Searching for a birth entry at a Records office by date

[Kaybron]

Hi barryd,

Her full married name was Ada Olive Grey Hammond.  On the 1939 Register I have found her birth date as 14 July, 1883.  This is 2 or 3 years later than what her children were told was the year she was born.  Ada's children were not entirely sure of birth month and year as she was very guarded about her background.   Her maiden name was Ada Olive Grey-Smith.

Kaybron

[dawnsh]

I have a few instances where the day and month listed in the 1939 register are correct but the years are out, sometimes quite a few years out.

From experience, actually writing or emailing the register office can produce results, if not at least you can rule out potential entries.

The email address for Kent is register.office@kent.gov.uk

email them, explaining your dilemma and enclose as much information as you can, even the spurious father's name which may have been made up for respectabilities sake at the time of marriage. They may email back asking you to pay a fee, but if they do find an entry it will be worth it.

As an aside, I have had some results looking at a wider picture by further exploring the censuses. As an example search the 1891, 1901 and 1911 censuses for others claiming to be born in Linton regardless of where they were enumerated around the years you have in mind (1880-1883) and see if you can find their birth registrations. Also look at a map of the surrounding villages as there is the possibility of being born elsewhere and growing up not knowing exactly where you were born.

[jonw65]

It's already been flagged up that the Maidstone Union workhouse was in the parish of Linton. Have you been able to check out the records for births in the workhouse? Down the years I've noticed that a few of these workhouse births cannot be found in the GRO indexes, and do not appear to have been registered.
The records are at the Kent History and Library Centre, Maidstone
Holdings for the Maidstone Union, including Registers of Births here -
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01i0m/

[Kaybron]

Thank you dawnsh for this advice.  I will try both things that you have suggested.  A couple of years ago I did contact the Kent register office and asked them to have a look for a birth in Linton on a particular date.  They did reply so I will do this again and see what eventuates.    The searching over 3 census is also a good idea.  I did do this earlier but now need to go back and search for 1883 births rather than earlier ones.   Can then follow up with birth certificates and see if this leads to anything.


Regards Kaybron

[Kaybron]

jonw65,

Thank you for replying.  I did hire a researcher to try and find out details about my grandmother in 2012 as I live in Australia.  She did look at births at the Maidstone Union workhouse but as I had been told by relatives in England (a daughter and grand daughter) that Ada was born in either 1880 or 1881 a search was made starting in 1878 and up until 1882.  I don't believe the researcher looked at births in 1883.  A search was also made of the Maidstone Poor Law Union Creed register from 1885 until 1901 but nothing could be found using various combinations of Ada's name. 

I will have a look at the link provided.

   

[JAKnighton]

Maybe try ordering this certificate?

Olivia Ada C Smith; Oct-Nov-Dec 1877; Holborn; Volume 1b, Page 683

I know that many of the details aren't exact based on what you already know, but at this point I'd start looking at records like this one.

[Kaybron]

Hi JAKnighton,

Thank you for your reply.  I have just received a reply from the Kent Register Office and they are willing to have a look at their registrations for 8 pounds 75 pence for a 15 minute search.  I think this is worthwhile and the way to go at the moment.

In the past I have ordered many certificates that I thought could be the correct one and using birth registrations from 1877 ranging to 1882.  The dilemma I have is that I do not know if my grandmother was born a Smith or this was a name she picked up later when being raised by others.  The 1939 Register gives a birth date of 14 July 1883 so registrations that I will concentrate on at the moment will be in that year.

Kaybron

[Meelystar]

I'd bear in mind that she might not know her year of birth and stretch a couple if years either side of 1883. My GG Grandmother was orphaned at a young age and ended up in the workhouse for a significant period of time.  Her place of birth was consistent in various records but the year varied by up to 6 years. On the 1939 register the day and month of her birth is correct but out by 1 year.

[lanercost]

After reading through the older posts, it's a shame you still haven't come any further with your grandmother. Have you been able to find this person she's claiming to be her father on censuses?

I've had some luck with Carlisle and Liverpool registration offices by ordering the certificate with specific information but saying "if mother, birthplace, etc is not ___ please refund" and they refund in full if nothing matches. Just another idea to go with their 15 minute lookups.

I hope for your sake she wasn't born with a whole other name altogether.