RootsChat.Com

Hi,

I am trying to find Ezra Frank Peckham and his family in the 1901 census. Ezra was born in 1899 in Sevenoaks. I know he was alive as he died in 1920 in Dartford aged 20.

He was son of Robert and Elizabeth Harriet (nee Dunster). They were originally known as Worsley and at some point changed their name to Peckham - we do not know why and are trying to find out. It must have been between my husband's great grandfather Frederick Charles Peckham (originally Worsley on his birth certificate) born in Cranbrook in 1890 and Ezra Frank Peckham (originally Peckham) born in Sevenoaks in 1899. Both certificates give their father's first name as Robert and their mother as Elizabeth Harriett (formerly Dunster).

In 1891 they were listed as Wardsley and were living in Tenterden:
Robert 28 coachman and gardener b. Tenterden, Kent
Elizabeth h 29 wife b. Same as above
George  a 6
Arthur e 4 b. Goudhurst, Kent
Florence m 2
Frederick c 5m

In 1911 Ezra was listed as Ezrey Peckham and was living in a seperate house to his father with his older brother George Peckham and his wife Ellen.

Any help greatly appreciated as I have tried very hard but keep getting nothing!

Nikki

Hi, i've been inspired to pick this quandary up again. I have found the family as Peckhams in the 1911 census and worsleys in the 1891 census so I think their name change occurred between these dates. This seems to rule out one of the men being a deserter.

1981 - tenterden
Robert Worsley 28 coachman and gardener b. Tenterden, Kent
Elizabeth h 29 wife b. Same as above
George  a 6
Arthur e 4 b. Goudhurst, Kent
Florence m 2
Frederick c 5m

1911 - 3 burnt house, hawley, dartford
Robert Peckham 45 widower farm labourer b. Den, Kent
Florence 20 b. Goudhurst, Kent
Frederick 21 farm labourer b. Sevenoaks, Kent
Herbert (son) 46?! Gen labourer b. Sevenoaks


More confusingly I have the older brother George married to Ellen weaver in 1908 as a Worsley and in the 1911 census as Peckhams. I have confirmed this marriage between George and ellen is correct through family sources. G and E are living with a younger brother Ezra Peckham aged 12, in dartford. So this was a new member of the family to investigate and sent me off on a new trail. Ezra Frank Peckham was born in Sevenoaks in 1899 and died in Dartford in 1920.

The marriage certificate that you found shows the witnesses as Curtis? A.W. Brunger - possibly Alice's uncle Curtis or a brother or cousin and also F Sanderson.

I have done a search of marriages in Dartford on Free BMD and in June 1911 between Worsley/Peckham and Sanderson and an Elizabeth F Peckham married an Octavius J Sanderson, 2a, 1239. Was this Elizabeth an older sister?

I can't work out how to use the Medway site so it is possible for you to search this for me and see if there is another wedding certificate for this marriage that may give some more clues?

Also there isn't an Elizabeth F on the Wordsley census entry. I am assuming this isn't the remarriage of Frederick's mother as she shows on the census as Elizabeth H and I have been told her name is Elizabeth Harriet by family members so the F on the wedding certificate wouldn't stack up.

I am trying to research my partners family. I have been told that the family changed their name from Worsley to Peckham and no one knows why.

My partners grandfather was Ronald Arthur Peckham, born to Frederick Peckham and Alice Mabel (nee Brunger) in Dartford in 1920. I have found a wedding for Frederick Peckham and Alice M Brunger in March 1920 in Dartford. However I haven't yet sent off for the certificate.

I am told that Frederick was originally called Frederick Charles Worsely son of Robert and Elizabeth Harriet (nee Dunster), b. 3 Nov 1890, Hope Mill Cottages, Goudhurst, Cranbrook, Kent. We have a certificate showing this birth. Nobody knows why the family changed their name and Ron's birth certificate says his father was Frederick Peckham (note no middle name mentioned either). Also the marriage record for Fredk does not include a middle name of Charles.

I have searched the 1891 census where Fredk aged 0-1 years (probably near Goudhurst) should be but can not find him. I have looked under both Peckham and Worsley. I also can not find his parents Robert and Elizabeth Worsley. I have found a reference for a wedding in June 1884 for Elizabeth Harriet Dunster and Robert Worsley in Tenterden, fairly close to Cranbrook. But I am a bit doubtful about whether these are Fredk's true parents as I have only heard about the name change from hearsay at the moment.

Can anybody else help me with this mystery? I am aware that sooner or later I am going to have to purchase these certificates but I just haven't had a chance yet.

Thanks

Nikki

hI,

I have just got one line of my family back to Sophia Brown b. abt. 1800 Kings Lynn, Norfolk. She later married John Low of Laxfield, Suffolk and had a family in Cambridge. Does anyone know of any records from Kings Lynn that would help me to research her further?

Many thanks

Nikki