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Hi There

I am literally at the end of the road with finding anything to do with my Nana what so ever. My mum and sisters all have conflicting information about their mum but from what I understand, my Nana never wanted to talk about her up bringing?!

This is what I have been given from my Mum - not a lot I know!

Full Name: Edith Ada Spence
DOB: 19/07/1910
Place of Birth: Can't be definite but we have a confirmation bible from Rotherham although this is dated several years later

Her Father: John Spence - a builder/brick layer

She married James Houghton in 1931 (have all these records). My Auntie seems to think that my Nana was put on a train from a very young age to Swinton and this is where she stayed - but again this is before she was communed in rotherham..

I'm coming to the conclusion that she wasn't registered at birth but then how can she been communed in a church if she wasn't registered?

As you can see - I am at a loss but for my mum's sake I really want to find out what happened with her in her early days!

Any help/thoughts would be of great help

Michael

Oh and we have contacted the Church and they can only give us the same information as we have! I also can't find the death records/marriage records from her father either
:-S

Hello Michael and welcome to the boards.
Certainly a mystery you have here! Obviously it's possible she was born under a different name.
Can I ask a couple of questions?
Have you checked out the address she gives on the marriage cert, to see who else was living there?
Who were the witnesses?
I assume you have no names for any siblings.
jan

Hello Michael, did you get her date of birth from a death record?

Hi Jan

Many thanks for this.

We have got the address and have checked although I am only able to find it up until the 1911 Census (43 Park Avenue, Swinton). The people in house in 1911 were by the name of Carter. Although I am unsure whether they would have been the same around her marriage year. Is there anyway to get information on the property around the marriage year?

I have asked my mum for the witness information.

Siblings - no unfortunately not! My mum has said that Nana never mentioned any siblings from her family.

Michael

?? a year out

Name: Edith Ada Houghton
Birth Date: 19 Jul 1909
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1978
Age at Death: 69
Registration district: Barton
Inferred County: Greater Manchester
Volume: 39
Page: 0671

Hi Marie

I understand the date of birth was on the marraige certificate (I could be wrong!?) My mum gave me the DOB so assuming it is off the death/marraige certificate.

Michael, there will be no DOB on an English marriage cert, just her age.
To check out the address you would need to look at the electoral register. This needs to be done in person, either by yourself or a member of staff at the archives (there may be a charge).
Archives are normally kept at the nearest main library.
Obviously you would only see names of people aged 21 and above. A long shot but with so little to go on might be worth checking out.
Jan

Her age in years would be shown on the marriage cert

Think you need the cert for the names of witnesses

I assume it's all based around Rotherham - this seems to be the archives centre:

Archives

Address: Archives & Local Studies,
Clifton Park Museum,
Clifton Lane,
Rotherham,
S65 2AA

Tel: 01709 336632

Email: [email protected]

Events in Church are totally separate from Civil registration with the GRO

She couldn't have been confirmed (I think that's what you mean) if she wasn't baptized.

But that is not a civil matter.

Who witnessed the marriage?

Where does the info about her father come from? By that, I mean which document?

The information about her father comes from the marriage certificate.

I am just waiting for the witness information now..

We also have a hand written christmas card, which is signed at the end saying 'from your beloved father, John Spence'

I guess she could have been baptised but her birth registered in a name different to that expected. Perhaps her parents weren't married when she was born so she was registered in mother's maiden name.

Good thought! I didn't think about that - will try some searches without the surname...

No idea if relevant, but there is only one entry for a John Spence in Rotherham:

Deaths Jun 1931 (>99%)
Spence John 65 Rotherham 9c 730

I think the Christmas card is very significant, as it proves that she was not making up this name!

jan

Just thinking about her father sending her a Christmas card using his full name - doesn't sound like something a dad would do if he was with the family .......

Witnesses are a William A Morris and Ellen Holland

Marie - I also agree hence why I think something has gone on. Especially given my Nana wouldn't speak about any of her past....