Edward COLLINGRIDGE b1916 Virginia Water?

[Connie Sparrow]

There's mention in my 1C3R's CEF enlistment papers that he had a son who I can find no trace of.

The son is named as Edward COLLINGRIDGE born 28 October 1916 in Virginia Water

The father (my 1C3R) is Edward COLLINGRIDGE who was born 28 October 1881 in Hackney.

Edward senior married Emily Alice TEMPLEMAN on 2 October 1916 in Battersea.

The document is dated 13 October 1916

I've had a look on FreeBMD and can find no entries, either birth or death, between 1910 and 1920 for an Edward, nor can I find a marriage between 1930 and 1960. I've also tried Ancestry and FindMyPast, also with no luck

I have a feeling Edward junior was a fiction - unless .........

[jann]

There may have been some fudging of dates on the enlistment record. Edward may have been born a few weeks before the marriage rather than a few weeks after.

Have you looked for him under Edward Templeman?

Jann

[Connie Sparrow]

Yes, I did because marriage and birth were so close together but nothing. I even tried searching for a mother TEMPLEMAN with a child Edward to see if she had been a widow despite her being given as a spinster when she married in 1916 but again nothing.

Edward (b 1881) arrived back in England with the CEF on 30 May 1916 and he married on 2 October 1916. It did cross my mind Edward had sought permission to marry because (he claimed) his fiancee/girlfriend was expecting, then invented a child for appearances.

[groom]

Just wondering how, if the document was dated 13 October 1916 how it could say the son was born 28 October 1916, or was that added afterwards? Co-incidence he was born on his father's birthday?

[Connie Sparrow]

That's what I'm wondering too. It could have been added later but it looks consistent with the rest of the typing on the page.

DoB could be the same. It does happen. If he lied about the child, better the child have the father's name and birthday. It's easier to remember if anyone asks after him.

Edward arrived back in England on 30 May 1916, five months before the child was born. Either the boy was stillborn which would account for my not being able to find the birth or death or he was another man's son.

[jann]

Just curious.  Weren't stillborn children recorded in any way at all?

I presume you've looked for a will.

Jann

[Connie Sparrow]

There was no formal Stillbirth register until 1927 but sometimes such a child is mentioned in a cemetery/crematorium register or parish burial register. You'd need to know where the child was buried/cremated. Or the hospital could have dealt with the body.

There was no will. His wife predeceased him. His dau died age 3 and he didn't have any other children. He did have neices and nephews but he may have disposed of his estate prior to his death.