Tracking down William Frederick Trotter Smith b1901 Gateshead

[Girl Guide]

Illegitimate children tend to be registered with their mother's surname although there may be some cases where that is not so.

As I said earlier, if you really want to know then obtain his birth cert.

[Ladyhawk]

Illegitimate children tend to be registered with their mother's surname although there may be some cases where that is not so.

As I said earlier, if you really want to know then obtain his birth cert.

This is William's birth record from the GRO website

SMITH, WILLIAM  FREDERICK TROTTER    -     
GRO Reference: 1901  J Quarter in GATESHEAD  Volume 10A  Page 1005

The little dash instead of a mother's maiden name indicates he was illegitimate so family lore is correct there.   
 

You could order PDF version cost £6, must be made online and include a GRO index reference.
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/login.asp

Not sure if this was posted - sorry can't view further details of original image on Fold3 as I don't have a subscription

Edit - is this the same person? Who is the aunt?

William Frederick Smith Age: 19
Birth Date:   2 Mar 1901 Gateshead on Tyne, Durham
Service Date:   18 Mar 1920 Service Number:   340954
Next of Kin:   E. Allen
Relation to Airman:   Aunt

[MrsSelfPub]

I may well get the birth certificate to see the maiden name.  I have been following up on the E Allen, Aunt connection but it just doesn't seem to get me any closer to find a 'Mary Ann Allen' born in the area at about the right time.

[Girl Guide]

I've found the original record, hopefully a snippet will appear! It says Durham after the Tyne bit.

[Ladyhawk]

Girl Guide - thank you for providing the snippet - shame there's no full christian name for his Aunt   

I may well get the birth certificate to see the maiden name.

If you do please come back and let us know how you get on, an address might help locate the family on 1901 census this was taken on night of 31st March

[MrsSelfPub]

 

Big thank you to everyone for all the assistance. 

Helen

[MrsSelfPub]

After a long break, I am back on the trail of WFTS.
Birth certificate obtained. Born 2 March 1901. Birth registered 12th April 1901. Mother - Mary Smith, a barmaid.  Address: 228 Westbourne Avenue, Gateshead.

Census was on 31 March at 228 Westbourne Avenue:
1) May Brown, Widow, on the census is actually Mary Smith and told a lie and didn't list the baby
2) May Brown, sheltered 'fellow' barmaid Mary Smith in distress and her baby and lied on the census or they were out on the night of the census
3) Mary Smith moved in with fellow barmaid after the census but where was she on the night of the census with her baby?

[jorose]

Was Mary Smith the informant on the birth certificate?
Was 228 Westbourne the address of information and of the birth?
There is quite a gap between birth and registration (although within the allowed time)

Interestingly, could this be the same May Brown in 1911, now with a son "W H T Brown" and listed as single?
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWMH-5L4

Would be worth looking at the original to see if that might be W F T rather than W H T. Bensham, Durham, looks to be a region in Gateshead and Westbourne Avenue is arguably within this area.

[MrsSelfPub]

Thanks for your post.

Yes - Mary Smith was the informant and the address is 228 Westbourne Avenue. I think 6 weeks is the limit for registration of the birth so it was just within the frame.

Just had a look at the 1911 Census for May Brown and I think you could be right.  One heck of a coincidence, if not!  I am hoping some DNA matches on Ancestry will shed more light but there is so much subterfuge that proving hypotheses is going to be tricky. Still, who doesn't love a puzzle?