Genealogy Chat

Can anyone advise on the following problem I have come across. My maternal Grandmother was named Margaret Ellen Brunskill, who was pregnant, aged 19 yrs when she married my grandfather George Tazey also aged 19 yrs on 11/04/1915 (my uncle was born the next month) however on getting the marriage certificate her name is registered as Margaret Ellen GILL her fathers name whom I know as John Brunskill just has line thru it as does rank or profession. I really can not understand why her name has changed from BRUNSKILL to GILL.. even the 2 witnesses have the name GILL. Any help would be welcome

Angela, There are two possibilities I can think of. Perhaps the name Gill was her original name, born before the marriage of her parents or she was a widow already and the Gill connection was from her late husband's family. Is she shown as a spinster on the marriage certificate? Elisabeth

Do you know where Margaret was born? There are 2 Margaret Ellen Gill on freeBMD. Both born in 1895 - one in Auckland one in Kendal. Couldn't find a Margaret Ellen Brunskill. John

somebody might have thought that the marriage cert should match what it said on the birth cert. Be grateful. A lot of people wish their own ancestors had had the same misunderstanding. Many of the alleged missing birth registrations are the result of the birth being indexed under the mother's maiden name, which you often don't know until you get the birth cert...

Angela, What area were they from? Did you find the marriage on the St Caths index and if so was Margaret down as Gill or Brunskill? Have you found them on 1901 census? Cathy.

Thanks everyone for your replies, and I will try to clear up some of the questions. I got the Marriage certificate thru Durham Records. Margaret Ellen Brunskill (the one who I knew as my grandmother) was born in 1897, Auckland, Co Durham. On the 1901 census she was aged 4 yrs old. Her parents names were John Brunskill from Startford Yorks, & Mary Armstrong from Barnard Castle, Co Durham. All her siblings listed I recognise as aunts & uncles. Margaret Tazey nee Brunskill d c1968 in Chilton Co Durham, THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE details are as follows. Reigistration district Auckland, Registry Office, Auckland, Co Durham 11 April 1915 George Tazey 19 yrs Bachelor , Private in 6th Durham Light Infantry (coal Minor) FAther : George Tazey. Margaret Ellen Gill 19yrs Spinster, Toft Hill, (which I believe to be in Durham. )I have been unable to trace Birth or death certificates. The only thing I can think of is that as Margaret was pregnant is it possible that the Brunskills disowned her & she maybe moved in with other family/friends with the surname Gill & she took on the name ? did this used to happen? Perhaps the Brunskills forgave her in time, because we used to visit various Aunts etc. how probable does anyone think this is (unless there is a more obvious solution that anyone can think of? Hope this answers all the queries & thanks again.

This may sound daft, but could it be the registrar misheard the name? I would say Brunskill - 'bruns-gill' cos of how I speak - well its a possibility!

Hi Barbara, its funny you should have mentioned the misshearing of the name as I thought that aswell, but the 2 witnesses have the name Gill. too much of a coincidence do you think? I am curious as to why the Fathers name & profession are also just lined through, does anyone know what this means? If they are deceased it usually says so, could this mean she never had a Father ? This may be just one of those mysteries that will remain so.. Thanks Angie.

the cert you've got is a copy, but the parties and the witnesses would all have signed their own names on the original, so I don't think mishearing can come into it

I’m sure someone will correct me if I have this wrong but doesn’t a line through the father and his profession mean that that information was not supplied. HTH Ian

Could Margarets mother have been married twice? The first time to Mr. Gill and the second time to Mr. Brunskill? She, Margaret, being the daughter of Mr. Gill, may have taken Mr. Brunskills name for convenience sake but, on getting married, had to use her real name... And, because her father, Mr. Gill, was dead, a line was put through name and profession. OR have I got a romantic imagination!!!! My advice to you would be to get Margarets birth cert. if you haven't already.

Janet I am going to go with your theory of the 2 marriages, I can not think of anything else..so wish me luck on yet another avenue of research.. and thanks for everyones input. Angie