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Hi all

We have an on going family mystery which I am hoping to solve.  My Great Aunt Florence Eliza Smith became pregnant outside of marriage in 1924 and according to snippets from the older members of the family, she was 'sent away' to have her baby.  Her baby was registered as being born in 'Mothers Hospital, Clapton'  The birth is registered in Hackney in 1925.

Now this is where the mystery comes in.  Family information has it that Florence Eliza died and then the baby was brought up by her grandparents as another daughter. I am trying to find Florence Eliza's death.  I have found a death on the BMD register in 1932 Vol 1d page 508.

As far as family lore goes, the child did not know any of this until she applied for a passport as an adult.

Now is Battersea close to Clapton?  Would there have to be some form of formal adoption or would it just 'happen'?

This is just going to be one of those discrepancies I wont be able to get to the bottom of.  I have had a very productive day at the CBS today and now I have the following information!


Louisa Maud Smith

Born 20/5/1908 as per her birth certificate.
Baptised 23/7/1908 As per parish record of baptism (I misread Jul for Jan originally)
Married 12/5/1927 states her age as 19. (she would have been 18)
Died 26/9/1984 with her death certificate stating her DOB as 20/5/1907

The only conclusion I can come up with is that she truly believed that her birth date was 1907......Oh how I wish she was here so I could ask!

Possibly your Gran was born in 1907 and baptised in 1908, but someone forgot to register the birth, so to avoid the fine and trouble of doing it later, someone said "Let's pretend she was born in 1908, the registrar will never know!"
 Another possibility is whether her parents had been married for more than 9 months before her birth or whether there was any doubt as to who her father was - the late registration could have been for the sake of respectability.

At that time, the welfare state was far in the future and the need to register a birth was less obvious.

Finally are you 100% certain she was not born in Norfolk or London, where there are registrations of Louisa Maud Smith births in 1907?  (Of course, you'll soon know if you have the correct certificate when it arrives)

The first could be a possibility, I know the second isn't because Granny was not the eldest so they were very definitely married by the time she came along.

I am 99% sure she was not born in London or Norfolk.  Her parents were publicans and the other children were all born in the pub in Buckingham and I cannot see any family or any other connection to Norfolk or London.

Oh well, the certificate should be here in the next couple of days so we will soon see.

I don't think it could be Scouseboy because on the 1911 census, she is listed as being 2 and there are no children who have died.  it is all very confusing!