The whereabouts of Sidney George French Carter (1914-???)

[jonw65]

Have you eliminated the Sidney G Carter who died March qtr 1968, Weston? Age 53, which would  fit.
I can't work out who else that one might have been.
Looking at births/deaths of Sidney/Sydney G Carters -
Birth, March 1913 Sudbury, most likely death for that one could be Sep 1935, Halstead, age 22
Birth, Dec 1914 Lambeth, your Sidney G F
Birth, June 1915  Berhampstead, most likely death is March 1990, Aylesbury Vale, d-o-b 27.4.1915
Birth, March 1916 North Bierley, possibly died March 1961 Doncaster, age 45
Birth, June 1916 Downham, this one could be the Sep 1955 Chactonbury one, age 39 (I don't think there is a marriage in Norfolk for him, nor is there a birth of a Sidney/Sydney G Carter in Sussex)

It is all just speculation, but who was the Sidney in Weston?
John

[drhewitt]

I just got a reply from Surrey History Centre


SIDNEY GEORGE FRENCH CARTER

Thank you for your e-mail of 26th August.

Sunbury was part of the county of Middlesex until 1965, when it became part of the county of Surrey. It is therefore likely that any records relating to Sidney’s childhood are housed at the London Metropolitan Archives (https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/london-metropolitan-archives/Pages/default.aspx).

The records of the Staines ‘Board of Guardians’ may give you an indication of whether Sidney was fostered or became one of the children under the care of the board. The term for fostering at this time was ‘boarded-out’. You can access these records at the LMA, reference BG/S. 

Genealogy websites such as ‘Ancestry’ and ‘Find my Past’ have useful databases for searching both military and immigration records. I have conducted a search for Sidney Carter but, as you have mentioned without knowing whether he has used his full name or only his first name and surname can make it hard to determine whether the right record has been found.

[drhewitt]

JonW65,

Thanks for that info, I am looking into it now...

[drhewitt]

I'm going to have a look at the Sidney in Weston.

There is the 1957 death cert which I have, the one where he married Gertrude Tapp but it's impossible to say. The age gives a birth year of 1913 and she was the informant so it's unlikely she would have got his age wrong.


The Weston entry for 1967 might be a good one, the name Sidney is also spelled Sidney on the birth certificate. I might consider ordering this.

[drhewitt]

I searched the 1939 register for Sidney Carter. No results whatsoever.

However, I found his father listed and there are two people with him who have been blanked out.

Francis was born in 1872 and would have been 67 when the 1939 register was taken.

Francis W Carter 14 May 1872 Male Lyrical Author Recieving Public
Assistant Widowed 22

Can you search for people born after 1914 or those born prior who may still be living even though you can't see them?

[KGarrad]

On the 1939 Register search on FindMyPast, it states (underneath the search boxes):

Records of people younger than 100 and still alive, or who died after 1991 are officially closed.

The register was updated until 1991; but only when they had been notified of a death, marriage, etc!

[jfrancis8912]

I did not think of doing this. Would he have been too old to go to Dr Barnardos?

The school leaving age was 14 at the time and he was still 13. Almost old enough to go out and work.

Indeed the school leaving age was 14 then, but many people left school at 12 or 13 years old unless they considered themselves clever and wanted to get further education.

I believe Barnados took in those under 17 who did not work, but you should check with Barnados themselves first.