Looking for great-grandfather

[Kea]

Hi everyone!

I have just started researching my grandmother's English family but have come up against a proverbial brick wall already!

My grandmother, Edith Pauline Sargent, was born in Holborn, London in 1897. I have her birth certificate and her parents are listed as Edith Maud Sargent, formerly Kedge and Joseph Albert Sargent, Commercial Traveller.

In the 1901 census I have found Edith Maud Sargent (26 yrs) and Edith Pauline Sargent (3 yrs) living as boarders in Lambeth. Edith Maud is listed as a widow. In the same house is a Harriet A Kedge (45 yrs) who I believe from looking at earlier censuses is Edith Maud's older sister. My problem is, I can't find a record of a marriage between Edith Maud Kedge and a Joseph Albert Sargent, nor a death for JAS around that time.

I think my Edith Maud is the one in BMD born in Norwich June 1875 (vol 4b, p.173) - the date and birth place fit. But the only marriage for her is in 1914 to Augustus F Osborn (June, vol 1c, p 192).

There is a Joseph Albert Sargent in BMD born Louth, Lincolnshire in 1868, who I thought would fit the bill, but without a marriage certificate I can't prove the connection. Perhaps, of course, they weren't married! There is a JA Sargent who could be the same guy in the 1901 census living in St Marylebone with another wife and child! He is a Traveller for Manufacturer.

My grandmother came to NZ as a nanny around 1914 and lost contact with her family, so details are scant. According to my aunts, she spoke of her father and she had a younger brother called Fred.

I would be very grateful for any suggestions as to where I could go from here.

Regards,
Stephanie

[Necromancer]

Welcome Kea - a good one to get started on !

First of all, have you looked for Edith & Joseph's marriage just on FreeBMD, or in the full GRO Registers Index list (tho not fully keyed for searching) - available free on Ancestry ?

http://content.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=8965&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0

I'll have a look starting in 1897 and working back .... btw, Sargent could have some spelling variations - have you searched the census using wildcards ?

[Necromancer]

I've been back to 1895, with no result  - as you say, the Kedge name is quite 'active' in Norfolk.

Will look for mis-tran's of Sargent  .....

[Kea]

Hi Newfy,

I have checked the full marriage index on Ancestry from 1892 to 1897 but I may have missed it. I also notice that the 3rd quarter of 1895 was missing? It would be great if you could double check for me.

And yes, I have tried various spellings of Sargent in the census. Kedge has been mistranscribed as Hedge!
 
Many thanks.

Stephanie

[Necromancer]

Yes - 3Q 1895 missing - you get that when a handwritten addition has been made at the bottom of the page, which throws the 1st name / last name indexing out. Just click on the YEAR, then on the Q you want then on the initial letter and trawl !

http://content.ancestry.co.uk/Browse/view.aspx?dbid=8965&iid=ONS_M18954AZ-0825

Looked for SAR* and SER* so far back to 1Q1895 ...

[Kea]

Thanks for that info, Newfy.

If I have the right Edith Maud Kedge and she married in 1914 under the name Kedge, wouldn't that mean she had never married before?
And it sounds like my Grandma had a father figure in her life - so who was it?

Btw I also have my Grandma's certificate from her 2nd marriage in NZ in 1935 and that also has her father as Joseph Albert Sargent but a solicitor's clerk. Could you go from being a travelling salesman to a solicitor's clerk?

[Necromancer]

I've seen stranger things ! I really dont know ..... I guess you had to be fairly literate to be a Clerk .... but did it pay as well as a Salesman ? Starting as a clerk in later life isnt the norm - but who knows !

Born 1875 you reckoned ? So a 1914 marriage is sort of late, but not unheard of for a 1st marriage .... altho' she may have wanted to 'forget' a previous marriage - nobody checked your credentials ....

Tricky w/o being able to yet find the marriage ..... will ponder and look harder 

[Necromancer]

The Edith M Kedge born 1875 Norwich can be seen in Cambridge in 1881 / 1891 (born Camb 1891 ) ....

Hammet / Harriet was in Cambridge 1891 ....

[Kea]

Yes I found Edith in Cambridge in 1881 but couldn't find her anywhere in 1891.

Harriet A has been written as  Harristam Kedge  in 1861- in Cambridge  with same parents as Edith. I also have her in 1871. I thought I found her in London in 1891 mistranscribed as Harriet A Hedge, b Cambridge,  Governess.

Finding Edith and Harriet boarding together in 1901 makes me think it must be the right Edith born Norwich 1875 to parents William and Mary Ann.
But - there is still the mystery of Joseph Albert Sargent!!!

Btw - Augustus F Osborn was a solicitor's clerk in 1891.
The plot thickens....