Wysall

[Annie65115]

The fact that on Margaret's b/cert in 1913 he is described as of Independent Means I thought might be because at that time she didn't really know what he did for a living.

Who registered Margaret's birth - your gran or Edward? I don't know what the rule was in those days - if your gran had registered the birth without Edward being there, would she have been able to have him named as father on the certificate?

In other words, if he's named as father, does that mean he was present at the registration?

[Annie65115]

Another question, a bit off the wall:

Who was Edward Henson?

He is in the Stephenson household in 1901; born Bunny, Notts (in Basford reg district) in 1880.

He's with his mother Sarah and his younger sister Nellie in 1891. Sarah is single and working as a servant in 1881 - no sign of Edward. Sarah seems not to have married.

I can see a possible birth reg for Nellie Henson on freeBMD but nothing for Edward. No baptism for either child either, as far as I can see. Was Edward registered under a different name? Neither can I find any trace of him after 1901.

Did he borrow the Stephenson surname, or was he in reality an illegitimate part of the family? Or is he a total red herring?

[Kay99]

Another question, a bit off the wall:

Who was Edward Henson?

He is in the Stephenson household in 1901; born Bunny, Notts (in Basford reg district) in 1880.

He's with his mother Sarah and his younger sister Nellie in 1891. Sarah is single and working as a servant in 1881 - no sign of Edward. Sarah seems not to have married.

I can see a possible birth reg for Nellie Henson on freeBMD but nothing for Edward. No baptism for either child either, as far as I can see. Was Edward registered under a different name? Neither can I find any trace of him after 1901.

Did he borrow the Stephenson surname, or was he in reality an illegitimate part of the family? Or is he a total red herring?

I think it possible that Edward was registered as Edwin Young Henson in 1880 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2XNV-JQB and is listed as Edwin in 1881 https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKXD-5LQ8

There is a tree on Anc that lists him as marrying Gwendoline Mary Stevenson (daughter of Jesse Stevenson) on 06 Feb 1915 at St Marys Ilkeston as Edwin Henson and him being killed on 29 Mar 1918 at  France and Flanders.   Although no age is listed by the record of his death his birth place is listed as Nottingham with a military connection to Ilkeston

[Annie65115]

Oh well, it was a thought! (Good sleuthing, Kay!)

[Towdlass]

Hi Annie65115,

As my gran called herself Edith Annie Stevenson I don't think there would be any problem in regard to the father's name being on the birth certificate. To be honest I think it would be quite rare for both parents to be present when registering a birth, don't you agree??? The father needing to be at work or the mother surrounded by kids and dirty nappies.
Sorry for my lack of response over the last couple of days but I just didn't have time to log on. Thanks to both yourself and Kay99. Glad to have you in my corner.

Towdlass

[Annie65115]

I honestly don't know. I've noticed that quite a view of my ancestor's birth certs have the father as the informant; and I thought there was some sort of legislation stating that if the couple is unmarried, the father's name can only be put on the cert with the father's consent - and he would have to be there in person to give that consent.

I've seen births in the 1920s and 1930s where the parents are an established couple, albeit unmarried; and the child is issued with two certificates, one with the mother's name and one with the father's. That only happened if the father was present for the registration.

I have no idea how closely this was policed. If it wasn't policed at all, then given the "shame" that we are told went with being illegitimate, I don't know why more children didn't have a made-up father's name on the certificate (I know some did!)

[Towdlass]

I know what you mean and I'm sure that is the case in some instances. I will check it though just to make sure. My thoughts were that my gran was behaving as though they were married and changed her name to Stevenson. I felt sure that in her mind if you can convince everyone that you are a married couple then that is almost as good as it being true.

[Towdlass]

I just had a look on Find My Past and I can't find any suitable births in the name of Toulson. I assume that if two had been issued for each child they would be listed in each name? I've checked the individual birth certificates and the informant in each case was Edith Annie Stevenson.

[Towdlass]

This looks like Edward's baptsim ( Francis Edward Olwyn Stevenson) in Hallam Fields, Derbyshire - at least you know where he came from

Shirl

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KBFL-NPF

Hi Shirl,

Just found the record that he joined the navy in 1911 and served abroad until 1920. Fascinating thing to try to read but which means he couldn't have fathered 4 children in Sheffield during this same time. Back to the drawing board.

Pat