18 children by the same woman?!

[littleem1906]

FREE? I thought you had to pay to look at records? I've never been to a records office before, I wouldn't really know where to start!

[carol8353]

I had a look on the 1911 census and these are the only 4 George Smith's I found around the same age as my George living in Birmingham;

George 1 - aged 60 married to a woman called Eliza Maria 43 and had only been married for 1 year.

George 2- aged 60, widower working as a bedstead caster. Living as a lodger to Mary Baker, aged 71 widow born in London. She has living with her a daughther Rosina Hopson, her husband William Hopson and their children, Rosina Hopson aged 6 and William Hopson aged 1.

George 3 - aged 59 married to Sarah Jane Smith for 35 years. Working as a beerhouse keeper. Have 3 duaghters, Lily, May and Alice. Can rule this one out.

George 4 - listed as George Charles Smith, aged 59, single. Living with widowed sister Mary Ann Phillips aged 64 and her 2 children Reginald George and Annie Louise.

So unless George 2 or George 2 are my George it looked like her died before 1911.

I searched for Clara in 1911 and came up with 2.

Clara 1 - aged 61, widowed living in Aston. Living with 5 children, all in their thirties or late twenties - none of the names match my Clara's children.

Clara 2 - aged 60, single. Occupation 'private means'. Living with single sister Mary Ann Smith.

So it looks like there is no Clara in 1911 either, unless George had died and she had remarried.
I tried one last serach of the 1911 census for any of their younger children.

Try looking for 30 year old Leah and the fact that they are still in Aston 

Carol

[carol8353]

FREE? I thought you had to pay to look at records? I've never been to a records office before, I wouldn't really know where to start!

People are very helpful- you usually look at the records( Baptisms or Marriages) on film or microfiches. We've all had to start somewhere,and the archivists know that 

Have a look at that website that I mentioned- they even have someone you can email for help....and he'd be a local person and able to help you more.

You will also find that libraries and record offices usually have Ancestry librray edition to view there free of charge too.

I went down to Hounslow for mine last Monday- turns out they'd indexed all the relevant records for the time period I wanted....easy peasy lemon squeezy 

And it's all free

Carol

[littleem1906]

I have a year subscription to Ancestry.co.uk so I can search births, marriages, deaths etc (although I often get stuck, hence asking for help on this site). What would I find in a records office that I can't find on Ancestry?

I tried looking for Claud Smith in 1911, I though unusual name would definately yield a result. Nothing!

[carol8353]

If you have Ancestry,then have you found Alonzo's 31 pages of WW1 service records?

Try Claude with an E .

Carol

[littleem1906]

Oooh hadn't looked for the WW1 records yet but I shall give that a look. Alonzo is a big of a family enigma. He appears on his son's marriage certificate as John Smith!!

[majm]

FREE? I thought you had to pay to look at records? I've never been to a records office before, I wouldn't really know where to start!

Once upon a time I had never been to any archives offices to look up their records (for free)...  I phoned ahead, and explained that I was new and wanted their advice as to what to bring with me, what to expect, and etc.

So, here's my suggestions
1) do a hand written quick three generation tree, with George SMITH at the second generation (ie leaving room to put names for his and Clara's parents IN PENCIL) and all their 18 children at the third generation  TRY to fit this onto ONE A4 page, possibly in landscape.
2. on the reverse side of that sheet, write down the main questions you are seeking immediate answers to ... leaving space for you to put pencil answers
3. On a separate A4 sheet, in chronological order, write down the various census reference numbers and under each of those headings the brief outline of the info there
4. Set yourself ONE main goal and keep that in mind when you approach the recepetion/info desk at the records office
5. SMILE and explain you are new, and you would like help PLEASE (DON'T ramble on about the details of the names of the family, just that you would like guidance as to the procedures and the HOW TO please)
6. Follow the explanations, and if they are going to fast, do interupt and say I am not sure if I am following you, please could you go over that again.
7. Take your digital camera (of course after asking on the phone if that is OK) and use it .. sometimes in NSW you can even take your laptop and download directly, or at least download your photos to check if its clear
8.  Take a steno notebook, couple of pencils and an eraser.  Top of each page put the current date that you are at the records office AND record every reference number for anything you find at that records office ... their reference number as well as any external institutions reference numbers

9.  Take a packed lunch, tissues, aetc in case you end up there ALL day, and ONLY touch your packed lunch in a common room where there are NO archive records ...


10... ENJOY cause its great to get to original records

Cheers,  JM

[carol8353]

George is listed in this census as being born in Bedfordshire again so it looks most likely that this was his place of birth. George G Smith born 1852, Clara C Smith born 1854. I'm confused as to why they have 2 daughters called Leah, must be a typo.

You're quite right about it being a Typo- a transcription error in fact.

Leah is the oldest at 30,the next one is 27 year old Beatrice.
I have informed them of the error.

Carol

[majm]

Re What you would find at a Records Office v Online

1. around 99% of records are in the custody of local records offices, and thus are not online with Ancestry, which has lots of indexes and some images from those indexes.  This also applies to other subscription sites.  
For example in NSW I can access in person
a) what we refer to as Probate packets ... the actual court records for deceased estates (of course with recent ones there's at least a 30 year closure period).
b) land titles
c) maps
d) diaries
e) correspondence between individuals/corporations and the Government (very handy when researching 19thC citizens in NSW)
f) admissions to orphanages, hospitals, asylums (if over 110 years ago)
g) photos/negatives taken by government agencies that have not yet been fully indexed (handy if you know a relative was a photographer in the late 1800's)
h) AND LOTS LOTS MORE


If you go to family history groups archives, you can usually get access to other people's research with their references ... sometimes (many times) these are much better researched than the submitted trees available online and include family stories, including for example inter-family relationships that are not shown on submitted online trees ... Many times within my own family I have found cousins were godparents to the following generation, but that's NOTeasily shown online ... or for example I have some double first cousins (two lads who were brothers married two girls who were sisters ... thus these two couples children share four grandparents, and do not have the usual eight grandparents between two families) ..

Oh dear, I am rambling ...

Cheers,  GO FOR IT , get out and visit the real deal records ... Its the bestest

Cheers,  JM