The Lovegroves of Reading, Berkshire

[GrandyP]

Hi everyone and a Merry Christmas to you all.

For some time now, I've been trying to trace my wife's Grandfather, John Lovegrove who married her Grandmother, Mildred Doris Goodey, in 1920. All I can find out is this he was born around 1893/4 and his father was Thomas Lovegrove (deceased at the time of the wedding). In 1920 he was a journeyman painter and by 1922 he was a master decorator like his father had been. They divorced (or separated?) around 1923/4. I have spent ages looking through various websites and even at the Berkshire records office but so far I just keep hitting a brick wall.

Can anyone help?

[groom]

Welcome to Rootschat.  Could this be his death?

 
John Lovegrove
Birth: 27 Apr 1893
Death Sep quarter 1974
Age  81
Abingdon Berkshire
Volume:   20  Page:   1886

Address on probate records 10, Ashgate, Abingdon. Died 21st August 1974 and left £1071.

[bevj]

Is this Thomas with his wife and family in 1881?
This Thomas is a painter and paperhanger by trade.

Thos. Lovegrove    27
Margrat Lovegrove    24
Gerte. Lovegrove    4
Lily M. Lovegrove    3
Thos. E. Lovegrove    2
Leslie Lovegrove    

Registration district:    Reading
Sub registration district:    St Giles
ED, institution, or vessel:    7
Piece:    1307 Folio:    54
Page Number:    35

Living at 38 Southampton Street, Reading.

Bev

[GrandyP]

Hi Bevj

Yes and no(?); but thank you for responding anyway.

The Thomas Lovegrove that you refer to is actually my wife's great, great Grandfather; his daughter Gertrude Lovegrove married Oliver Osman Goodey and their daughter was Mildred Doris Goodey.

The rumour in the family is that Mildred married her mothers brother and the marriage was then anulled but Thomas and Margaret didn't have any sons called John and I haven't been able to find anything with regards to any divorces or anullments in that period.

I don't know if it is just a coincidence that both Thomas Lovegroves were in the decorating game, I did try to contact the Painters and Decorators Association (PDA) as they hold all of the guild records but had no response from them at all.

[pinefamily]

The closest John Lovegrove I can see in the 1901 census is the son of a Frank Lovegrove, painter. This John is 7 years old, but if that death reference is correct, it could be him. Just not Thomas as father. Can't see any Thomas Lovegrove's that are painters, other than yours.

[pinefamily]

I see Thomas and Margaret had a son David born1893/4. Have you accounted for him in later life? Is it possible he used the name John? Only surmising....

Added: There is no John Lovegrove registered any time in 1893. Yet there is that death record stating John Lovegrove was born in April 1893. There are however two in 1892 births. One is in the June quarter, as an April birth should be.

[pinefamily]

The John William Lovegrove born in the June quarter of 1892 was the son of John Lovegrove, general labourer. This man could be the subject of that death reference found by Groom.
Back to the drawing board.....

[whiteout7]

This man could be of interest from the IGI
Thomas P J Lovegrove, born 1922, Reading, Berkshire, England - mother Goodey

Mildred Goodney might have married a Lovegrove cousin rather than her mothers brother (that could just be speculation caused by distance from the event). In which case your John Lovegrove could have come from a completely different district and his parents would not be Thomas and Margaret. Being a Lovegrove relative might explain the common trade.

It is a tricky one! Where do you think your John Lovegrove may have died?

[GrandyP]

Hi everyone, hope you all had a great Christmas 

Thanks for all of your replies, some stuff I already knew and some has given me things to think about.

Thomas P J Lovegrove is actually my wife's father and we have a copy of his birth certificate (28/02/1922) which lists his father as John Lovegrove, Master Decorator, 32 Sycamore Road, Reading (just to add to the puzzle, Mildred Goodey was living at 84 Carnarvon Road, Reading at the time)

We also have a copy of the marriage certificate between Mildred and John which lists him as a Journeyman Painter and his father as Thomas, Painter and Decorator (deceased). At the time of the marriage (22/09/1920) they were both living at the home of Mildred's grandmother, Hephzibah Goodey (love that name!) at 89 Cholmeley Road, Reading. They had a daughter, Mildred in December 1920.

Where I'm stuck is in identifying John and tracing his roots. His age was listed as 26 on the marriage certificate so that would put him at around 1893/4 and his father, Thomas, died before the wedding (but I don't know how long before). I did find a John Benwell Lovegrove, born 1893 on the Isle of Wight, whose father was Thomas but I can't make a solid link as he married someone on the island in 1928 although it it possible that he moved back after the divorce. The only other candidate is David Lovegrove who was Mildreds uncle (fits in with the family rumours) but he didn't have a middle name.

I've been taking advantage of Ancestrys free Christmas session to see if I can find a war record for John as he must have served, maybe I'll turn something up there.

Happy holidays