Genealogy Chat

I don't have Ancestry, but are there any more S/Norfolk N/Suffolk William Grey/Grays in 1871 that DON'T match up with 1881? Might help narrow down the odds on the cert. Jay

Kate Yes, this is my problem. I don't know whether the fact that William isn't recorded on the cert means he is dead or not. Sarah might have had an affair whilst husband was still alive, though I would have thought she would put his name on the cert anyway for respectability. It may be that they had split up and he was still around elsewhere, though I can't find him. I just wish I could narrow down when he was likely to have died as I don't want to send off for lots of wrong certs. I was wondering about the Mutford one as its the right kind of area and age. I guess I will have to cough up and order it!

Nell, surely she could have had an affair while her husband was still alive, but she didn't want to lie on the birth certificate and name her husband as the father when he wasn't? Or perhaps he refused to have his name put down as the father? Sorry but I have to get off the computer in a minute... Kate.

There's William GREY aged 39 yrs Sept 1878 Mutford Reg Dist - this includes Lowestoft & Gorleston I don't think you can automatically assume that William WAS dead and the child illegitimate because no father is given on the cert. I would want to look for a baptism entry as additional evidence. Certs ARE sometimes short on information, rare perhaps, but does happen. Jay

Merry Family legend says that SOMEONE in this family was drowned, but I don't know who. The story I heard was that it was a father and all his sons, which is obviously not this chap. I have looked through the deaths at sea index on 1837 without finding a likely chap. Thanks for suggestion about Wills. I don't know if William would have been on the same boat he was on in 1871 - in fact I don't KNOW that he died through his job. As for his wife, she appears to have made a bigamous marriage - after her illegitimate daughter;s birth, as I think her 2nd husband was already married - and for all I know, Wm might have still been alive, but maybe presumed dead. Not sure if getting her 2nd marriage cert would shed any light, if she just said she was a widow. But then she said she was a widow in 1901 and her 2nd 'husband''s death wasn't registered until 1909!

I stopped reading once I reached the word fisherman! (apologies!!) How do you know he wasn't drowned???? Many of my mariner relations were lost at sea. I know this through various means.....two had mention of it in their brother's will..........one was reported in the Times (not his name, but the name of his boat, which helped me to find his will)..........another one has a mention on his wife's gravestone. None had a death cert issued :o(( Merry

Chap is called William Gray/Grey, born 1839 in Hardley, Norfolk. I want to get his death cert. This is what I know: 1862 William married Sarah ann Thompson in Limpenhoe (other family members lived there).William's occupation on marriage cert is fisherman. 1871 I found Reg Yarmouth Sub-reg district: Yarmouth Southern ED, institution, or vessel: Statesman >>>>>William Gray 32 Est birth year: bt 1839 born:Hardley, Norfolk married Master [this page also has John Gray b. Hardley 1844 as seaman on board vessel, could be William's younger brother, who is also listed with his wife and children in Limpenhoe!] Also found William's wife: 1871 Great Yarmouth Norfolk Sarah A Gray abt 1840 Thurston, Norfolk, Wife sailor's wife [cd be William's?] Emma I Gray abt 1868 Yarmouth, Daughter Edith J Gray abt 1870 Yarmouth, Daughter 22 December 1877, Sarah's daughter Laura Bertha Thompson Gray was born at Row 80, Great Yarmouth. There is no father's name on the birth certificate, implying that she was illegitimate and her mother's husband William Gray was dead. 1881 Registration district: Walsingham 'Manor House' Great Ryburgh Norfolk Actual head Isaac Everitt, magistrate, but underneath there;s lots of servants within their own households; Benjamin Thompson 63 abt 1818 head Groom (8) Stalham >>>Sarah A. Gray 41daughter widow Housekeeper Thurston Edith J. Gray 11 abt 1870 Granddaughter Scholar Yarmouth Rose S. Gray Granddaughter 8 Yarmouth Laura B. Gray 3 Granddaughter Yarmouth [ Possible remarriage 1882 Dec Walsingham 4b Page: 813 Sarah Ann Gray to James Thurlow or Edward Boughton Gyles [1881 Edward Gyles in Great Ryburgh, Norfolk, so he seems prime candidate to be 2nd husband: Edward Gyles 40 abt 1841 Lodger Born:Ombersley, Worcestershire, Occupation: Prime Cost Clerk Married (no wife in sight) Great Ryburgh Norfolk on p.7 of Gt Ryburgh census 1891 no Sarah Ann Thurlow in Norfolk with right age birthplace. This is a possible: Reg district: Aylsham Sub district: Buxton Low Common, Swanton Abbot Norfolk Christmas Watts 77 tailor Norfolk Buxton Emily Watts wife 79 Norfolk Barnham Broom Henry Watts son 38 tailor Norfolk, Swanton Abbott >>>Sarah Ann Gyles 48 abt 1843 widowed Housekeeper [no birthplace given] 1901 Reg district: Walsingham Sub-district: Walsingham Near the church, Hindringham Norfolk Samuel Allison head 61wid farm labourer Hindringham, Norfolk Sarah A Gyles Servant 58 abt 1843 housekeeper domestic Tharston, Norfolk Not clear that Sarah is Samuel's housekeeper. Possibly she is working elsewhere and lodging; or she may be just doing the domestic duties in exchange for a roof over her head. But she wasn't a widow!!! Death ref: Edward Boughton Gyles Age at death: 72 [abt 1837] ]1909 ]Mar Aston Warwickshire 6d Page: 309 Now perhaps Sarah and William separated before he died or maybe not. Either way, I would guess that Laura is not his child and he could have died between 1871-1881, but how can I narrow down the search? There are lots of William Gray and William Grey death registrations, but none in Yarmouth, which is where I would expect, and the ages are all out a little. I've found one in 1878 in Lowestoft of the right age (and a corresponding burial on IGI), but this would mean that he was still alive when Laura was born, so why didn't Sarah put his name down as the father - and there;s also William Gray on the 1871 census living in Lowestoft, born 1841 so it might be his burial with his age wrong. nell

no wonder you are frustrated if he is invisible !!!

Blinky flip! I have a brother of my gt grandfather John Gray, who is being a bit of a mystery chappie. see below