Violet May Carson , living Edinburgh 1930's.

[Thermo]

Hi All

I'm looking for any information on Violet May Carson, daughter of a Flesher, Belfast. Who was residing in Edinburgh around 1930.

Any help would be appreciated

David

[Ruskie]

Welcome to rootschat David.

Do you know Violet's year and place of birth?
Is Carson her married or maiden name?
Is there anything else you know about her which may help people track her down? What leads you to her in Edinburgh in 1930?
What in particular are you hoping to find out about her?

[Thermo]

Not a Lot.
My mother applied in the eighties for a replacement birth cert, and she was informed that her Birth Register was under the name W.M. Paton Carson. I have only recently started investigating our family so I ordered a copy. This shows Violet May Carson as being the birth mother, daughter of a flesher. Domicil : 1 Cranmore Park Belfast. My mother was born in Queen Mary Maternity Home May 1931. No father named. No Edinburgh residence mentioned.
So at a bit of a loss as to what to do next.

David

[Ruskie]

My mother was born in Queen Mary Maternity Home May 1931. No father named. No Edinburgh residence mentioned.
David

Sorry David, more questions I'm afraid ... Is the maternity home in Edinburgh?

You say Violet May was "daughter of a flesher" - was his name given? It seems a bit unusual to give an occupation of Violet's father but not his name? In fact giving her fther's name on her illegitimate daughter's birth certificate also seems unusual ... I have not seen this before, but others may have done.

If Violet May Carson gave her daughter the middle name of Paton I wonder if this is a clue as to the identity of the father? Do you know if it was a family name?

Added: I have discovered that the Queen Mary Maternity Home was in Chalmers St Edinburgh (now demolished sadly). I wonder if there are any archives which may give further information about admissions?
http://www.lhsa.lib.ed.ac.uk/collections/LHB3/sub_QueenMary.htm (I'm not sure that dates cover 1931 but it might be worth contacting them to see if they can point you in the right direction)

So do you think it is possible that Violet was sent away to Edinburgh from her home in Belfast to have the baby?

[trish1120]

Possible Birth Reg on Familysearch.Org;

Violet Mary CARSON,
April-June 1908, Belfast, Ireland
Registration District: Belfast
Volume Number: 1
Page Number: 401

Trish

[Ruskie]

That looks very promising Trish.

I was just going to ask if David knew her dob. I was trying to find her in the census:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/

It would probably be worth buying that certificate. 

[Thermo]

Paton was my grand parents name. Carson is the unknown. Maternity home is in Edinburgh. (Tony Blair was born there). No other info was on certificate. Grand Parents were not very talkative about the early years of my mothers life and were both deceased by the time we found out about the Carson connection.
(Ruskie) There are no other names on the certificate apart from My Mother,  V.M. Carson and the Registrar. No age and V.M. Carson described as mother.

David

[Ruskie]

I am now confused.

Are you saying that your mother's name is WM Paton which is the surname she grew up with. Her father is Paton?

However your mother's birth certificate gives her name as WM Paton Carson? And on the certificate her mother is Violet May with the surname Carson? You expected Violet's surname to be Paton?

Violet May's parent's surname is Paton? Presumably you already know their names?

If that is the case then Violet May may have married a Mr Carson, or was presumed or claimed to have been married to a Mr Carson.  He may not have wished to admit that the child was his.

But that is just one explanation and there are a number of other possible scenarios .... But evidence is needed as there is little point in speculating.

Do you know Violet's year of birth? Do you have Violet and her family in Ireland in the 1911 census? There may be some clues to be found back in Ireland .....

[Ruskie]

Did Violet May marry after the birth of your mother? If so, do you have the marriage certificate?
What does it say is her surname? What is her father's name and occupation?

Do you know what Violet's mother's surname is?