it may have been a derogatory term). They had money though, we think as my nan was sent to boarding school. My Nan was born 1916. Can anybody shed any light/
Also I have been told my great grandfather (my nan's Father) either owned or worked for John Allen's Steamrollers??????

I think you will have to give us a bit more info,ie her 1st name and who her parents were etc.

Maryb.

Who did your nan marry? Have you checked the marriage details to see what surname she used when she married?

Kath. x

Hi thanks everyone, This is why I am stuck I can only find a marriage for her and my grandfather, and am able to search his side. Her first name was Margaret Doreen, she had a sister, Emily and a brother Frank, not sure of there births but they were older than her. I cant find any birth entries that match I have gone + and - 10 years from her birth year, but if the surname was wrong it wouldn't show up. Unfortunately my Nan is dead so I can't ask her but ,as with so many of her age she has lead us all a merry dance with her dates so as to hide the fact, (we think) that she was older than her husband and that she may have been pregnant with her first child when she married!!
I am a novice and also confused. I am waiting for the marriage certificate as that is the only thing I am sure of so at least her Fathers name should be on that, although he may have lied about the surname too. :-)

Are you able to tell us the full names for this marriage?


What names did she give on the birth certificate of your parent?

Is this the marriage

Marriages Dec 1938 (>99%)
Brennan John G Galashan Aldershot 2c 624
Galashan Rebecca C Brennan Aldershot 2c 624
>>Hope Leonard Smith Aldershot 2c 624
>>Smith Margaret D Hope Aldershot 2c 624

The marriage is correct. I don't understand the birth, what is the Taylor at the begining. The Margaret dv smith 1916 sounds correct thank you. where do I look for this record??

Sorry Alison, I deleted it when i realised i was barking up the wrong tree x

a few births..................................



Civil Registration event: Birth
Name: SMITH, Maggie D
Registration district: Faversham
County: Kent
Year of registration: 1912
Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Mother's maiden name: Rook
Volume no: 2A
Page no: 1878


Name: SMITH, Doreen M
Registration district: [?] Strood
County: Kent
Year of registration: 1916
Quarter of registration: Apr-May-Jun
mother's maiden name: Jarrett
Volume no:[?]2A
Page no:[?]1393


Civil Registration event: Birth
Name: SMITH, Margaret D
Registration district: Tynemouth
County: Northumberland
Year of registration: 1916
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Mother's maiden name: Foreman
Volume no: 10B
Page no: 632


Civil Registration event: Birth
Name: SMITH, Margaret D
Registration district: Sunderland
County: Durham
Year of registration: 1916
Quarter of registration: Apr-May-Jun
Mother's maiden name: Graham
Volume no: 10A
Page no: 1382


Civil Registration event: Birth
Name: SMITH, Margaret D
Registration district: Durham
County: Durham
Year of registration: 1916
Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Mother's maiden name: Snaith
Volume no: 10A
Page no: 716


Civil Registration event: Birth
Name: SMITH, Margaret D
Registration district: South Stoneham
County: Hampshire
Year of registration: 1911
Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Mother's maiden name: Not available before 1911 Q3
Volume no: 2C
Page no: 73

There are 4 possible births of a Margaret D. Smith registered in 1916 or the first qtr. of 1917 (which could be a birth in late 1916).

Do you know your nan's birthday (month) which might narrow these down?

Kath. x

I'm Wondering about this family with a daughter Emily and son Frank. It looks right

This is the 1911 census.

SMITH, Francis Head Married M 40 1871 Engineering Etc Swindon Wilts VIEW
SMITH, Emma Wife Married13 years F 40 1871 Berks Steventon VIEW
SMITH, Frank Son M 12 1899 School Steventon Berks VIEW
SMITH, Emily Daughter F 4 1907 Steventon Berks VIEW
MATHEWS, Ann Mother In Law Widow F 73 1838 Private Means Wooton Bassett Wilts VIEW
PRIOR, Minnie Servant Single F 22 1889 Domestic Steventon Berks VIEW

RG number: RG14 Piece: 6471 Reference: RG14PN6471 RG78PN319 RD117 SD3 ED3 SN53 Registration District: Abingdon Sub District: Sutton Courtenay Enumeration District: 3 Parish: Steventon Address: Causeway Engineering Works Steventon Berkshire County: Berkshire

and a daughter born in 1912 not 1916. So maybe your Nan was older than you thought.

