John Bradford

[Falconer66]

I wonder if anyone with access to WW1 pension records could help me?

I have the birth certificate of Frederick John Bradford born in Cambridge in 1919. I believe this may be a 'long lost' unknown uncle. A brother to my father and his two sisters born 1916, 1917 and 1918 and abandoned by their parents. The father of John Frederick is shown on the birth certificate as John Bradford (Same as my fathers BC) and the mother as Harriett Bradford (Nee Day). My fathers birth certificate shows the mother as Margaret Bradford (Nee Day) Strangely on the baptism record of Frederick she gives her name as Margaret Bradford!

The father John Bradford gives his occupation as Horse Keeper (Same as my fathers BC) and 'army pensioner'

I was hoping someone may be able to access the pension records to find out at little more about him.

The address on both the BC and the baptism record is 216 Newmarket Road, Cambridge in the parish of St Andrew the less.

thank you in advance.......

[Annette7]

Can you give some more details of John - where/when born?

(I can't find a marriage between a Bradford and Day).

Annette

[Annette7]

Also, I can only find Frederick J. Bradford, mmn Day although you say there were 3 children born 1916, 1917 and 1918 but not apparently under Bradford mmn Day??

Confused!

Annette

[Falconer66]

Hi Annette7,

Sorry I gave you wrong information re: dates! (Bit late here in Spain....) My two aunts were born 1914 and 1915 and my father John William Bradford in 1916. All in Bedford which is quite close to Cambridge. Strangely on one of my aunts BC the mothers maiden name is given as green but as the informant was the manager of Bedford Workhouse I have always assumed this was a mistake. I have found no marriage. On the workhouse records I found the mother gave her age as 32 in 1914. On another poor relief record for 1916 the father John Bradford gives his age as 62. Shortly after this record the children were taken into care as 'abandoned by mother' I have no further records of either of the parents. It is a long shot that Frederick is connected and I was hoping that the pension records may shed a little light on the matter.....

[Annette7]

I have since found your other thread re. this family.   You said there that your father John William's birth certificate showed his mother as Margaret Bradford, nee Day but his birth is reg'd with mmn Green not Day?

Annette

[Falconer66]

I now have the BC's to hand. Yes you are correct Annette7. The eldest girl Evelyn's BC gives mothers maiden name Green, informant was the workhouse manager. The middle child Florence's BC gives mothers maiden name Day, informant the mother. My father John's BC gives mothers maiden name as Green, informant the mother with note in the informant box saying 'As per declaration dated 27th September 1916' (Do not know what this means?) Hope this helps.........

[Falconer66]

Little bump for this thread as still not solved.....

[bedfordshire boy]

If he was 62 in 1916 surely he was too old to have served in WW1 and hence be a WW1 pensioner. He might have been a regular soldier earlier in his life.

Have you found him in censuses?

[rosie99]

Were the children born in Bedford reg district all born in the workhouse