Looking for Edith Grace Johnson b. 1919 Ipswich

[Greensleeves]

Thank you all so much for all your hard work and excellent sleuthing, and apologies once again for that erroneous dob.  I still don't know where I got that from or why......

I am really pleased that we have established Richard and his family firmly in Lambeth/Camberwell, because this would lead me to think that after Rose's death, Richard and Edith may well have moved back to that area,or at least maintained contact.  At Rose's death, they were living in a house owned by my great-grandmother in Ipswich, and I have no idea how long they stayed there.

Another thing I noticed from Richard's army papers is that he was discharged from the Army suffering from 'neurasthenia', subsequently termed 'shell-shock', so it must have been a very difficult time for him when Rose died, as Edith, their daughter, would only have been about five years old at the time.  We know from the 1939 census that Edith was in Ipswich & East Suffolk Hospital, though, and then according to family oral history, Edith went to London, returned in 1940 to visit my grandmother, and then returned to London, never to be heard of again.

[louisa maud]

What a shame that after all the research you are no nearer finding Edith and her baby, you never know something might  turn up when you least expect it, don't give up
I do wonder if she lived with one of her siblings in London and might be listed on ER's

Happy hunting

Louisa Maud

[groom]

Sad that we can't establish a death. However, I very much suspect that she, and perhaps the baby, did die in the bombings in London and were unable to be identified. From what you have said, she had no reason to cut off contact with her Ipswich family, they loved her, took her in when she visited and accepted the baby. I feel sure that if she'd survived the war she would have been in touch.

It would be useful if we could discover where Edith and her father were between her mother's death and 1939. Did Richard take her back to London to be with his family I wonder? If so, why was she in Ipswich in 1939, and why did she end up in hospital there? Perhaps something we'll never know. 

[jonw65]

Was Edith open on the 39 Register to begin with? Because that would suggest she died before 1991 or thereabouts. I don't see how she could have been matched up to a death record, since we can't find one. Even though from 1969 d-o-b's are given in the indexes.

As Richard was so much younger than thought, only about 31 when Rose died, he might have remarried?

[avm228]

Finding the correct Richard in 1939 would potentially be interesting.  As chempat said earlier, it's a shame we don't have his exact DOB.

[groom]

Was Edith open on the 39 Register to begin with? Because that would suggest she died before 1991 or thereabouts. I don't see how she could have been matched up to a death record, since we can't find one. Even though from 1969 d-o-b's are given in the indexes.

Yes, as far as I can tell. She is in a list of patients, a few have had names changed presumably on marriage and some are still closed.

I'm not sure how the 1939 register and updates worked. If she was killed during the war and her body never identified, but she was reported as missing by her father or relatives in London would that have been recorded somewhere but a death certificate not issued as there was no body? After all she wouldn't have used her ration cards or the NHS when it was introduced.

[groom]

Looking at what we have, I think Richard may have lied about his age when he joined up and claimed to be 18 when he was only 16.

If we have the right birth he was born Camberwell March quarter 1893
In the 1901 census he was 8 which gives a birth 0f 1893
On enlisting in 1909 he claims to be exactly 18 so a birth of 1891
On the 1911 census ( in the army) he is down as born 1891

[louisa maud]

Have you checked ER's at Ipswich, also have you looked at where Richard's siblings lived in London, did Edith go to them, do you think Richard might have returned to London and suffered the same end as is suggested Edith did

Louisa Maud

[chempat]

Sorry, but think his birth certificate is required.  (Could have been born at end of 1892 to show in March quarter 1893)

He lied about his age when joined the army in 1909 - why was he so keen to join?

If he maintained that lie in 1939, or reverted to correct age, there are very few Richard Johnsons showing, and none in a very obvious area.  He may have already died.

There are various Edith G Johnsons showing on ER's, often as a single female, but could be any age.