Help please with a bit of a mystery!

[jmec73]

Hi, my grandfather (Gordon James Cole b.1905) was adopted and appears on the 1911 census with his adopted mother Alice Elizabeth Cole (nee Burchett) in Chichester. I have found out that Alice married a Arthur George Cole in Alverstoke in 1886. However, I have never been able to find a date of birth for Arthur, or any appearance in census records. I have census records for Alice for 1901 which lists her as a widow. I don't have a 1891 census record for Alice.

However, I have just discovered that Alice had another son I'd not come across William Wheatley Cole, brother of Lawrence Henry Cole (who I did know about). The mystery is that having researched William via Family Search I see he was in the army in India in 1911 (which makes sense as Gordon joined the army later and served in India, presumably following his brother's footsteps), and that William is married in 1923. (see https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22william%20wheatley%22~%20%2Bsurname%3Acole~%20%2Bdeath_year%3A1911-1988~) In the Family Search record his father's name is listed - although as George Arthur Cole.

So, my questions:
- Would his father be listed if deceased? Or would it be there regardless?
- Can anyone help with either finding a birth and/or death date for Arthur George (George Arthur?).

This one has been driving me mad, so any help would be massively appreciated )

Many thanks in advance.
Best wishes,
Jon.

[nanny jan]

I have a few marriage certificates showing the father as deceased and a couple where his names have been muddled;  possibly the father had died when the bride/groom were children and so unfamiliar with the correct name.   

[Rosinish]

What was his occ. on all certs. including death?

Was it an occ. which would take him elsewhere e.g. Journeyman?

Annie

[jonw65]

Earlier thread on same theme
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=775991.0

Includes my Puddell theory for Gordon James (which I had completely forgotten about!)

[avm228]

William Wheatley Cole was known about in the last thread.

His marriage record is neutral as to whether his father is dead or alive.  Fathers are named for brides and grooms in the ecclesiastical returns without annotation of “deceased”.

Holy Trinity Church, Murree, 11 September 1923

William Wheatley Cole full age bachelor, hotel manager, of Peshawar.  Father: George Arthur Cole.
Aileen Byrne Daly full age widow, of Murree. Father: Mark Carroll.

Witnesses: G.T. Hayts (or Hayto?); Mark Owen Byrne-Daly.

[jmec73]

Thanks Jonw65! I'd completely forgotten I'd posted the question before!! I will re-read that also. Thanks for digging out the link again )