Hit a wall!

[Mrs F]

  Don't know what to do now. My grandparents marriage certificate tells me that my grandmothers father was called George Edward Hodge (deceased). However on her birth certificate no father is mentioned at all. Mothers name is Mary Hodge formerly Dodd.

Does this suggest that perhaps she was married before she had my grandmother and that perhaps her husband was not the father. My grandmother was born Doris Mary Hodge b. 1917 in Luton. Only marriage between a Mary Dodd and any Hodge  was in 1903 between a Mary Hephzibah Dodd and a Samuel James Hodge, he however died in 1915.

My dad says he vaguely remembers an aunt Ivy and Dora who were his mothers half sisters (all sharing the same father Hodge?).

I am still new to all this. Don't know where to look now. 

Any help gratefully received.

[lizdb]

It is not unusual for people to make up a father to go on a marriage cert, rather than leave it blank.

Or sometimes, if someone has not known their own father, they give the name of the person who they have known as a father in their life - maybe a stepfather or even a grandfather.

If there is no father on the birth cert it will be unlikely you will ever know who her dad was, and if you do get hints you will never know for sure!

do you know if Ivy and Dora had the surnamr Hodge? were they tyounger or older? maybe theri birth certs will help.

[blodwen]

Hallo Mrs F,

I have been looking up and down the Free BMD hoping to stumble across something - no luck.  

Of course I have found all the information that you already have, although I did find the marriage of a George Edward Hodge in Q3 1905 in Chelsea but there is no Mary Dodd unfortunately.  The other two names are Ellen Charlotte Cheesley, and Caroline Amelia Hedges - so that counts that out.

Maybe your grandmother was born out of wedlock (just a thought).

Difficult one here, sorry not to be of much help.

Viv  

[lizdb]

Maybe your grandmother was born out of wedlock (just a thought).

Looks very much like it, as Mrs F said no father is named on the birth cert.

[Arranroots]

Hi Mrs F

I think you need to go back to basics here - and give us more detail.

The marriage - where, when, witnesses - address for bride.  I don't suppose she gives an occupation for her deceased father?

The birth cert - who registered the birth, what address(es) Any occupation for the mother?

Have you looked on the 1911 census for a Mary DODD or HODGE to see if she's in the same area? We can't offer a look-up for you, but you can try a free search yourself.

What stories do you have about Mary?  Is she thought to be from the same area as her daughter was born, for example? Any other family stories?

I hope we can help.

Kind regards, Arranroots 

[Mrs F]

Hi,  

From start: my grandparents: Donald Norman Eiles m. Doris Mary Hodge. Luton Register Office. 16th March 1945.

Fathers listed Henry James Eiles (deceased) Motor Driver. George Edward Hodge (deceased) Gas Worker.

Witnesses:- Minnie Eiles (groom's mother). Mrs I M Davies (my dad says this was his aunt Ivy) Ivy Hodge before her marriage (Doris's half sister).

Grandmother's birth certificate: When & where born. 24th November 1917, 43 Salisbury Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. Name: Doris Mary Girl. fathers name (line through it), Mother's name Mary Hodge formerly Dodd. Hat finisher. Occupation of father (line through it). Informant Mary Hodge Mother 43 Salisbury Road, Luton.

I haven't got access to 1911 census. 

I have no stories on Mary, I didn't even have her name until I received the birth certificate today. My dad was always told his mother (Doris) was an orphan and she was brought up by nuns near St Albans.

Regards  Sadie

[Arranroots]

That's a good start - a few more details might make all the difference!

The 1911 census is pay-per-view so you can access it in the same way as the rest of us - not free for anyone sadly.  I think it would be a really good idea to have a go at finding either George or Mary, since it seems likely they would be in the same sort of area as Doris's birth.

You don't say whether the step-sisters are older or younger?  I'm guessing older, or they wouldn't have the same surname, in which case you might even find them on the 1911 census.

You should look for deaths of George and Mary to see whether there's any mileage in the orphan story.

I'll move this to the Bedfordshire board so that you get some local assistance.

A 

[Mrs F]

  

Have found a Mary Hephzibah Dodd born 1883 in Luton. This could be her she married a Samuel James Hodge in 1903 but he died in 1915. About two and half years before Doris was born, so this clearly isn't her father.

Cannot find death entry for Mary. George Hodge is a very common name. Trying find the right one is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

 

[Arranroots]

Got my counties mixed up - moved to Bedfordshire!

If you do a free search on the 1911 site, using advanced options you can find a Samuel HODGE with wife Mary and several children, including a Donald (but not Ivy or Dora).

Whether they are yours or not is a different matter...