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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Berkshire => Topic started by: janjim on Friday 10 March 17 09:21 GMT (UK)
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Hi,
My Great Aunt Ada New was born 1875 at Newbury, daughter of Charles New and his wife Phoebe (nee Bird). She married John Greenfield a House Painter in 1894 at Newbury, they had children Mabel Edith Kate Greenfield b. 1896, Charles William Greenfield b. 1898. In 1901 census they were living in Newbury, next door to her parents Charles & Phoebe New.
By 1911 census, she is living with William Broadbridge, a Motor Mechanic at Handsworth, Staffordshire showing children Mabel Edith Kate Greenfield , Charles William Greenfield, Frederick George Greenfield Broadbridge b. 1903 , Albert Edward Greenfield Broadbridge b. 1905, Alice Phoebe Greenfield Broadbridge b. 1906. At the end of 1911 there is another child born 26.12.1911, Ada Annie Broadbridge, Shropshire.
At this time, I have been unable to find a death for John Greenfield, nor another marriage to William Broadbridge, even though she left Newbury to live at Handsworth probably not long after 1901 census, as Frederick George Greenfield Broadbridge was born at West Bromich, Staffordshire.
Ada Broadbridge died in 1941. Rumours are that John Greenfield changed his surname to William Broadbridge, really not sure that this would be correct, also changed his occupation.
Any help that can be given would be greatly appreciated. I am inclined to believe that she made a new life with William Broadbridge, and just changed the children's surnames to make life easier for her. Just struggling to find any information on either of these two gentlemen.
Jan
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That's a curious one.
If WB was really JG, wouldn't the whole family have changed names to Broadbridge and dropped Greenfield surname. But if Ada had left JG for WB, why continue to perpetuate Greenfield in the later children's forenames - it wasn't her surname.
What names are Frederick, Albert and Alice registered as?
Do William's and John's dob and birthplace match?
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Frederick George Greenfield Broadbridge b. 1903, Albert Edward Greenfield Broadbridge b. 1905 and Alice Phoebe Greenfield Broadbridge b. 1906, but it would appear that the last child Ada Annie b. 26.11.1911, has only got the surname of Broadbridge. I am in contact with a lady whose Mother was Ada Annie, and she reaffirms that her Mother was definitely Ada Annie Broadbridge.
It appears that William and John's birthdates are the same year, and came from Fulham.
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Post-1901 birth registrations:
Sep qtr 1903: Frederick George Greenfield Broadbridge mmn New, at Aston.
Mar qtr 1905: Albert Edward Broadbridge mmn New, at West Bromwich. (NB no Greenfield)
Dec qtr 1906: Alice Phoebe Greenfield Broadbridge mmn New, at West Bromwich.
Mar qtr 1912: Ada Annie Broadbridge mmn New, at West Bromwich.
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In 1901 John Greenfield says he was born in Fulham abt 1871. I think Fulham would be under Kensington then, It looks like Fulham wasn't a registration district until 1875.
There are two John Greenfields registered in Kensington district in 1870 Q3 and Q4 both with William as middle name, the Q3 one has mmn Neal and Q4 has mmn Dean.
There is also a William Broadbridge Q2 1869 mmn Hills
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Baptism, St Saviour, Hockley, Birmingham
5 August 1903: Frederick George Greenfield Broadbridge
Parents: William (tramway man) and Ada, of 2 Albert Place, Villa St.
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Baptism, St James, Handsworth, Staffs
25 Jan 1905: Albert Edward Greenfield Broadbridge
Parents: William (driver) and Ada, of 5 Rose Cottages, Douglas Rd.
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Yes those are all correct, those birth registrations, but I made a mistake above, 1911 census shows the whole family with surnames of Broadbridge.
John Greenfield is shown as born 1871 Fulham, as is William Broadbridge born 1871 Fulham.
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???
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A William Broadbridge age 1 b Fulham is on 1871 census living in Fulham with widowed mother Harriet and older siblings.
added
taking the family back 10 years, Harriet's husband is called George.
Can't find any of them in 1881 - did Harriet remarry to a Greenfield?
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George Broadbridge died Q1 1871, so Harriet only recently widowed when 1871 census was taken
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A William Broadbridge age 1 b Fulham is on 1871 census living in Fulham with widowed mother Harriet and older siblings.
added
taking the family back 10 years, Harriet's husband is called George.
Can't find any of them in 1881 - did Harriet remarry to a Greenfield?
Harriett Broadbridge b abt 1837 Worthing is still in Fulham in 1881 with 10yo William.
Also in 1891 with 20 yr old William, he by now a railway engine cleaner (good match for later occupations).
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Yes, could be, interesting though none of his children had any christian name of Harriet, which usually followed through in those days. George yes.
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Death for Harriet Broadbridge aged 57, Mar qtr 1893 Fulham.
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Death for Harriet Broadbridge aged 57, Mar qtr 1893 Fulham.
Have been looking through the Friends of Newtown Road Cemetery website, no Broadbridges deaths there, but two Greenfields, Ann Greenfield aged 87 d. 22.9.1914 and a Lehlia Greenfield d. 20.5.1876 aged 53 years. Just given me some thoughts, Ada may have met John Greenfield at Newbury, was supposed to be a House Painter at that time, our New family were all Carpenters, Bricklayers.
