Genealogy Chat

I'm trying to trace the natural parents of Frederick Charles BARRY (b. 1907) who was brought up from a very young age by Harold & Emily PRODGER from Star Road, Eastbourne, Sussex. His birth certificate gives his parents as William Sydney BARRY & Frances Emily BARRY nee RICHARDSON, but I have been unable to find any marriage records or any definite birth or death records for either to explain why young Frederick was adopted, and of course no adoption papers at that time. Can anyone help?

Where was he born? Laura x

He was born at Star Road, Eastbourne where his adoptive parents were living in 1901

Hi, this is a possible for 1901 for his mum... Frances E Richardson abt 1878 Highleigh, Cheshire, England Daughter East Blatchington Sussex Possible dads? William Barry abt 1876 Worthing, Sussex, England Lodger Worthing Sussex William H Barry James, abt 1890 Seaford, Sussex, England Son Seaford Sussex Cant see a marriage for them, they possibly married after 1901 for which I dont have records. You could check 1837 dot c o m

Thanks for ideas, I've already found those you list as possibles & checked the marriage records on Ancestry from 1900 to 1907 but with no definite matches. Vague recollections from my friend seem to point to a relative of some sort of the Prodgers & there are Richardsons in their ancestry which I've researched, but none that fits. Frustrating, isn't it? Thanks again

Hi I have the opposite problem in that I've managed to trace my father-in-laws birth parents and their respective remarriages and deaths which left him an orphan at age 7. However I'm at a loss to find out who brought him up after that! I've looked for a possible marriage from 1907-1912 for William Sydney Barry. There's loads of Williams but not with Sydney as a middle name. Under deaths I found only one William Sidney Barry in 1907 age 0. A clue or a coincidence? Right upto 1920 I can't find a death for either William Sidney Barry or Frances E Barry. Again there's loads of Williams. From my own experiences I would suspect that William and Frances didn't marry but it suited her to make out she did - and that William's death entry doesn't contain his middle name. Sorry to be so long-winded and yes this hobby is frustrating. regards

Hi Trevor, Do you know who was living at the house Frederick was born at in 1901? Rose

Roll on the 1911 census, aye? Is it possible they married on the Isle of Man, Scotland or somewhere else overseas? Of course, it is possible that they weren't married at all - in which case you are super-lucky that you know who the father was! My great aunt and uncle were, after a disasterous pregnancy that nearly cost my aunt's life, unable to have children. They were seriously keen on 'adopting' my mother on the premis that my grandmother could have other children. None of this came about - but have you checked for other Barry children? Victoria

Thanks everyone for suggestions while I was asleep! My friend, who is Frederick's son, doesn't know of any siblings of his father except an elder 'brother' who was Harold & Emily Prodger's natural son, born in 1901 and on the Census with them in Eastbourne where Frederick's birth cert has him born in 1907. It's possible there was an elopement to Gretna Green, I suppose, how romantic if there were! (or maybe sad, given the possible circumstances that drove them to it) The 1911 Census will be great when it arrives, but it's the whereabouts of William & Frances before 1907 my friend wants to discover! Regards to all who replied

The Prodgers of Eastbourne could have been an odd lot. It appears that Charles & Lillian Prodger adopted my mother, Marion on birth in 1917. However, my mother never disclosed her true parenrage before she died and destroyed her birth certificate. There is no entry for Marion Prodger in the birth register. I am therefore somewhat at a loss as to how to find her natural parents. I am aware of course that nothing was registered in those days although it was common practice for siblings of the true parents to care for children whose natural parents either died or who were unmarried. It is therefore possible that my mother was the daughter of the sister of either Charles Prodger or Lillian Prodger (nee Evans). Proving it however appears impossible unless someone has some bright ideas.

Brian