Genealogy Chat

Hi I have a Maud Harriet Hiscock in my tree. She married my ggrandfather Frederick Albert Donaldson. Her name appears on my grandfathers birth cert (Herbert Charles Donaldson). She also appears on the 1891 and 1901 census. However, I don't seem to be able to find her birth. I've checked the whole of the 1870s in the PRO books but still can't find her. Now the funny thing is that when I started to research our family history, my dad phoned his cousin in Canada and asked him to send my grandfathers birth cert over,. My dad said that his cousin had told him that he thought my ggrandmothers name was Blanche Cooper (?) but when the certificate arrived it says plainly that her name is Maud Harriett Hiscock. Has anyone got any ideas as to what may have happened here? I have a feeling that she was born and maybe given up for adoption? thats if they had an adoption process all those years ago. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can find out if her name was changed? Thanks for your help. Regards Angela

Adoptions weren't formalised until 1927 so if she was given away, there are unlikely to be any records. A possibility is that Cooper was her birth name but she later took the name of her stepfather, or was even married before. Have you looked for a Harriet Hiscock's birth as it wouldn't be the first time someone has swapped their first and second names around. There are 4 Maud Hitchcock's on 1881 born 1874-78, no Hiscocks though. There are 12 Blanche Coopers of the same age. What is her father's name on the marriage certificate?

Hi Angela, Not sure if you have this but the mrriage certificate should give her fathers name:- Name: Hiscock, Maud Harriett Record Type: Marriages Quarter: June Year: 1893 District: Bethnal Green County: Greater London London Middlesex Volume: 1c Page: 298 (click to see others on page) Hope it helps Kindest regards Rosemarie

Hi Kate & Rosemary Thanks for your input. Yes I had already looked for Harriett Hiscock rather than Maud Hiscock and couldn't find either of them. I have her marriage cert and it shows her father as John Hiscock. I am now assuming that he was her step father and that she was given away at birth? I am beginning to believe that maybe she was born and named Blanche Cooper? Oh well, it looks as though I may have to halt my search for her as I am never going to know who her true parents were. Thanks for all your help though. Regards Angela

Hi Angela Found this John Hiscock on the 1881 census. His daughter is the right age. Are they any use to you? I know this one is Emily, but my experience is that our ancestors were much less precise with their names, or indeed dates of birth, than we are today. I have a great grandmother who changed her christian name when she was about 16, and married twice, bore 4 children, and died, all registered with the new name. What I do not know is what made her do it - perhaps she just did not care for her given name! So I tend to look at all the other evidence I can find - father's occupation, place of birth and marriage, names given to their own children (often named after grandparents), before I reject someone just because their first name is not what I expected it to be! ******************************************* Household: Name Relation Marital Status Gender Age Birthplace Occupation Disability John HISCOCK Head M Male 30 Whitechapel, Middlesex, England Gunsmith Eliza HISCOCK Wife M Female 32 Paddington, Middlesex, England Linen Coller Maker (Shirt) Emily H. C. HISCOCK Daur Female 6 Mle End, Middlesex, England Scholar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source Information: Dwelling 11 Horseley Bldgs Census Place London, Middlesex, England Family History Library Film 1341104 Public Records Office Reference RG11 Piece / Folio 0474 / 77 Page Number 40 *********************************************** Good luck! Tina

Hi Tina I suppose it is possible for Emily to be Maud. I just think it's a bit odd that on the other census material and marriage cert she is entered as Maud Harriett but then on the 1881 census, as Emily. The second initial would match that of Harriett though so I am not going to rule it out. I just have to find Emilys birth now! Thanks for opening my mind a little. I knew there would be some cryptic puzzle on my dads side of the tree! Cheers Angela

I think I would be inclined to discount your dad's cousin's "thought". My mother has been a great help to me in my searches, but some of her "thoughts" about what happened in the family have turned out to be completely wrong, or with a very slim basis in truth. Admittedly, some of what she "thought" was founded on what her father had told her - some true, some false. What is Emily/Maud/Harriet's birthplace on the 1891 and 1901 censuses? Helen

Hi Helen On the 1891 census Maud has put Stepney as her birthplace and then on the 1901 she has put Mile End. I have noticed from the 1881 census that Emily has been logged as being born in Mile End too which is making me think that maybe they are the same person. I just need to find Emilys birth now! Regards Angela

Angela Both Mile End Old Town and Stepney were volume 1c at the time - this may help your search. Helen