Genealogy Chat

Hi, I am very new to this and was hoping that people may have some advise on where I should look next. I am looking to locate the birth records of my Great Grandmother who was born in England around 1890. She married my Great Grandfather during the war and moved to Australia with him in 1919. I have obtained both her death Certificate from here in Australia as well as the Marriage certificate from the UK. The problem I face is that there appears to be conflicting information on the certificates. Firstly her age of death & Marriage leads me to different years of Birth. Her Death certificate claims she was married twice and doesn't give any information on her family, although it does list her first Husband, although I am not convinced that she was ever married a first time as hours of trawling through 1837BDM records has found no records for a first marriage. What is throwing me is that I cannot find a birth index for her name around the years that I think she was born. Her name according to her marriage certificate was Kathleen Margaret Francis Gilbey, Father: William Gilbey, I have searched for records spelt as Gilbey & Gilby to no avail. I believe she was possibly born between 1890 - 1892. I have checked the 1891 census and have located a Gilbey family living in the county I have been told she was raised in & was married (Head:William) But no record of her as one of the children (Although she may not have been born) I don't know where else to look.....any suggestions? Please rememebr I am in Australia so I am relying on records I can get my hands on here & online. Also....is it possibly for a name to be left out on the 1837 index? I have found a Margaret Francis Gilbey but find it hard to believe that a first name be omitted Sorry for the long post Cheers, Rachael

Hi Rachael, If your Margaret Francis was born around the time & place that you expected Kathleen MF to be born, Then I would think it's probably her. You can order the cert stipulating you only want it if the fathers name is William. I spent months looking for a John Joseph Stephenson, who was registered Joseph. Sometimes he appears as John Joseph, and sometimes just Joseph! Never as just John!! You haven't mentioned the 1901 census. Did you find her on there? If the Margaret Francis is the one registered in Sept qtr 1891, that would explain why she isn't on the 1891 census, as she would have been born between June & Sept (after the census was taken) Personally, I think this is your gr-grandma. Debbie

Hi Racheal have you got them on 1901? Was she born in Surrey? The 1837 indexes are not complete so she may not be on them. Bob

Thanks for the advise I will call the UK records office on Monday & order the certificate. I was unaware that you could stipulate "only if's" I have Searched the 1901 index but only one Kathleen Gilbey appears and her age is 4. Too young or maybe it is just another wrong age to add to the melting pot? Thanks again Rachael

Hi Bob. I am not sure of anything anymore but I know she was married in essex and from information I have from my grandmother, she lived in Essex the whole time she lived in the UK. But it alarms me just how little information my Grandmother is able to supply......

Hi, I looked on the familysearch site and found a Kathleen Gilbey, father William, living in Leigh Essex but she was born in 1877!!! Surely she could'nt have lied about her age to that extent? Jan from Gravesend,. Kent.

Hi Jan, Thanks for the search.....however I don't believe it could be her. She had my Grandmother in 1931 (Second youngest of 15!!!! including three sets of twins) and her youngest in 1933. This would have made her 56! Cheers, Rachael