Golding, Thomas, 1875

[Jag]

see note below, repeated

[Jag]

I have a copy of the Sep Qtr 1875 6a 93 certificate, with parents given as George & Hester.  I don't think this one is for the Thomas we are looking for as following copy of a marriage certificate from Marilyn Jones of Thomas's sister Alice Maud (married in Canada to Cotton), this provides parents as Thomas Golding and Sophia Baker, born Bristol and London respectively.  Thomas' Canadian War Record gives his birth date as 11th Apr 1875, but the English 1939 Register on findmypast gives a birthdate of 11 Apr 1873.  A few weeks back I asked the Public Record Office to search for Tom/Thomas Golding/Baker born Bristol but none found.  Following seeing him and wife on the English 1911 census where they say they have been married two years, I also asked them to search 1908-10, but again nothing founs.  Any other suggestions would be gratefully received.

[Mabel Bagshawe]

He's likely to be under Baker (if registered at all) Tom Golding snr and Sophia Baker didn't marry until 20 May 1878 (ref Bristol Vol 6a, p41) His father was Evan (or Euan), hers not named.

Searching back, the most likely candidate for Sophia is the daughter of Ann and Shadrach, but born Bristol rather than London. She has a daughter Elizabeth Ann b c1870 who when christened has Shadrach listed as father (for "respectability" I guess) so a few more born out of wedlock would not surprise me.

Have you tried other registration districts around Bristol? There are a couple of Thomas Bakers born in the right period registered in Clifton - which is where Elizabeth Ann appears to be registered. also only with Sophia as mother?

[Annette7]

His age on census with his parents would suggest the birthdate of 11 May 1873 is correct.   He probably knocked a couple of years off so that he was able to enlist (Canada) in 1915 as he was actually 42 at that time.   He states he was single and as there is no marriage between him and Rosina/Rose Casebow he was indeed single and would have had to name a next of kin who was a relative.   

The fact that he went out to Canada alone would suggest he and Rose separated, hence her various stays in the workhouse under her given name which was still legally Casebow.

Although he returned to England (and subsequently Rose) after the war they clearly never legally married.

As his parents did not marry until 1878 his birth should be registered as Baker (as his younger brother was) but it does not appear to have been registered at all (and not under Golding either).   

I think you just have to accept that for whatever reason his birth simply wasn't registered - it happened more often than you think and from his ages on early census (bc.1874) this occurred 11th May 1873.

From the 1881 census I note there was a dau. Elizabeth Golding bc.1871 Bristol and that on the 1871 census she was 7 months old (with Sophia as Baker) - I don't know if she was the Elizabeth Ann Baker birth reg'd Sept.1870 Clifton - if not, then her birth wasn't registered either.

Annette

[Jag]

Dear Annette
  Thank you for taking the time to write, I did wonder about the Canadian enlistment and whether he might have been too old at 42, so you are thinking the same.  Likewise, why he said he was single on his war record.  Very elusive man this, whatever I try I come up against a brick wall.
  I have asked the PRO to search under both surnames, and as Tom and Thomas, with no joy 1873-1875.  So I too was beginning to think of late that perhaps his registration had escaped the eyes of the authorities.
  I am this morning going to pay-as-you-go with Ancestry and hope to look at the Workhouse records, quite a few I'm told by others.  I must admit I was assuming this was a 'normal marriage' and so hadn't considered looking at other options.  I subscribe to findmypast, and a general search there had not brought forward any thing so far.
  Thanks again, Angela.