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Seeking my grandfather’s parents
QI have been trying to find my grandfather’s parents for some years, and over time an accumulation of names have come forward, but I am not sure that any of them are right. I have my grandfather’s wedding certificate that says that George John Brown got married in 1912 to Ada Susannah Wilson, and the only clue to his father is George Brown, Bootmaker. If you can help in any way I would be extremely grateful. Even clues as to how to progress would help a lot.
A Ken Brown The 1912 marriage certificate gives you two pieces of useful information, the name and occupation of George’s father, George Brown Boot Maker, and his own occupation as a Chaff Cutter.
WORKING BACK THROUGH THE CENSUS RECORDS
1911: The 1911 Census was taken on 2 April, just thirteen months before the marriage, and a search on the census for a George Brown with occupation chaff cutter brings up just one hit. At 51 Canning Road, Highbury Vale, Islington there is an entry for a fifty-eight-year-old widow, Mary Ann Barke, housekeeper, plus her two daughters and two boarders. The boarders are George Brown, 32, single, a chaff cutter born Essex, Upton Park and Frederick Brown, 34, a carriage cleaner born Essex, Plaistow. George’s age and occupation match his marriage certificate and given that George named his second son Frederick it seemed likely that Frederick Brown could be George’s brother, especially as the two birthplaces are less than a mile apart.
1901: I couldn’t find George or Frederick in 1901 but research showed that Frederick, given in 1911 as an Army pensioner, was in India 1895-1906, while George could be one of several of roughly the right age born in roughly the right place.
1891: Moving back to 1891 there is an interesting entry. At 37 Brooks Road, Plaistow, West Ham, is the following family: George Brown, head, widower, 82, shoe maker, born Hampshire, Portsmouth, George Brown, son, widower, 53, shoe maker, born Hampshire, Portsmouth, Frederick Brown, grandson, 15, machine apprentice, born Essex, Plaistow, and George Brown, grandson, 13, draper’s errand boy, born Essex, East Ham.
Ken’s greatgrandmother Ada, with his grandfather George, and greatuncle Frederick.
1881: This matches the 1911 Census and fits with the information you have about George. It even includes his grandfather but with his father as a widower you don’t get George’s mother’s name so I went hopefully to the 1881 Census. This, however, turned up a problem. The family is at 1 Browns Road, Plaistow, West Ham: George Brown, head, married, 71, bootmaker, born Portsmouth; Jane Brown, wife, 72, born Portsmouth; George Brown, son, married, 44, bootmaker, born Portsmouth; Harriett, daughter-in-law, 39, born Sussex, Shoreham; Ada, granddaughter, 11, born Essex, Plaistow; Fredk, grandson, 6, born Essex, Plaistow; and Joseph, grandson, 4, born Essex, Plaistow – but no George.
The occupation of chaff cutter on George’s marriage certificate in 1912 provided a vital clue, allowing for his firm identification in the 1911 Census just the year before.
BUILDING OUT BIRTH, BAPTISM & MARRIAGE CLUES
I found birth registrations for the two older children which showed that the mother’s maiden name was Clark and this led to a marriage in 1866 of George Thomas Brown, a mariner, father George Brown, cordwainer, to Harriett Clark in Camberwell. A cordwainer is a boot/shoemaker so that was correct for the grandfather but the younger George as a mariner didn’t fit.