Gertrude & Thomas COOK

[Annette7]

Eleanor Mary Cook died 1982 Enfield was WJT's wife.

He then marries again to a Maisie E. Seal in 1985 Enfield (referred to in the will).

Annette   

[garlands]

Annette,

Thanks for sorting that out for me.

W J Thomas COOK m Eleanor Mary DOWNES in Edmonton, 3Q 1938, and she died in Enfield, 3Q 1982. Therefore, she must have been the mother of JR in 1942 and TA in 1947.

Obviously, she was still married to Thomas in 1960, so who was Gertrude?

Let's hope the BC for TA (due for despatch tomorrow) will shed some light on this mystery.

George

[Annette7]

If 'Thomas' and 'Gertrude' are shown as the parents of JR and TA and we now know from will that the boys were the sons of Walter JT and Eleanor Mary one can only assume they were nicknames of the couple rather than their given names.   Certainly no Thomas and Gertrude that fit anywhere.   

Annette

[garlands]

I'm happy with 'Thomas' because we know he was Walter John Thomas COOK, but Gertrude? If TA's BC confirms that Eleanor was his mother, I guess we'll just have to refer to'Eleanor aka Gertrude' which, to my mind, is not very satisfying, but I can't think what else to do.

George

[garlands]

Annette

Don't hold your breath whist waiting for the BC scheduled for despatch yesterday. I'm still awaiting the arrival of a certificate from Kew which was scheduled for despatch on the 24th!

George

[IgorStrav]

I must say I'm waiting with interest - along with a number of others, I dare say - to hear the info on the BC.

Whilst I can imagine people calling themselves in daily life by whatever first name they wish, I would have thought on official documents they would call themselves their 'official' names (as on birth certs/marriage certs etc) to avoid confusion.

But who am I to say?

[garlands]

BC for TA has arrived, but still no sign of my other request which was scheduled for despatch on 24th.

DoB is 1st November 1947

TA's mother is confirmed as Eleanor Mary COOK formerly DOWNER.

Father is Petty Officer Walter John Thomas COOK RN.

Family address is 23 Primrose Avenue, Baker Street, Enfield

This must mean that JR's mother is Eleanor Mary COOK, and that she later decided to call herself 'Gertrude'; yes???

George

[garlands]

As Rosie pointed out some time ago, Gertrude COOK was a real person who died in Enfield in 2000 at the age of 87, but who was she?

Thomas COOK's sister? No, he had 3 sisters, but none called Gertrude.

Thomas COOK's sister-in-law? No, he had 2 brothers, neither of whom married a Gertrude.

I have found, in 1939, Mrs Gertrude COOK, DoB 24 Jun 1911, living in Hampstead, but no sign of her husband This is not too far from Enfield, and the date at death could easily be a couple of years out, but this is far from conclusive evidence.

Any thoughts?

[IgorStrav]

Garlands, I too am doubtful of someone called Eleanor Mary changing her preferred name to Gertrude, even in 1939 when it might have been more fashionable than it is now..

And using the Gertrude name in an 'official' setting.

So I'm with you in continuing to research the possibilities.

Have looked at your 1939 find, and surely it looks as if she was COOK from 29/12/1944 according to the update note by her name? 

And she says in 1939 she is Divorced, although I can't make out her surname (and neither can Ancestry, which has BER?) 

ADDED:  could her surname be BURWASH?