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General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Traysha on Sunday 18 February 18 15:12 GMT (UK)
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I am looking for the marriage of Gertrude Nancy Foley, have tried loads of sites without luck. She was known to my mother as Nancy and that is how she was recorded in 1901 and 1911 at Station Road Hagley. She was born 1897 and had an illegitimate child in 1920. The 1939 register shows her as Gertrude Nancy Richards, a widow, with her son at Owls Nest Bromyard. Found her death as a Richards in 1955 but no marriage. Someone suggested it was Frederick Ralph Stratford Richards,(his 2nd marriage) but can't find it anywhere. Help please!
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Frederick Ralph Stratford RICHARDS died in 1940 and his widow was named Amy Isabella.
Debra :)
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Did she have a daughter -surname Richards mmn Foley in 1933 :-\
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Thanks for info on Fred, did know his wife was Isabella. Don't know if Gertrude had another child. I might have thought it was the wrong one,as said always called Nancy but her son Lawson is a little unusual name and his GWR and RAF record shows I have the right son . Is there another Lawson G Foley b1920 or Nancy Foley b1897 in 1939 in worcs. ::)
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I only wondered if there were more children as there are two blacked out entries in 1939 :-\
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I dont have access to 1939 reg Rosie, do you think her name is Gertrude Nancy or Nancy Gertrude?
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The 1939 register index is free to search.
https://search.findmypast.com.au/search-world-records/1939-register
The Frederick you mentioned is living with his wife Amy in 1939 and he died in 1940 so he is not the person you are looking for.
Nancy Gertrude RICHARDS has Lawson George FOLEY born 1920 living with her as well as two other people whose records are closed. They will be closed because they were born within the last 100 years and have not been verified as being now deceased.
Did Lawson have any siblings?
Debra :)
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Many thanks. So now must look for marriage of Nancy to a Richards if that was her name in 1939.
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Many thanks. So now must look for marriage of Nancy to a Green if that was her name in 1939.
Why Green? You have already identified in your opening post that she was Richards in 1939.
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You're quick on the mark. Have just amended to Richards.
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Having no luck at all. Am starting to think she took on the Richards name and widow for propriety.
So heres a summary: No birth for Nancy Foley but there is for Gertrude Nancy (1897 Dudley Worcs),
1901 and 1911 censuses down as Nancy,
1939 Nancy Gertrude Richards widow b 26 May 1897
Can't find a marriage of a Foley to a Richards
No death for Nancy Richards but one for Gertrude Nancy Richards 1952 Worcs
Any suggestions? If I send for death cert can I specify only want it if her maiden name is Foley?
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Rosie asked you about other children (in light of the 1939 Register redactions) and in particular mentioned a female Richards/Foley birth in 1933 which can be found on FreeBMD.
That seems an important line of enquiry to follow up, because if she did have one or more children with Mr Richards then their birth certificates may well yield his name.
A 1952 English death certificate will not yield a maiden name. The identity of the informant may be of interest, though.
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Have just looked at that birth 1933 and a marriage for her in 1958. Have no idea if she belongs as don't know of any other children Nancy might have had. Still no marriage for a Foley/Richards that I can find anywhere!!
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The electoral registers for 1931 show a Nancy Richards and Doctor Walter Richards at the New Inn. The page header states Parish of Wacton (P. T. Bromyard, Hereford).
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The electoral registers for 1931 show a Nancy Richards and Doctor Walter Richards at the New Inn. The page header states Parish of Wacton (P. T. Bromyard, Hereford).
Hmm, someone called Doctor Walter Richards married a Nancy Martin in 1923, so this could be them :-\
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The electoral registers for 1931 show a Nancy Richards and Doctor Walter Richards at the New Inn. The page header states Parish of Wacton (P. T. Bromyard, Hereford).
They are a separate couple by the looks of it (1939 free search - still in the same location).
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Frederick Ralph Stratford RICHARDS died in 1940 and his widow was named Amy Isabella.
Debra :)
Have just received Gertrude Nancy's death cert (pdf form-cheaper!). It states Gertrude Nancy Richards 55yrs, widow of Frederick Ralph Stratford Richards of Owls Nest Bromyard died 22 July 1952 at Worcs Royal Infirmary. He had been a station master with GWR. Informant was L.S. Foley(should be L.G.) son, Officers Mess RAF Station Kinloss. It is correct Lawson as he was in RAF and married in Dumbarton, hence Scottish connection. What do you make of that then? I found Fred's death in 1940 and yet she says she was a widow in 1939.
It was always rumoured that Lawson's father was a station master :o ::)
Perhaps they eventually married.
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There is no evidence that she ever married Frederick R S Richards. He married Amy Isabella in 1908, he was still with her in 1939 and she was considered to be his widow when she applied for the administration of his estate in 1940.
Information on a death certificate is only as good as the informants knowledge and it would not have had to been verified so it looks as though Lawson was probably brought up knowing that Gertrude had been in a relationship with Frederick but was not necessarily his birth father.
Gertrude obviously assumed the surname Richards and declared herself a widow in 1939 as there was no 'man of the house'. This was not an unusual thing to do and would not have been checked.
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Thanks all for your input. Suppose will remain a mystery unless there are some rellies out there who know anything. My contacts who might have known have sadly died. Seems strange that she should pick such a distinct name for a "husband". My thought is that she must have known or heard of him as her son worked on the railways and she lived 50yds from Hagley station when she got pregnant. Also Hagley and Hartlebury Station(where he lived in the station house when he died) are just 12mins away by train. When she moved to Bromyard she could have kept the Foley name as her son was a Foley, and therefore it would be assumed she was married. Ironically his wife Amy died the same year as Gertrude Nancy.
Think its time to put this to bed!!
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I may be able to help as I am the grand daughter of Gertrude Nancy Foley... :)
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What wonderful news! Hope I haven't brought up anything you're not happy with sharing. Perhaps as you are a newbie to this site you would be happier to contact me by private message or email. What area do you live in?
Just found this:
Welcome to RootsChat
New members must make 2 posts before they can use the personal message system and I think the same applies to the chat room
http://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php
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Hurrah, we could be second cousins once removed ;D :-*
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Hi Traysha
That is very good news and I am not at all unhappy with anything you have been sharing as I too, am looking for some answers.
I am Lawson George Foley's daughter and I have been trying to find out who his Father was. We know it is not Frederick Richards as we have had DNA tests done for members of his family and ours. He was the father of my two aunts, Bertha and Margaret, who are still living. At that time he was married to Amy Isabella so he never did marry Nancy and she never actually married at all!
I am living in New Zealand, hence the late reply to your post as we are ahead in time of you by 12 hours.
I'd love to hear more from you as you may be able to fill in some missing pieces for me. Yes, I am new to Roots but am a member of other genealogy websites.
Yes and let's have a private conversation - thanks for your help with that.
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Ah, seems to have been a few porkies told. (slang, pork pies-lies, do you get it?)
So, if Fred was the father of two of your aunts he has to be connected to you and I would like to know how. I'll send a pm.
A cousin of my mother told me Lawson's name so I decided to research him. He said that for someone with such a poor start in life he did very well for himself. I found his GWR and RAF records and a birth notice for a daughter in the Falkirk Herald.
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I also may be able to help. I am a Grandson of Nancy, new to the forum and have been doing some research since my Mother Margaret, sister to Lawson, passed away. A lot of Grandmother's side of the family remains a mystery to me but I have some photos that may be of interest. I have been in contact with one of Lawson's daughters but would welcome a private conversation.
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Hi Andrew
Debbie here. I will respond to your email and we can have a chat :)