Newbie Needing Help!

[sarahofford]

I'm stuck and looking for a nudge in the right direction.   

I have managed to get a copy of my grandad's birth certificate showing me his parent's names. I am trying to work backwards from this and thought a good place to start would be to try and find a record of my great-grandparent's marriage. I don't know the year but I have both of their full names. I did a quick search on ancestry.co.uk expecting to be swamped with search results to look through and I've come up with nothing. I've done checks on birth records for both and again come up with nothing. Of course not knowing their dates of birth is a big problem but unfortunately I am no longer in contact with my grandfather so asking him is not an option.

My grandfather was born in 1937 and the parents listed are Walter John Offord and Hilda Margaret Offord (formerly Keeley). The birth was registered in Chigwell, Essex.

That's all I know. I am a complete novice and would be very grateful for any pointers!!

Many Thanks

Sarah

[Ecneps]

Hi Sarah

The problem is that sites like freebmd are not completely transcribed yet, so information after 1920s is limited, you need to go through the full GRO index either on sites like ancestry or findmypast (paysites, but you can probably access them free at your local library)

Was your grandad the oldest child? (Just to narrow the dates to check for a marriage)
Will have a look for you, but it's not really a good idea to post information about living people on a public board, in case it upsets anyone connected with them, so if I find anything will let you know by pm.(personal message)

Kind regards
Barbara
 

[Ecneps]

Hi Sarah,

Have checked marriages 1931- 1936 and sent you a pm re a marriage I found, so will wait to hear from you as to age of eldest child if you know it, before looking further

Kind regards
Barbara
 

[Ecneps]

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for your pm, glad that's the right marriage even with the different surname.
The next thing to do is to order that certificate, which should clear up a couple of things, hopefully.  It should tell you their ages, occupations, addresses, and fathers' names and occupations, and whether the different surname is because of a previous marriage or not. 

Then you'll be able to find their parents' marriages, find them in the 1901 census and then you can work backwards through the census without too much more expense, but that marriage cert is a must, and will cost £7.

You can either order it directly from the GRO (giving the reference details I gave you) from: 
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/

or you could order it from the local register office, Hackney's is
The Register Office, The Town Hall, Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8 1EA.
Tel: 020 8356 3000
E-mail: registrars [at] hackney.gov.uk  -  (exchanging @ for [at] )

When you have that, please come back and post the details, (intrigued to know about the name change) and we'll try to help you further.

Kind regards,
Barbara
 

[Ecneps]

Hi Sarah,

Here's Hilda Margaret's birth:

Dec 1905  Hackney  1b 521    Isaacson  Hilda Margaret   

and parents in 1901:

1901 census RG13/234 Folio 18 Page 28
4 Elsdale Street, Hackney, London
ISAACSON
Philippe   head m 37 Compositor   Dutch Subject
Elizabeth  wife  m 28                    Norfolk Topcroft
Flora        dau        3                    Hackney London
Frank       son        2                           "         "

You can see Elizabeth Keeley in the 1881 census with her family, parents Thomas and Sarahann at http://www.rootschat.com/links/057p/

Kind regards
Barbara
 

[Ecneps]

Hi Sarah

When you get Walter and Hilda's marriage cert, please post the details here, as we need to know Walter's age, and father's name and occupation before going further back, as you said in your pm, at least 3 to choose from in 1901 census and he may even have been born after 1901 as Hilda was born 1905.

Kind regards,
Barbara

 

[sarahofford]

Hi Barbara,

Finally remembered to post the results:

1934 Marriage at Hackney

4th August 1934
Walter John Offord   29 Years    Batchelor   Master Printer Father: Walter Edmund Offord Seaman Mercent Service
Hilda Margaret Isaacson 28 years Spinster  Father: Phillippe Joseph Isaacson Master Printer.

Apologies for the delay! Have been planning a wedding and getting married in the interim!

[Spidermonkey]

Congrats on your wedding!

I would guess that Walter Edmund Offord married Sarah Goodridge in Sept qtr 1899 in Poplar 1c 1065.

According to the 1911 census (which I can't fully transcribe due to copyright issues), Walter and Sarah Offord are living at 34 Blondin St, Bow with their 4 children Edith (10), Walter (6), Frederick (4), and Florrie (16mnths). Also is a boarder Alfred Nickells (22).

[Spidermonkey]

Forgot to say that according to the 1911 census, Walter Offord senior was born in 1880. 

His birth should be on freebmd, so I'll leave you to find that  but give a yell if you can't see it!