Hi JeannieR
I know that Tremlet Grove features a lot in the family history, Major Arthur and Patience registered the birth of a son "Sydney Montague Hardwick Hill" (makes a change from Arthur), in 1883 I have a copy of the birth certificate that stated Patience's maiden name was Booth, Sydney was a sail maker in the Navy and died in service in 1915.
Problem is my Grandfather is the Arthur Herbert Hill known as Bertie born in New Jersey, I don't know if this Birth Place is true, when a census was taken back then did the public have to provide documents to prove, could be a red herring.
The other problem with Arthur (Bertie) is this, I dont have his birth certificate, I do however have his marriage certificate for his first marriage to Doris Aline LeCren they married in 1911, she died in 1923, on the marriage certificate it states his father as Major Arthur Hill, my Grandmother was Winnifred Nellie Hill, birth certificate states father as Major Arthur Deveraux Hill, so yes they look like half brother and sister.
My father Paul Herbert Hill tried in vain to find a birth certificate for Bertie without success, others in the family refused to discuss, they have all passed on now, (my father last year), the more I review the documents and tree the more obsessive it becomes, would love find out who Bertie’s mother was, Bertie used to talk of a half brother called Cyril. Both Arthur and Cyril pop up on a census living with the Major and Ellen, who have their own children, one of which is also named Arthur.
My suspicion is that whilst married to Annie Menham he stated a relationship with another unknown woman, possibly the mother of Arthur and Cyril, he also started a relationship with Patience, the unknown and Patience found out what he was up to and left the Major holding the babies so to speak, except they are not babies at all, therefore he gets his new “Wife” Ellen to take the Bertie and Cyril in, or the unknown mother died.
A number of people/family have suggested that he wasn’t really Atrhur Herbert Hill at all and that he made the name up, but I have traced him with a number of records, military, and wills, when he married Doris LeCren they lived at Findon Tower Sussex, a record of a Arthur Herbert Hill awarded the Victory Medal in WW1 has the address of Findon Tower Sussex, so he’s real, another census shows him living with George and Jessie Booker at Ecclesden Manor on his Own Means, born in NJ USA again I know he was a left a fortune by two families including Jessie, don’t know why though.
Someone holds the key to this or a record exists, just can’t find it, it doesn’t bother me that they may have been half brother/sister, just want to finish the search.
Paul
