Smith/Potts Wednesbury 1841-

[denniscook]

Does anyone have information on the relationship between Thomas Potts b1841 , Phoebe Smith b1852 (his housekeeper/ 2nd wife?), her son George Arthur Kinson Smith b1887 and Arthur Potts b1888, all in Wednesbury or Darlaston UK.
Arthur Potts was my grandfather. His marriage certificate shows Thomas Potts as his father (deceased, occupation blacksmith). By checking Arthur's military records I have found Thomas Potts in Ethelfleda Terrace and before that Kings Hill Fields Wednesbury. However in the census records, Thomas does not have a son called Arthur. So were Arthur Potts and George Arthur Kinson Smith the same person?

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat!

Have you found Arthur's birth registration?
Was he illegitimate?
The registrar, at a wedding, simply writes what he is told when he asks "Father's Name?"

The registration for George is:
March qtr 1887
Wolverhampton Registration District     vol 6b, page 615

Smith, George Arthur K


The entry on the GRO Index Search is not showing a Mother's Maiden Name - which usually indicates an illegitimate birth?
SMITH, GEORGE  ARTHUR KINSON     (Mother's Maiden Name =) -      
GRO Reference: 1887  M Quarter in WOLVERHAMPTON  Volume 06B  Page 615

[denniscook]

Thanks for the very quick reply!

No birth certificate - I've searched.
You're right about the registrar writing just what they are told. And my grandfather was always one for a joke and never liked officialdom!
My suspicion is that my grandfather was unofficially adopted by Thomas Potts and changed his name from Smith to Potts when he joined the army in 1907.
He was well known in the area and I'm still hoping that I may come across someone with some answers.

Regards
Dennis

[KGarrad]

Sorry! I added to my previous reply

Confirming the illegitimate birth.

[denniscook]

Again, thanks for your reply. Perhaps my comments weren't too clear. I have George Arthur Kinson Smith's birth certificate, and there's no father shown. What I don't have is a birth certificate for my grandfather Arthur Potts who we had always thought was born on 1.2.1888 in the Wednesbury area. His marriage certificate (to Elsie May Burrows in 1920) shows his father as Thomas Potts and documentation I have from his war service gives an address where I have found a Thomas Potts. That Thomas Potts didn't have a son Arthur Potts, but he was living with Phoebe Smith who had a son George Arthur Kinson Smith. So I suspect that George Arthur Kinson Smith and Arthur Potts are the same person.
Another interesting coincidence is that GAK Smith was born on 1.2.1887 and my grandfather on 1.2.1888, so perhaps my grandfather just got him DOB wrong.
Investigation is not helped by Ancestry showing the wrong page on the 1891 census (although FindMyPast has the correct page) and Ancestry also misreads the names.

Again, thanks for your interest
Dennis

[KGarrad]

I understand where you are coming from!

On the 1891 census the son is George, age 4.
On the 1900 census the son is Kinson, age 14.

So I think he is the same person as Arthur?

[denniscook]

I've always thought dates shouldn't be taken too seriously.
There are inconsistencies in Phoebe's age in different censuses, so perhaps it shouldn't surprise us if George or Arthur has a DOB out by a year.
Arthur always gave his DOB as 1.2.1888 and it's on his gravestone, but it's possible that he just got it wrong and it was actually 1887.