Hi, an 'overview 1 of 2' of Ruth's rather complicated family! Professional genealogists say that the family are definitely hiding something or from someone - or probably both!
We now know that Ruth Court's (later known as Ruth Jezzard Congdon) son Edward Leslie Court born 1905 Fulham was left behind in England with his married aunt Grace Solomon (husband Herbert Lewis Solomon) and Edward's cousin, Horace Courtenay as Ruth had emigrated to America in 1905/1912 according to the US censuses.
Ruth's parents are Robert Thrasher and Priscilla Thrasher (maiden name Pope)
From her birth certificate: Robert and Priscilla Thrasher have their daughter Eliza Priscilla Thrasher in 1868 London, born at 13 Southampton Street, close to The Strand and Covent Garden Market, while father Robert was a process server.
From her birth certificate: Robert and Priscilla Thrasher have their daughter Alice Maud Mary Thrasher in 1871 London, while the family are living at 13 Southampton Street, close to the Strand and Covent Garden Market, with father Robert a process server.
From her birth certificate: Robert and Priscilla Thrasher have their daughter Louisa Thrasher in 1874 London, while living at 2 Rudolph Road, Paddington, with father Robert a solicitor’s clerk.
From her birth certificate: Robert and Priscilla Thrasher have their daughter Ruth Thrasher in 1879 London born at 9 New Burlington Street and Robert is a messenger, close to Saville Row and Regent’s Street.
Grace Solomon married as spinster Grace Courtenay but was born as Alice Thrasher - it's been a tangled web tracking this family down and only through historical luck that Edward Leslie Court was living with his married aunt Grace Solomon in the 1911 census and Horace Courtenay and his other cousin Violet Alice Louise Jezard were living in a girls boarding school in the 1901 census that we could trace this family at all.
From Horace's birth certificate: Horace is born at 81 Archel Road where his grandmother Priscilla May Thrasher (now known as Priscilla Jezard) is living in the 1894 London electoral register.
From Ruth, Alice and Louisa's wedding certificates: When Ruth and her sisters Alice Thrasher and Louisa Thrasher get married they call their father Robert Thrasher, Robert Jezard and Robert Courtenay.
From Priscilla's death certificate - We believe that Robert was renamed to John Jezard as Priscilla is called the widow of John Jezard living at 133 Finborough Road - daughter-in-law Ellen Jezard was in attendance at her death (we have not been able to trace Ellen Jezard).
From Horace and Violet's baptism: Horace Thresher and Violet Alice Louise Jezard are baptised together in 1896 and living at 133 Finborough Road where their grandmother Priscilla May Jezard is living in the 1897 London electoral register. However, Horace is birth registered as Horace Thrasher in 1893, baptised as Horace Thresher in 1896 and known as Horace Courtenay by the 1901 census. Horace's 'parents' on his baptism are actually his aunt Louisa and uncle-to-be Percy Atkins who marry in 1905. On Horace's birth certificate his mother Alice Thrasher calls her maiden name Grace Courtenay and married name Grace Thrasher, wife of Robert Thrasher (her father).
We have tried finding Robert's family from Southampton - but after taking this family's details with a big pinch of salt looking again at the 1871 census Robert Thrasher says he comes from Southampton - Robert, Priscilla and Eliza are living in Southampton Street - I now think that is helping them to remember their current story and Robert was probably born under a completely different name/area - unfortunate for tracing this branch now.
What kind of messenger/process server could Robert have been living in these areas of London - did theatres have messengers, did aristocrats have messengers?