Births Mar 1912 (>99%)
Smith Margaret D Matthews Abingdon 2c 567


Francis Smith married Emma Matthews in 1898

Marriages Sep 1898 (>99%)
BATEMAN George Abingdon 2c 623
>>Matthews Emma Abingdon 2c 623
Sharliott Harriett Abingdon 2c 623
>>SMITH Francis Abingdon 2c 623

YES YES YES AStra I think you are right. Thank you so much, there are so many red herrings regarding my nan's age, we have we think found out that a, she was pregnant when married, b, its seems my grandad was only 17 when he married her and c, she was older than him. According to every ones reckonings she was5 years older but if the birth above is correct that would make her 9 years older. OOOOOh I love a scandal. Ha ha . the Birth says Mar 1912, I take it that relates to March. I know we celebrated her birthday in dec, could they have registered late, would you know??

Just to add to the 1911 it says


engineering stc road rollers employer

Yes, if she was born in December it's quite likely she was registered in January. Mar (March) stands for the first quarter of the year whether they were registered in January, February or March.

Ozi

The same family in 1901:-

1901 census transcription details for: Cottage, Steventon

National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG13
Piece: 1134
Folio: 51
Page: 16
Reg. District: Abingdon
Sub District: Sutton Courtney
Parish: Steventon
Enum. District: 5
Ecclesiastical District: St Michaels
City/Municipal Borough:

Address: Cottage, Steventon
County: Berkshire

Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth Year Occupation , Disability Where Born

SMITH, Francis Head Married M 30 1871 Engineers Fitter & Turner
Swindon, Wiltshire
SMITH, Emma Wife Married F 30 1871
Leigh, Wiltshire
SMITH, Frank Son Single M 2 1899
Steventon, Berkshire

Kath. x

Parents of francis Smith 1871 were William Smith born @ 1831 Coventry Warwickshire an Engineer and Boiler maker and Jane Smith @ 1831 Lambourne berkshire.

Jane Smith of Steventon berkshire died 24/8/1906 probate 22/10/1906 to husband William Smith an engineer £601 6s 7d

William Smith of Steventon berkshire died 14/4/1907 probate 19/12/1907 effects £361 9s 2d to Ernest James Langford and Thomas Latham.

Is this Leonard Hope born Sept 1917 Medway Kent died Chatham kent 1974?
making him 6 years younger.

Maryb.

Thanks Mary,
You are all so clever, You find out things it takes me ages to sort through, how do you do it????
Yes it is Leonard Hope,but he was born 16 aug 1921, my grandfather. x
That is prob the only bit we know for sure!! :-)

Did your grandfather have a middle name? This is the only birth that would correspond with the date of birth you give above:-


Name: HOPE, Leonard C
Registration district: St. Olave Bermondsey
County: London
Year of registration: 1921
Quarter of registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
Mother's maiden name: Fishwick
Volume no: 1D
Page no: 283

Kath. x

I thought it was the Leonard born in 1917 too.

If this is the death of Leonard C he was born 20th July

Name: HOPE, Leonard Charles
Registration district: South Gloucestershire
County: Gloucestershire
Year of registration: 2005
Month of registration: September
Date of Birth:20 July 1921
District no: 3041A Reg no: A10 Ent no: 198 DOR: 905


Alison do you know when and where your Grandparents died or is Leonard still alive?

I thought it was the 1917 one also he died in Chatham kent!
Did Margaret Doreen and leonard have a son in 1940 who married in Chatham in 1965.
Bit of a coincidence!

Maryb.