Yarmouth electoral rolls before 1939

[philipsearching]

Could anyone tell me if electoral rolls for Yarmouth before 1939 (or an index) are searchable online?  I can't see them on a freesite.

This query links to http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=794284.0
Sgt Raymond SHEPHERD, k-i-a 1 May 1943 age 21, No. 929961, RAFVR, 77 Sqdn, buried Row E. Grave 81. Muiden General Cemetery, Son of Ada Shepherd, of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.

We have found his mother (d1965) in 1939:
Ada H SHEPHERD, widowed, born 14 Jan 1887, 28 Belfort Place,  Great Yarmouth, Laundry Worker Iron.

The usual trawls through FreeBMD and GRO (including spelling variants) have found possible births for Raymond but nothing definitive and no obvious linking  marriage of Ada to SHEPHERD, so we are trying to track Ada back from 1939 to identify a husband or other relatives.

Thank you for reading, and thanks in advance if you can help.
Philip

[David Van Coolwijk]

Thank you Philip!

[crisane]

There is a Ada Hannah Shepherd on the 1920 Electoral roll at 28 Belfort Place, off St Nicholas Rd. At the same address is an Ellen Corke
I can't find this Ada in any other year as yet. There is another = Ada Mary Cunliffe Shepherd with Arthur Cunliffe Shepherd at Winsford Hall
There is an Ada Shepherd at V.A.D. Military Aux. Hospital, Woodbastwick Hall, South Walsham, Norwich who started there in Jan 1916 as a laundress. No birth year!
This record is in the collection  British Army, British Red Cross Society volunteers 1914-1918

[crisane]

I have had it in the back of my mind that Raymond may have been illegitimate. There is this birth to add to the other 3 that Philip found
FreeBMD
Sept 1/4 1923 Raymond E Shepherd mmn Sheppard reg dist. Cardiff vol 11a page 927
I can't find any other records for Raymond E.

[crisane]

Ellen Corke was in the Electoral roll 1930 with Ada Hannah Shepherd.
Could she be a sister and this Ada's birth?
Births March 1/4 1884   
 Ada Hannah Corke   reg dist Yarmouth vol 4b page 26

[crisane]

Maybe the Ellen Corke with Ada H in the 1930 Electoral Roll isn't her sister but her mother as Ada is with her parents in both 1901 and 1911 but no sister with the name Ellen. The mother was born c1850. Father Charles.
I can't see a marriage for an Ada H Cork* on FreeBMD 1899 - 1980

[philipsearching]

Ellen Corke was in the Electoral roll 1930 with Ada Hannah Shepherd.
Could she be a sister and this Ada's birth?
Births March 1/4 1884   
 Ada Hannah Corke   reg dist Yarmouth vol 4b page 26

Do you have the address in 1930? (or is it a typo for the 1920 electoral roll you found?

I'm hunting hunches and will add a longer post later
Philip

[philipsearching]

1939 Register has
SHEPHERD Ada H, widowed, born 14 Jan 1887, 28 Belfort Place,  Great Yarmouth, Laundry Worker Iron.

Ada Hannah Shepherd on the 1920/1930 Electoral roll at 28 Belfort Place (with Ellen CORKE) must be Ada living there in 1939 (unless it was her mum and "our" Ada moved in and mum moved out or died - unlikely!)

Ada was not with a husband in 1920, 1930 and 1939.  Where was he?  Who was he?  Was he?

If we go with the idea that Ada was the daughter of Charles & Ellenor/Eleanor CORKE, Ada's stated age is a good fit with the 1939 Register:
1901 census: North Quay, Yarmouth
Charles Cork, Head, 50, born St Faiths, Norfolk
Eleanor Cork, Wife, 51, born Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk
Alice George, Daughter, 24, born Ludham, Norfolk
Henry Cork, 19, born Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk
Ada Cork, Daughter, 17, born Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk
George Cork, Son, 15, born Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk
Bertie Cork, Son, 12, born Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk
Victor Cork, Son, 9, born Gt Yarmouth, Norfolk

(ADDED) Death found on FreeBMD:
CORKE Eleanor, age 81, Mar qtr 1931 Yarmouth vol 4b p14

The occupation of Ada in 1939 fits very nicely with the VAD laundress in Norwich Jan 1916.  If this is her, there are three possibilities:
1) Ada SHEPHERD had an illegitimate child Raymond c1922
2) Ada (CORKE or unknown) married Mr SHEPHERD in or before Jan 1916
3) Ada (CORKE or unknown) was not married and in addition to Raymond born c1922 there must have been at least one other illegitimate child born in or before 1916 to explain the surname SHEPHERD.  Did the VAD take on mothers of young children?

[crisane]

It is the 1930 Electoral Roll and what I didn't notice before is that Charles Shepherd is also with Ada and Ellen Cooke.