Genealogy Chat

Ok Here is my problem, Granddad died Charles Edward GRAY He married Charles Edward GRAY He was born Charles Edward GREY Great Grandad on sons birth cert Charles Percival GREY but on his own marriage cert he was Percival Charles GREY age 21 reg Dec 1902 occupation House decorator (Journeyman). On 1901 all I can find is Charles GRAY 19 House decorator Lodger in Islington (right area) The only Birth I can find is Percival Charles GRAY reg Dec 1881 Islington. Would it be safe to assume that this was his birth as I need to order his cert (even more problems with his father!) Any advice MUCH appriciated. Sue

O.K. Susanne, let's both go mad together. I have Thomas Lashbrook born July 1893. Only one I can find on freebmd is William Thomas, correct time and place, only extra name. His father was always known as James according to his gchildren, but checking on census returns he is down as William, correct children all listed, different name, correct town. James' wife was always called Mary but she is listed on census return as Elizabeth. I sent for marriage cert of James and Mary, only to decide, now it has arrived, that this is actually cert of brother of person I am actually looking for. I have decided to go back to the drawing board and start all over from the beginning as none of the information given to me by family seems to be correct. To top it all, h/b uses middle name instead of christian name to, so somebody else will have same problem as me one day, lol.

Thanks Linda, Charles Edwards birth cert lists father as House Decorator (Journeyman). Think I just needed someone to come to the same conclusion as me. It gets worse again with Charles/Percivals father who is listed as Percival Charles Grey as well but no real sign of him yet and to make matters even worse his occupation was Traveller!! Don't even want to think about that one at the moment. Sue

LOL Sandra, Glad I am not the only one. Father always says we are the mad Gray family so I guess I am just keeping the tradition going :-) Sue

Linda, Thanks for the support. Just keep an eye out for me in about 2 weeks time when I shall probably be looking for his father Charles/Percival Gray/Grey!!! A now not quite so mad Sue

A bit of a "Gray/Grey" area would you say :-))) Paul

Susanne I thought MY family were the Mad Grays. No problem with surname [always with an a], but my Uncle Jim was really called Jabez, my uncle George was Jeuel, my uncle Sam [he WAS mad] was Harry, and so was his son, but neither used that name. One thing family history has taught me is you should never assume anything is as it seems - I've lost count of the errors I've found in the Family Bibles and on certificates. Helen Evans [used to be Gray, still am mad]

Hi Helen, Think the problem lay with Great granddad, by all accounts he liked the odd tipple or ten!! His version of his name probably depended on how sober he was at the time, so once I get past him I should be o.k. (well I can live in hope!). Sue (was gray by name and now nearly going grey!)

Suzanne Well it seems they are all doing it, had the same problems with my hubbys family, even now the Aunts & Uncle don't use their right names, father Arthur Charles, only known as Charles, his brother Ernest Edward called Ted, sister Miriam called Connie, his father Charles Edward, only known as Charles, Mother Ethel born Harriet Ethel, Ethels father Arthur born Ebenezer Arthur. Its enough to drive you mad!! Glad my family are boring using their given names. Irene

The absolute worst one that I have had so far has to be one of my great aunt's, everyone knew her as Eddy but when I finally found her, her name was Rosalind! Not only that, her death was registered in Bournmouth but she was buried in Norwich! Managed to work out that when her husband died she moved to be close to her children who,when she died, registered her death where she was living and then had her buried with her husband. All I can say is thank goodness for the one remaining inlaw of hers, without whom I would still be hunting for her now. Sue

Hi. well my late father was always known as Edward Reginald Bentley,all his life he signed his name ER.Then a number of years ago he himself needed his birth cert and filled out the forms, BUT they wrote back saying" we have NO. Edward Reginals born on that date only Reginald Edward.It seems that when he was born his grandmother wanted Reginald Edward and the only way she could get her own way was for her to go and register him , which she did...needless to say dad was in a panic at the time and was worried that the powers that be might think he was leading a double life Lynn