Genealogy Chat

Great Grandfather disappears on Ancestry! Sugeestions? Hi. My Great Grandfather was called Reginald Beer, and his father was called William Beer. Reginald was born in 1888/89. Lived in Plymouth. I know all this info from his marriage certificate (1917). However, he does not exist on the 1901 or 1891 censuses via Ancestry but there is a Reginald whose father is called Joseph. It is weird as I have searched for both William and Reginald on the censuses and there is no match. Could it be William changed his name for the wedding certificate? If so, why? Where can I go from here? Any help appreciated. Thanks! *Posted this in general but has been swamped by chat already.*

What was Reginald's occupation at the time of the marriage? Was he in the navy at Plymouth? Jim

1901 census transcriptions are dreadful. Most of the ancestors I've managed to find have been mistranscribed - some examples Jeuel Gray as Denel Gray Lemuel Gray as Leonard Gray John Smoothy as John Lenorthy Louisa Purvey as Louisa Curvey Thomas Matthews as Thomas Maththews and many other examples. William is a fairly common name, so looking for Reginald would be better. It's possible that his first name is just an initial, but the surname could be Bear, Beard, Beer, Rear etc etc. My Broad family have been rendered as Rurard and Wadd on previous censuses, so it just goes to show how capital B can me misread! nell

Reginald H Beer Age: 11 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890 Relation: Stepson Mother's name: Sarah J Gender: Male Where born: Stokeinteignhead Civil Parish: Stokeinteignhead Ecclesiastical parish: Stokeinteignhead Town: Stokeinteignhead County/Island: Devon Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View Image Registration district: Newton Abbot Sub-registration district: Torquay ED, institution, or vessel: 27 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 22 Household Members: Name Age Albert M Beer 18 Charlie R Beer 9 Frances M Beer 12 Reginald H Beer 11 Sarah J Lang 35 William H Lang 33 William H Lang 1 Winnifred Lang 4 Albert M Beer abt 1883 Stokeinteignhead Stepson Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record Charlie R Beer abt 1892 Stokeinteignhead Stepson Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record Frances M Beer abt 1889 Stokeinteignhead Stepdaughter Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record Reginald H Beer abt 1890 Stokeinteignhead Stepson Stokeinteignhead Devon Sarah J Lang William H abt 1866 Stokeinteignhead Wife Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record William H Lang abt 1868 Kingsteignton Head Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record William H Lang abt 1900 Stokeinteignhead Son Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record Winnifred Lang abt 1897 Stokeinteignhead Daughter Stokeinteignhead Devon william a baker could this be him perhaps got muddl;ed as step father william?

1891 Reginald H Beer Age: 1 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890 Relation: Son Father's name: John Mother's name: Sarah J Gender: Male Where born: Stokeinteignhead, Devon, England Civil Parish: Stokeinteignhead Ecclesiastical parish: Stokeinteignhead Town: Daccombe County/Island: Devon Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View Image Registration district: Newton Abbot Sub-registration district: Torquay ED, institution, or vessel: 27 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Alice J Beer 4 Frances M Beer 2 John Beer 46 John B W Beer 14 Reginald H Beer 1 Sarah J Beer 21 William H Hart 16 Head a baker Alice J Beer abt 1887 Stokeinteignhead, Devon, England Daughter Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record Frances M Beer abt 1889 Stokeinteignhead, Devon, England Daughter Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record John Beer abt 1845 Stokeinteignhead, Devon, England Head Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record John B W Beer abt 1877 Stokeinteignhead, Devon, England Son Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record Reginald H Beer abt 1890 Stokeinteignhead, Devon, England Son Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record Sarah J Beer abt 1870 Stokeinteignhead, Devon, England Wife Stokeinteignhead Devon View Record William H Hart abt 1875 Dittisham, Devon, England Servant Stokeinteignhead Devon

Hi, There's lots of things that happen from simple mistranscription of names on the census to emigrating to being dead. From freebmd.org.uk the only Reginald Beer around the date you give is a Reginald Harry Beer 1889 Newton Abbot Theres a William Beer marrying a Sarah Hearn in Torrington Jun 1886 5b 886 The 1901 census shows a Reginald H Beer was a stepson. William H Lang Head 33 Sarah J Lang Wife 35 Albert M Beer Stepson 18 Frances M Beer Stepdaughter 12 Reginald H Beer Stepson 11 Charlie R Beer Stepson 9 Winifred Lang Dau 4 William Lang Son 1 If this is the Reginald then it looks like his father has died and his mother has remarried. So taking another look at freebmd for a William H Lang marrying a Sarah -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marriages Dec 1895 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Beer Sarah Jane Newton A. 5b 247 Lang William Henry Newton A. 5b 247 So what happened to William. Winifred is 4 so that would make her born approx 1897 so look for a death for William Beer between 1890 - 1897 Unfortunately there seem to be a lot of William Beer's so I'll leave that one for you. It looks like all the Beer children were born in Stokeinteignhead, Newton Abbot so that's where I would be looking for his death sometime between 1891 to 1895 The 1891 census shows his father was John Beer not William (perhaps confusion over stepdads name) 1891 census Alice J Beer Dau 4 Frances M Beer Dau 2 John Beer Head 46 John B W Beer Son 14 Reginald H Beer Son 1 Sarah J Beer Dau 21 William H Hart Servant 16 John Beer born Stokeinteignhead c1845 So it looks like you need to find the death of John Beer not William Beer. Bye Paul

What's William's occupation on Reginald's marriage cert?