Genealogy Chat

I'm trying to trace my maternal grandmothers line. She was born Daisy Blakely in 1886 in Hastings. I have a copy of her birth certificate. Father was Charles Henry Blakely and Mother Emily Blakely (formerly Bryan). She knew she had been adopted and that she had a twin sister who she thought had died soon after birth. BMD shows that there was a twin - Violet but I have not found any death record. The 1891 census shows that Daisy had been adopted by Thomas and Elizabeth Edwards. It shows a Violet Blakely (born 1886 in Hastings) living with a Selina Blakely - single mother in a salvation Army rescue home in London. I have been unable to trace any marriage record of Charles Blakely to Emily Bryan, nor any death record for either of them. I've tried all variations of spelling. I've also been unsuccessful in tracing Selina Blakely except for the 1881 census which has a Selina Blakeley (aged 18) living in a Servants home in Walthamstow. Selina's birthplace is given as Yehavethus - which I googled but came up with no results - anyone heard of this? I really don't know what to try next - is it possible that Charles and Emily were not married - did a marriage certificate need to be produced in order to register the birth of a child? Sorry this has been a bit of an essay - I'd really appreciate any advice or thoughts on this.

???
births Jun 1864 (>99%)
BLAKLEY Selina Lewisham 1d 726

1891 for Selina states born Woolwich 1866. Looks like age is wrong as 1881 has her born 1863.

Possible baptism:
Name: Selina Blakeley
Record Type: Baptism
Date: 24 Jul 1864
Father's Name: Robert Blakeley Labourer
Mother's Name: Mary Blakeley
Parish: St Mary Magdalene, Woolwich
Borough: Greenwich
County: Middlesex
Born 2 April
Can't read address.

Will have a look for census for parents.

As I understand it the Salvation Army keep detailed records.

As you have Violet and Selina Blakely living in a Salvation Army rescue home in London then I would suggest it would be worth contacting them to see if they have more detailed information.

Google "Salvation Army"

Good luck
Chris

that address is 24 Artillery Place

England & Wales Christening Records, 1530-1906
Name: Mary Violet
Gender: Female
Birth Date: abt 1886
Christening Date: 5 Dec 1886
Christening Place: Hastings, Sussex, England
Mother's Name: Selina Blakely
Source Citation: Place: Hastings, Sussex, England; Collection: St Clement; -; Date Range: 1885 - 1900; Film Number: 1468889.

Name: Daisy
Gender: Female
Birth Date: abt 1886
Christening Date: 5 Dec 1886
Christening Place: Hastings, Sussex, England
Mother's Name: Selina Blakely

Maureen

1871 Ancestry
Name: Selina Blakley
Age: 7
Estimated birth year: abt 1864
Relation: Daughter
Mother's Name: Mary
Gender: Female
Where born: Woolwich, Kent, England
Civil parish: Woolwich
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary
Town: Woolwich
County/Island: Kent
Country: England
Registration district: Woolwich
Sub-registration district: Woolwich Dockyard
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Household schedule number: 167
Household Members:
Name Age
Mary Blakley 40
John Blakley 9
Selina Blakley 7
Edward Blakley 4
Samuel Blakley 2
Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 778; Folio: 16; Page: 26; GSU roll: 824735.

Maureen

1901 for Daisy

Name: Daisy Blakey
Age: 15
Estimated birth year: abt 1886
Relation: Visitor
Gender: Female
Where born: Hampstead, London, England
Civil parish: St Pancras
Ecclesiastical parish: Kentish Town
County/Island: London
Country: England
registration district: St Pancras
Sub-registration district: Kentish Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 24
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 622
Household Members:
Name Age
Florence Hamblyn 22
Maud Hamblyn 4 months
Daisy Blakey 15

????
Marriages Sep 1910 (>99%)
xxxxBlakeley Violet Croydon 2a 591
BYLETT Percy J Croydon 2a 591
Venables Ada C Croydon 2a 591

wow - thank you all so much.
I will certainly contact the Salvation Army.
K - my grandmother Daisy appears on the 1901 census, still with the Edwards family in Hastings. It states that she is adopted. I know she remained with the Edwards family until her marriage.
Maureen - thanks for the info. though it has confused me somewhat. The christening records you show would seem to support that twins (one Daisy) were born to Selina Blakely - the date of December would seem appropriate as Daisy's birth certificate states she was born 10 August. However, her birth cert. says parents are Charles and Emily Blakely. When I look at the register - (index 2b 24) there is also Violet Blakely registered on the same day. I suppose 2 sets of twins could have been born in Hastings at that time but seems too much of a coincidence that both called Blakely.
Maybe Selina was a single mum and decided to keep one child? If she actually was my grandmother's mother, then the parents names on her birth certificate are false. This may explain why I can't find a marriage record for them.
It's a bit of a mystery - if anyone has any ideas please let me know!
Thank you all for your help.

Hi Jennifer do you have an actual address on the birth certificate for Daisy.
I have traced Thomas Edwards back through the census and wondered if
there was any connection as to why he took on Daisy from her mother.
Daisy stays a Blakely although the 1901 census states she is adopted by
Thomas and Elizabeth Edwards.
If there is an address of the birth perhaps it ties in with the Edwards family.
Selina was in Hastings to give birth to Violet - if you got her birth certificate and
find her birth address perhaps you can find a connection.
Irene

Both Daisy and Violet have the same district and page number
against their births so I think your best bet is to get the birth certificate
of Violet. I think if twins are born there is often a time on the birth certificate
does Daisy's birth certificate give a time of birth. Irene

Hi Jennifer,

What was Charles Henry Blakely's occupation on the birth certificate?


Dee x

Address on Daisy's birth certificate is 1 Church Passage, High Street, Hastings. Informant is Emily Blakely - mother. Charles occupation is carpenter. No time of birth is given. I agree I will get birth cert. for Violet. The reason I've assumed she was the twin of Daisy is that my gran told me she had a twin sister - she was told this by her adoptive parents - that her twin had died after birth and that's why she had been adopted. Seems quite odd, but all those years ago I didn't really give it much thought....
I also traced back Thomas and Elizabeth Edwards and noticed they had no children. I'm unable to trace Charles Blakely or Emily Bryan in Hastings area, which is odd. Many thanks for all the help and interest.

Just checked the birth certificate again - yes there is a time of birth - 10 August 1886 8.30pm

The Edwards lived at 1 Church Street in the 1881 census and a few doors away is Church Passage but at number 1 is just 1 person living. Perhaps the mother of Daisy went away to
work and came home to have her babies and gave one of the twins to a family member
to care for - Thomas Edwards wife came from Ireland but Thomas seemed to have lived
in Hastings all his life so perhaps one of his siblings is related to Emily/Selina Blakely.
Irene

It seems to me that Selina must be the mother. Just too much of a coincidence.

Perhaps she was OK with fibbing to the registrar but not to the church. It might be interesting to see if you can order in the relevant film at an LDS centre to see if there are any notations or extra info on the baptisms.

Good luck!

Maureen