Genealogy Chat

My father was James Rudolph Jeffries D. O. B.18.09.1904 from mam & dads marriage certificate his father was James Jeffries (deceased )Builders Labourer Dad used to say that he should be called Jeffers but the Army changed his name and D.O. B I can find no record of a James Jeffries being born around 1904 but have found and obtained from GRO a birth certificate for James Jeffers D. O B. 19.10 1904 Born at 20 Frances St, Darwen Father James Jeffers Gas Stoker Mother Catherine Jeffers formerly Drugan This is the area dad was from Blackburn ,Darwen The 1901 census has a family called Jefferies living at 20 Francis St. James Head 33 Catherine Wife 32 John Son 8 Thomas Son 6 Annie Daughter 5 Mary Daughter 3 Catherine Daughter 1 James Dragan Uncle 21 I have searched the indexes checking out the children and can only find them as being born as Jeffers. James Dragan I found in 1891 living with Catherine Drugan and her mother and brothers. I had an Aunty Annie and an Aunty Mary also uncle Joe who might have been born 1903 there was an Aunt called Rita who I cannot find in the birth indexes. .The other names I am not familiar with ,we didn,t live close and did not have a lot or contact. On this information can I claim this James Jeffers as being my father or does anyone know how else I can prove it. I have had a message on the trying to find board for quite some time with no luck.

Forgive me but I cannot digest this in its present form so I wil endevour to lay it out a little clearer: My father was James Rudolph Jeffries D. O. B.18.09.1904 from mam & dads marriage certificate his father was James Jeffries (deceased )Builders Labourer . Dad used to say that he should be called Jeffers but the Army changed his name and D.O. B I can find no record of a James Jeffries being born around 1904 but have found and obtained from GRO a birth certificate for James Jeffers D. O B. 19.10 1904 Born at 20 Frances St, Darwen - Father James Jeffers Gas Stoker Mother Catherine Jeffers formerly Drugan This is the area dad was from Blackburn ,Darwen - The 1901 census has a family called Jefferies living at 20 Francis St. : James Head 33 Catherine - wife 32 John Son 8 Thomas Son 6 Annie Daughter 5 Mary Daughter 3 Catherine Daughter 1 James Dragan Uncle 21 I have searched the indexes checking out the children and can only find them as being born as Jeffers. James Dragan I found in 1891 living with Catherine Drugan and her mother and brothers. I had an Aunty Annie and an Aunty Mary also uncle Joe who might have been born 1903 there was an Aunt called Rita who I cannot find in the birth indexes. .The other names I am not familiar with ,we didn,t live close and did not have a lot or contact. On this information can I claim this James Jeffers as being my father or does anyone know how else I can prove it. I have had a message on the trying to find board for quite some time with no luck.

Have you been able to get hold of his army service record? I'd have thought there should be some clues in that - his next-of-kin as well as other info - there might be something you could get out of it - as well as being interesting for its own sake. Certainly the info you've found looks plausible, given what your father said to you. Christine

I think this candidate is very likely your dad. The army record should have the date of birth and if this matches with the cert then I think you can claim him as yours. nell

Many thanks Dea for improving the layout of the message,and thank you to Christine and Helen. I have Dads army number so I will try that avenue. I have heard it can take 6 months and cost £30 so I was trying to avoid that route but it looks the only way to get real proof.

You're welcome Wendy - GR DO try to make things difficult for us . Have been trying to find something further for you but haven't been able to - sorry. I think you are on the right track and army records would be the next step. Dea x

Wendy, You do have to pay £30 for army records & they initially send you a pack which says it will take up to 6 months. However mine arrived in just 3 weeks , maybe I was just lucky !

The date of birth on army records doesn't always match the actual date of birth. A lot of young men made out they were older than they actually were in order to get into the army. My father's birth year was 1908, but on his army record it has 1907. Kath. x