Brick wall - help please!!!!

[trachelospermum]

Hi, I am helping out a lady at work with her searching and we've hit a real brick wall. Her grandmother was called Caroline Catherine Martin, born approx 1897 possibly London area to Mary Adeline (later Martin). She was born out of wedlock, but Mary Adeline went on to marry the father, Henry Martin (hence Caroline's surname). The problem is that we can find no record of a Caroline Catherine Martin/Marten/Martyn registered anywhere at any time between 1891-1903. This leads us to believe (rightly or wrongly) that her birth was registered in her mother's maiden name. This is where the problems really begin - we have no idea what her maiden name was! We are awaiting her death certificate to give us an idea of when she was born at least, if not where! Any suggestions would be very gatefully received! Thanks

[Mair]

I take it the search of a marriage certificate has not come up trumps then for Henry and Mary??

If you can find that certificate it will give you the mothers maiden name.  Any clues at all re dates for Henry or for Mary??

Jude

[Daisyroot]

Hi,
On BMD there is a reference for
Caroline Catherine Martin born in the December quarter of 1890.Mile End...volume 1c Page 408..don't know if that's any help??

[trachelospermum]

Thanks, we had seen this and dismissed it mostly as it was too far out of the time frame for her birth. However, apparently the d.o.b. has been worked out from her headstone, which could be wrong! I may get this certificate, just to rule it out if nothing else!
Regarding the marriage, FreeBMD has come up with nothing and with Henry Martin being such a common name, trawling through the indexes is very daunting! All that is known about Henry Martin is that he was a musician, a drunk and violent and he was possibly buried in a pauper's grave! As for Mary Adeline, there may be links to the West Ham/Essex area. There is no trace of any likely candidates in the 1901 census as we know that Caroline was born before they married and had no siblings prior to this marriage. Thanks again, Jo

[casalguidi]

Hi Jo

Is there a date of birth/age in the death indexes for her?

http://www.ancestry.co.uk

Casalguidi

[trachelospermum]

Thanks, I'll have a quick look - I hadn't thought of that! Jo

Just checked and it says 56 in 1953, putting her birth back at 1897.