Genealogy Chat

Hi All,
my ggdad Walter Smith was married twice, in 1877 and 1903.
On both certs his father is "John Smith, Interpreter". Deceased on the second cert.

I hoped that the occupation would help me sift through all the John Smiths but I'm getting nowhere.
I assume 'Interpreter' in Victorian times meant the same as it does now?? Can't see anything on usual occupation sites.

Anyone know of any professional guilds or anything I could check for "Interpreters".

All ideas welcome, else I've a lot of Smiths to trawl through.....

Petrina

Where would John Smith have been living, to check the censuses?

Hi both, SORRY FOR DELAY,GOT STUCK ON PHONE!
Walter born and married in Marylebone, London.
birth from censuses, haven't narrowed down to order his birth cert yet.
No other stuff on John.

-first marriage gives the same address for bride and groom and Walter is a "soldier, Royal Engineers".
Only the brides family are witnesses
I have checked the adress given in 1877 on both the 1871 and 1881 and neither family is there

What year was Walter born in?

Liz-was typing the below when you asked!
Marriage 1903 '46' =1857
Marriage 1877 '21' =1856, but censuses all agree 1857, so I'm taking the 21 with a pinch of salt

Since Walter was born 1856/7 I have tried the 1851 for John, since he must have been alive (!) and the 1861, in the hope that he was still alive. I have trawled through every John Smith's occupation in Marylebone and nearby districts (I think, happy to admit may have missed one). I can't see anything like "interpreter"- and it seems such a precise occupation for Walter to submit, doesn't it. If he was making up a father, which has occurred to me, why pick that job?!

Petrina

Petrina

Are the two certs you have typed out or handwritten? Is it possible that the occupation might say something else but just looks like "Interpretor") - e.g. Carpenter written in fancy scrawl could be mistaken for "Interpreter".

What made me wonder this was that on the 1861 census there is a Walter Smith born 1856 in Shoreditch, London with a father named John who was a Carpenter - when I first glanced at the census page I thought it said Interpreter (because that's what I was looking for - but closer inspection showed that it was carpenter).

Anyway, it's just a thought - something to double-check.

Regards - Athena

Thanks, Athena,
they are indeed handwritten and I have shown them to everyone I can to check its not my eyes(should have said "my interpretation"!)
They are really clear tho!

I saw the carpenter too!

Petrina

Petrina

You could try narrowing down his possible birth date with a bit of maths. Working on the two marriage certs:

You come up with two possible ages. So, if he was 46 on (say, 14.6.1903) he could have been 45 on 13.6.1903 (making poss birth date of 13.6.1858) or he could have been 47 on 15.6.1903 (making poss birth date of 15.6.1856). So, born somewhere between 15.6.1856 and 13.6.1858.

Apply the same maths to the other marriage.

Apply the same maths to any census returns (if he states the same age on all of them and they are all roughly the same date then you need only do it the once).

You might end up with a narrower field in which to search for his births. With a name like Smith this might be helpful.

The only thing that looks slightly doubtful is the age 21 on his first marriage cert - I wonder if he lied about his age? Did his father witness that marriage do you know/think?

Jill

Jill, thanks, you're right about narrowing down the Smiths,
I am taking the 21 with a pinch of salt!
No, only the brides family were witnesses. That, plus the fact that both bride and groom have same address makes me wonder if his family were around at all..although as a soldier, he would have had to have permission..?

I think they had to have permission from the army - I know that my grandfather did - that was in 1922 so I expect there were similar rules before that.

Have you tried to find his army records? That might help. Although they may be at Kew ... National Archives site? I find that a bit clumsy and difficult but you might track him down on there otherwise it may be a visit.

Odd that his family were not present at the wedding. I wonder if he did lie ...

Jill

My first Army one, haven't looked yet..thanks for mentioning the Archives site.
I suppose it's just the "John Smith" thing that made me suspicious, which is a bit unfair, there's plenty of real ones!
Thing is, I can see a likely boy Walter in early censuses, but no man in the household, and the mother is variously "m" or "unM"......
Oh, well, I'll try the interpreter question another day,

Got to leave now, Thanks everyone,

Petrina

I really hope it doesn't say 'Interfactor' - I got this from an 'Old Occupations' site:

Interfactor - Murderer

(Tee hee!)

Dea x

If he was based in London he would have maybe interpreted for the Chinese migrants there at the time - or the Jewish migrants - presumably a bit late for the Hugeonots 'cos they were earlier weren't they??

Michael, Jill, thanks for ideas-
when I put just "occupation Interpreter" into the 1881 it came up with just one Greek bloke.....I can't imagine what his work was!
The "working abroad" idea is really interesting. Have to say that as an occupation it sticks out like a sore thumb amongst all the shoemakers and dressmakers I seem to belong to. I wouldn't even mind the murderer idea, to give a bit of colour, but it really says "interpreter".
Googling is no help -anything "Victorian interpreter" gives me Australian job sites!

Mmm, still thinking...

Petrina