William Charles Gray. Died Poplar London 1936

[Helen Lumby]

I'm trying to find out some details about my grandfather William Gray. He was 70 when he died in 1936. He married my grandmother, Cecilia Richardson in 1926, and the marriage certificate has him living at 11 Canterill Road Bromley. Other details are that he was a 58 year old widower working as a labourer. His father is named as Malcolm Gray, deceased, a mariner. My mother's birth certificate has him as William Charles  Gray. My mother recalls that he had at least one daughter from his previous marriage, who went on to marry and have 3 girls, the oldest of which was round about my mother's age (born 1928), and probably living in or around London's East End as mum says she and my grandmother went to visit her a couple of times on the bus.
Can any kind people help me trace William's roots, as I can't even seem to get a foothold on his family details. Many thanks, Helen

[KGarrad]

Welcome to RootsChat!

From the 1881 census - which is free to look up:

Class: RG11, Piece: 470, Folio: 20, Page: 37
Carpenters Shop, Turners Road, Limehouse, London

Gray, Malcolm  Head  M  59 Shipkeeper (Out of Employ)  b Orkney, Scotland
Gray, Phoebe  Wife  F  48  b Middle Aston, Oxfordshire
Gray, William  Son  M  14  b Poplar, Middlesex

[KGarrad]

So many William Gray's out there!

However, 1901 census:
Class: RG13, Piece: 322, Folio: 90, Page: 20
Beccles Street, Limehouse, London

Gray, Phoebe  Head  Widow  F  65  Charwoman  b Oxfordshire
Gray, William  Son  Single  M  34  Dock Labourer  b Poplar, Middlesex


And I think this must be his Birth Registration?

Births, June qtr 1867
Poplar Registration District     vol 1c, page 691

Gray, William Charles B

[Helen Lumby]

Thank you for your reply K Garrad. The details you've found are the ones that I think are a most likely match. William's parents and first wife and daughter are still causing me much confusion. I can find a lady called Phoebe Bolton who married in 1868, however her husband was Daniel Charles Malcolm Gray who seems to have been born in Hackney (she was his second wife). The only Malcolm Gray who seems to fit the bill was from South Ronaldsay in the Orkneys. Both men were sailors, but Orkney Malcolm died years before William was born. I wonder if there was an identity theft or something. There is also a Gavril Malcolm Gray from Orkney. I'm not very experienced with genealogy and am going round in circles switching between websites at the moment!

[KGarrad]

The only Malcolm Gray who seems to fit the bill was from South Ronaldsay in the Orkneys. Both men were sailors, but Orkney Malcolm died years before William was born.

As I have shown, with the 1881 census, that's simply not true?!

The 1881 census shows William with his mother (Phoebe) and father (Malcolm); and also shows that Malcolm was born in Orkney.

So Malcolm was certainly still alive in 1881?

[Helen Lumby]

Thank you 
Sorry for being a pain, but this branch of the family has been driving me mad! Your help has been very much appreciated 

[KGarrad]

Potential birth for Malcolm:

Christening 24th August 1823, at South Ronaldsay, Orkney
Malcolm Scholay Gray, son of Malcolm Gray & Jane Peake
Born 2nd August 1823

There are also Merchant Seamans records for Malcolm Gray, 1845-1854.
(As found on FamilySearch)

[avm228]

1871 census:

Aboard the vessel Wellington:

Daniel Malcolm Gray, married, 58, shipkeeper Orkney, South Ronaldshay, Scotland

[ShaunJ]

11 Canterill Road Bromley

That should read 11 Cantrell Road. Also there with William in the 1926 Electoral Roll are Charles Speed senior, Charles Speed junior and Kate Speed.