Genealogy Chat

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Elizabeth Gray gave birth to the illegitimate Octavian in 1847 in Langley, Norfolk. Octavian is with Elizabeth's parents in 1841 and with her brother John in 1851. In 1861, Elizabeth's parents have another grandchild staying with them, Mary Gray, b. Norton Subcourse, 1859. I've found this baptism MARY GREY Birth: 30 APR 1859 Christening: 17 APR 1864 Hardley, Norfolk Mother: ELIZABETH GREY which I am fairly certain is her. Hardley is very close to Langley and Elizabeth's parents lived in both places. I wanted to confirm Mary's parentage but when I looked for her birth in 1859 I found: Mary Timbers Gray 1859 Jun Loddon Norfolk 4b Page: 218 Mary Timbers Timbers 1859 Jun Loddon Volume: 4b Page: 218 I can't find any Mary Timbers who fits the bill on the census, nor any marriages or deaths for Mary Timbers or Mary Timbers Gray. Do you think this is the same person, registered with two surnames? Could Timbers be her father's surname? nell

Hi Nell. I added a reply to your post, answered the phone and when I came back, the reply wasn't here -- hope I didn't add it to someone else's thread! Anyway, in answer to Timbers being her father's surname: in my family the girls as well as the boys were named after family members, so we have girls with the middle name of Stuart, Vaus (two of them, actually), etc. I would think it is quite possible Timbers was her father's surname.

Morning Nell, slightly off topic, but reckon this is Elizabeth in 1861, she is in Warblington, Hampshire. (b abt.1827, Langley, Loddon.) Right, will now digest your'e latest! :)) Chris :) hmm. quite a few male Timbers in Norfolk that could fit the bill... :))

Chris Good morning. Yes, I think that is Elizabeth in 1861. I made an error in my original post - Mary is with Elizabeth's married sister Mary Rudrum, in Hardley in 1861. She's with Elizabeth's parents William and Mary in Langley in 1871. I've just gone to my notes and found that in 1861 with Aunt Rudrum, Mary junior junior islisted as Mary J. Going to check the image now to see if it could be T. nell

Well, it could be T. or J. or L. or S. I think it's more likely T. Now I'm intrigued. This Gray family have been, up till now, quite straightforward. I've found my direct line relatively easy to trace and the later generations are just as my father told me about. But now I have two children who don't appear to have lived with their mother. Octavian married and had children - one of whom, William Octavian Gray, became a Metropolitan police sgt (several Met police in the Gray family). But Mary Gray is such a common name, its been v. difficult to trace her, even if Timbers is her middle name! nell

Last sighting of Mary 1881 RG11/1910 Folio: 15 Page: 23 Great Yarmouth Norfolk (St Nicholas) Mary Ann Gray abt 1859 Norton, Norfolk, Head washerwoman [image only gives surname - first name has ' mark underneath above person, Mary Ann someone else, so it could just mean Mary Gray and not Mary Ann] not sure if this is her, but the birth year and age are right and she did have relatives in Yarmouth. As she's only 22 here I think she probably married but I can't find a likely married Mary born in the right place and time with a marriage record to match. nell

I'd be chuffed if I could find an Octavian Timbers, that would solve everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nell