Genealogy Chat

Thanks Nell Can you pass a portable heater too... :) Chris

Chris Here's a tissue! nell

UPDATE… I’m sooo fed up…..If I had a cat I’d kick it! This morning the washing machine flooded the kitchen, the central heating packed up but then the post arrived with the certificate for Mary’s death!!! It was the right one as the informant was her husband Amos but it didn’t give her maiden name so I’m no further forward. Oh well back to the drawing board. Chris (VERY cold and depressed) :(

Helen I hadn't tried Acock......But I will do now... Thanks for the suggestion! Chris

Have you tried Acock? nell

Lou I have nothing about his Army Career. I have no reason to link him with Egypt before Caroline's Baptism Certificate and my families word of mouth reminisces. I have no link to Ireland apart from Mary being born there. I take on board your suggestions for research about Mary being a Widow.......That will keep me busy!!! Chris :)

Chris How much information do you have about his Army career? Is there any chance he could have been in Ireland for any reason prior to going to Egypt and could possibly have married Mary there? Is there any chance Mary could have been married before and was over there as an Officer's widow? Lou

Lou Yet again you are teaching me how to think out of the box!! If Mary was in Egypt as a single woman, and therefore free to marry my Great Grandad, I think I have 3 options... 1. She was a daughter of an Officer who's family had relocated out there. But I bet they would have ensured there was a marriage before Caroline's birth :) 2. She was employed by the Army......I don't think that happened in those days. 3. She was a 'follower'......But I think they died out many years before! :) I think you are right about checking for marriages out of the time frame.......Just hope my credit card can take it :) Thanks

Chris OR...did they meet over there and have Caroline so said they were married, but didn't do the deed until they returned to the UK. It might be worth checking for marriages out of the time frame you've been searching Lou

Just checked 1837 overseas marriages.. Amos and Mary are not on there.... :(

Lou Amos' parents had registered their previous births but I suppose they may well have become a little 'slapdash' by then....Thanks for the hint :) I had never thought about the possibility of Amos and Mary meeting and marrying in Egypt....But it makes alot of sense...Why else would the wife of a lowly soldier be in Egypt with her husband, surely she would have been left at home in England when he was sent abroad? Thank you...You are a star! :)

Chris It wasn't complusary to register a birth until 1875 so it may be that your Amos's parents didn't do it. If Amos served overseas and Caroline was born there, is it not possible that Mary E was the daughter/sister of someone he was serving with and they married over there as well? Lou

I know how some of you lot love a challenge ….So any suggestions????? Amos Elcock born Thundersley, Essex in 1863 (My Great Grandfather)…….And, yes, there is an Amos born in 1852 but I believe that this may be my Amos’ elder brother who died before my Amos was born and he was named in his memory. His parents married in 1841 and there is no Amos on the 1861 census for the family. I have him on 1871 At home with his family in Thundersley aged 8. 1881 A visitor in Battersea London aged 17 1891 Married aged 30 to Mary E ?? (born in Ireland) at home in Aldershot with a daughter Caroline aged 1 (My Grandmother born in Egypt). Amos served in the Army in Egypt and Caroline Eleanor was baptised in the Cairo Citadel DOB: 20/10/1889 (The Baptism Certificate is in the family) 1901 With wife Mary aged 41 and daughter now recorded as Carlie aged 11. Here are my problems…. 1. I can’t find any records for Amos’ birth or marriage to Mary. 2. I can’t find a record for Caroline’s birth 3. I know that Mary died when Caroline was in her teens but I can’t find a death for a Mary E Elcock….There is one for a Mary Eleanor Elcock in 1904 but the age is 2 years older than I would expect (shown as 46), but the area for the death roughly fits and Caroline’s second name was Eleanor too!.... I have sent for this certificate with my fingers crossed! 4. Amos remarried ‘Some American’ and went on to have more children after the 1901 census and I have that possible marriage in 1906. 5. I have no idea when Amos joined the Army, was discharged (though probably by 1901), where he served (apart from Egypt) or what Regiment he served in. I have checked Ancestry, 1837, Family Search, Family Relatives, FreeBMD, Origins etc and Googled every combination I can think of! I have also searched more web sites than I can list here! I have also tried some possible mistranscriptions for Elcock…Ellcock, Alcock, Allcock . I requested an overseas birth certificate for Caroline from GRO but it came back with ‘no record’ Any ideas or suggestions as to what to do next will be gratefully received. Thank You. Chris (Just about to give up on this line, for the time being, if the death cert doesn’t give it life!! ) :(

Please see below :)