Help with French Descent

[Waterloo24]

Hello There

After receiving lots of help on this site with researching my maternal Grandfather family and whilst waiting for a bundle of documents to arrive in Australia I am now looking at my maternal Grandmothers family and am hoping again for some help from far cleverer people than myself.

I have learnt to stick to facts but will provide a little family story as well 

My great Grandmother was Mary Ann Gordon 1879 - 1964 ( married George Tiller). She defiantly had a sister Lucille (Lucy Ann) ... that I know for certain. They both ended up living in Preston.

Census indicate that there were also brothers called Alfred, John, James and William

I know the family moved around a lot and their father was french. Family story is that they had to keep moving as "people were looking for him". Something to do with the war and the French Army ??

I think I have traced them moving around the UK and suspect her father is William Gordon born in 1841 a British subject in France. I thought his wife was Margaret Goroy but I am confused as a few families seem to claim Margaret in their family trees and some even have her moving to America which my Great Great Grandmother did not do.

I don't really know where to go to find out any more or to start validating William and Margaret. Would love to find out why William left France and who is parents were.

If I need to post somewhere else please just shout at me 

Many Thanks for reading

[jim1]

Had a good scout around & there's not much for them is there.
Can't find a marriage or births for any children.
However I did a search for an Alfred born 1870 Dewsbury & came up with this one:

Gourdin  Alfred Sep 1870 Dewsbury  9b 610
Definitely a French name & it was common for foreigners to Anglicise surnames.
Might not be him of course but if it is at least you will have mother's surname.

A couple of others:
Sep 1874  Gourdin  Harriet     Dewsbury  9b 727
Mar 1878 Gourdin  Lucy Louisa     Kensington  1a 89

[jim1]

Also this marriage:

Marriages Mar 1868
GOURDIN  Marc     Prescott  8b 825
On the same page:
Hannan  Margaret    
McNamara  Ann     

[Waterloo24]

That is indeed a find :-)

Firstly that is exactly how my mum used to pronounce it when she was imitating her grandmother.

Dates tie in with my census research.

Maybe ANOTHER birth certificate to order ... I think I am keeping BMD in business on my own of late !!

Many Thanks

Had a good scout around & there's not much for them is there.
Can't find a marriage or births for any children.
However I did a search for an Alfred born 1870 Dewsbury & came up with this one:

Gourdin  Alfred Sep 1870 Dewsbury  9b 610
Definitely a French name & it was common for foreigners to Anglicise surnames.
Might not be him of course but if it is at least you will have mother's surname.

A couple of others:
Sep 1874  Gourdin  Harriet     Dewsbury  9b 727
Mar 1878 Gourdin  Lucy Louisa     Kensington  1a 89

[jim1]

& this one:

Marriages Jun 1897

Gourdin  Alfred  Preston  8e 1210
On the same page:
Heaps  Ellen     
Turner  Alice
1901 has Alfred Gordon born Dewsbury married to an Ellen.

[jim1]

Marriages Mar 1868
GOURDIN  Marc     Prescott  8b 825
On the same page:
Hannan Margaret    
McNamara  Ann     

This is the one to get

[Waterloo24]

Sorry I don't understand this one .. is the name Marc ?

I am certain you will be right but can you explain why this one is the biggie.

I understand the Dewsbury and Preston link on the others 

Marriages Mar 1868
GOURDIN  Marc     Prescott  8b 825
On the same page:
Hannan Margaret    
McNamara  Ann     

This is the one to get

[jim1]

Prescot is about 10mls. from Warrington where the other children were born.
If Alfred's mother's name in Hannan then this is their marriage.

[Waterloo24]

Excellent  .. so Alfreds birth certificate first then if it ties in this marraige certificate.

Thanks a million 

Prescot is about 10mls. from Warrington where the other children were born.
If Alfred's mother's name in Hannan then this is their marriage.