Gertrude Nancy Foley, where are you?

[Traysha]

You're quick on the mark. Have just amended to Richards.

[Traysha]

Having no luck at all. Am starting to think she took on the Richards name and widow for propriety.

So heres a summary: No birth for Nancy Foley but there is for Gertrude Nancy (1897 Dudley Worcs),
1901 and 1911 censuses down as Nancy,
1939 Nancy Gertrude Richards widow b 26 May 1897
Can't find a marriage of a Foley to a Richards
No death for Nancy Richards but one for Gertrude Nancy Richards 1952 Worcs

Any suggestions? If I send for death cert can I specify only want it if her maiden name is Foley?

[avm228]

Rosie asked you about other children (in light of the 1939 Register redactions) and in particular mentioned a female Richards/Foley birth in 1933 which can be found on FreeBMD.

That seems an important line of enquiry to follow up, because if she did have one or more children with Mr Richards then their birth certificates may well yield his name.

A 1952 English death certificate will not yield a maiden name.  The identity of the informant may be of interest, though.

[Traysha]

Have just looked at that birth 1933 and a marriage for her in 1958. Have no idea if she belongs as don't know of any other children Nancy might have had. Still no marriage for a Foley/Richards that I can find anywhere!!

[Jomot]

The electoral registers for 1931 show a Nancy Richards and Doctor Walter Richards at the New Inn.  The page header states Parish of Wacton (P. T. Bromyard, Hereford).

[Jomot]

The electoral registers for 1931 show a Nancy Richards and Doctor Walter Richards at the New Inn.  The page header states Parish of Wacton (P. T. Bromyard, Hereford).

Hmm, someone called Doctor Walter Richards married a Nancy Martin in 1923, so this could be them 

[avm228]

The electoral registers for 1931 show a Nancy Richards and Doctor Walter Richards at the New Inn.  The page header states Parish of Wacton (P. T. Bromyard, Hereford).

They are a separate couple by the looks of it (1939 free search - still in the same location).

[Traysha]

Frederick Ralph Stratford RICHARDS died in 1940 and his widow was named Amy Isabella.

Debra 

Have just received Gertrude Nancy's death cert (pdf form-cheaper!). It states Gertrude Nancy Richards 55yrs, widow of Frederick Ralph Stratford Richards of Owls Nest Bromyard died 22 July 1952 at Worcs Royal Infirmary. He had been a station master with GWR. Informant was L.S. Foley(should be L.G.) son, Officers Mess RAF Station Kinloss. It is correct Lawson as he was in RAF and married in Dumbarton, hence Scottish connection. What do you make of that then? I found Fred's death in 1940 and yet she says she was a widow in 1939.
It was always rumoured that Lawson's father was a station master
Perhaps they eventually married.

[rosie99]

There is no evidence that she ever married Frederick R S Richards.  He married Amy Isabella in 1908, he was still with her in 1939 and she was considered to be his widow when she applied for the administration of his estate in 1940.

Information on a death certificate is only as good as the informants knowledge and it would not have had to been verified so it looks as though Lawson was probably brought up knowing that Gertrude had been in a relationship with Frederick but was not necessarily his birth father.

Gertrude obviously assumed the surname Richards and declared herself a widow in 1939 as there was no 'man of the house'.  This was not an unusual thing to do and would not have been checked.