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In 1901 John Greenfield says he was born in Fulham abt 1871. I think Fulham would be under Kensington then, It looks like Fulham wasn't a registration district until 1875.
There are two John Greenfields registered in Kensington district in 1870 Q3 and Q4 both with William as middle name, the Q3 one has mmn Neal and Q4 has mmn Dean.
There is also a William Broadbridge Q2 1869 mmn Hills
There are two deaths for John Greenfields in Fulham district age 0 in 1870, one says just John Greenfield, the other says John William Greenfield. They are in same quarters as births above, so I think both these JGs died as infants.
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All very intriguing, guess we will eventually get to the bottom of it all.
I checked to see if there was any connections of those Greenfields in Newbury, nothing at all.
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What do you have from the 1894 marriage - e.g. who was John Greenfield's father said to be?
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I've now found William Broadbridge in 1881. He is with his widowed mother Harriet as a lodger with the White family in Fulham. Harriet is a laundress. No sign of other children except oldest son George who married Eliza Baxter and had two children by 1881.
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And in 1891, Harriet and William still living together in Fulham, she is head of household occ Ironer Wash. William is a Railway engine cleaner. (Ancestry has his age as 40 not 20 which made it difficult to find). It gives him a connection with engines like the the WB in 1911.
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What do you have from the 1894 marriage - e.g. who was John Greenfield's father said to be?
I haven't been able to find his Father's name yet, but I have found a John Greenfield as a Widower in Fulham, aged 33 years with a son John Greenfield aged 9 years in Ancestry.
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Hi,
My Great Aunt Ada New was born 1875 at Newbury, daughter of Charles New and his wife Phoebe (nee Bird). She married John Greenfield a House Painter in 1894 at Newbury,
Have you got marriage cert, if so what is name of JG's father?
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No, don't have marriage certificate, need to get this, I'm thinking.
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If WB and JG were the same man, perhaps he was the WB, I've been tracking through censuses. I can't find him 1901, I think Harriet died in 1893, its the only death reg that fits age and place that I've found.
Perhaps WB changed his name to JG then and left London. Maybe he was very much affected by his mother's death, they had lived together for a long time and wanted to make a new life elsewhere. Perhaps house painting was the only job he could get at first but eventually managed to get back into work connected to motors.
Later he reverted to his original name, but wanted to preserve the Greenfield surname for some reason, so used it as a middle name for some of his children. His mother's maiden name was Hills. There is a marriage of George Greenfield in Worthing district in Q2 18855, Harriett Hills is one of two possible brides. Both George and harriet were born in Worthing as was their oldest child.
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Yes, that is quite possible Lizzie, there could be any reason. My Uncle changed his name (another New family member from Newbury, but living here in Australia!!) for reasons his marriage had broken down, and he was escaping her, moved in with another lady and took on her surname. He disappeared for many years, and it is only just the last couple of years, we finally found him under this new surname, but he died 30 years ago or so, so that was quite sad. The incredible part is, my sons have been good friends with the grandsons of this lady he was living with, and live just near to us. Absoslutely small world, if only we knew some years back. Would have to say it is great closure for me, but not for my Dad who had searched and searched for him for so many years. Looks like a bit of a family trait !!
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Getting late here in Aussie, sorry I won't be able to answer any more posts tonight, time for bed !!
Thanks for all your help everyone.
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Just in case you haven't ordered the marriage certificate here are the marriage details for Ada New and John Greenfield:
Place: St John's Church Newbury
Date: 26th December 1894
Groom: John Greenfield aged 22 (Bat) occ: Army Service Corps Abode: Aldershot
Bride: Ada New aged 19 (Spin) Abode: 2 Nursery Cottages
Groom's father: John Greenfield occ: Bricklayer
Bride's father: Charles New occ: Bricklayer
Witnesses: Charles New, Edith Nellie New, Elizabeth New and Charles New
Bride and Groom both signed their names
Baptisms:
Place: St John's Newbury
Name: Mabel Edith Kate Greenfield
Born: 18th Nov 1895
Baptised: 2nd Feb 1896
Parents: John and Ada Greenfield
Father's occ: Labourer
Place: St John's Newbury
Name: Charles William John Greenfield
Born: 28th March 1898
Baptised: 29th May 1898
Parents: John and Ada Greenfield
Father's occ: Labourer
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Hi Candrjm,
thanks so much for all of this information. Sorry I have taken a while to answer this posting. Have been away, as my husband was having major surgery.
Am so appreciative to get this information now, at least we have a better picture of John Greenfield Jnr. His Father was a Bricklayer, and was obviously working with my Great Grandfather Charles New, or had connections there anyway. So maybe the story about John Greenfield being in the Army previously, and the fear of call up once again, he changed his surname and moved away from the area, could be quite correct.
Did you get this information from Parish records, or maybe some family connection.
Jan
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Hi Jan,
The info came from the parish registers held at the Berkshire records office. (I looked them up for you while I was there researching for someone else.)
Best wishes
Chris
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Thanks very much Chris.
Jan