Trace Ancestor

[Andy J2022]

Although Sgt Thomas Brown was clearly with the 1st Battalion in 1906 in Dublin (per the birth registration - see reply3), the baptism of son Thomas in India in 1908 indicates that the father had transferred to the 2nd Battalion (the old 66th Regiment of Foot) which had gone to India in 1906 and remained there until 1912. Since Anne appears to be back in England in 1911 and a widow, I think it's fair to conclude Sgt Thomas Brown may have died in India. However there are no Army/overseas deaths of a Thomas Brown reported for the period 1906-1911 in India. There are several possible deaths at sea but without any details to confirm or eliminate him.
Of course it's possible that Anne made up the bit about being a widow, perhaps in order to get the job in the (?)private school in Windlesham. If so, and Sgt Thomas Brown was still in India at the time of the 1911 census, that would account for why he can't be found in the UK.

[Little Nell]

Cosmos55

Your replies have unfortunately come through as 'reports to moderator' - I will add them to this thread.

To reply to any message please click on the blue REPLY button (see attached image).

These are the replies:

How does your father connect to the Brown family?  ie who does he connect back to?  Are you saying that there may have been children to the couple before the child born in Dublin in 1906?

Here is the birth registration

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1906/01752/1691158.pdf
Annie Bessie Brown born 7/1/1906. Her mother's maiden name seems to be Raven

reply from Cosmos

HI I am so grateful for your very quick response to my email. Yes this is my late grandmother and i have a copy of her birth certificate but she was then adopted and living in London in Census1911 with adoptee parents, Louis Hayward and Mary Elizabeth Hay

and

Although Sgt Thomas Brown was clearly with the 1st Battalion in 1906 in Dublin (per the birth registration - see reply3), the baptism of son Thomas in India in 1908 indicates that the father had transferred to the 2nd Battalion (the old 66th Regiment of Foot) which had gone to India in 1906 and remained there until 1912. Since Anne appears to be back in England in 1911 and a widow, I think it's fair to conclude Sgt Thomas Brown may have died in India. However there are no Army/overseas deaths of a Thomas Brown reported for the period 1906-1911 in India. There are several possible deaths at sea but without any details to confirm or eliminate him.
Of course it's possible that Anne made up the bit about being a widow, perhaps in order to get the job in the (?)private school in Windlesham. If so, and Sgt Thomas Brown was still in India at the time of the 1911 census, that would account for why he can't be found in the UK.

reply from Cosmos

Very interesting, thank you so much, so Im trying to trace when/where my late grandmother was adopted who was born in Dublin 1906 and living in London 1911 under a different name. Her close friend at her funeral said she was adopted at a very young age bu


Good sleuthing from other Rootschatters.

Nell

[Neale1961]

she was then adopted and living in London in Census1911 with adoptee parents, Louis Hayward and Mary Elizabeth Hay

Cosmos, if you want us to comment on the 1911 census, please provide complete information which will enable us to find it. I have not found it with the names you have supplied above.

[shanreagh]

she was then adopted and living in London in Census1911 with adoptee parents, Louis Hayward and Mary Elizabeth Hay

Cosmos, if you want us to comment on the 1911 census, please provide complete information which will enable us to find it. I have not found it with the names you have supplied above.

Further to Neale1961's reply could you please confirm, or not, that
'she' was known as Annie Bessie Brown throughout her life or did her name change on the adoption? 

[Little Nell]

Cosmos,

I have sent you a personal message trying to assist you to navigate RootsChat. 

I hope you have received it.

Nell

[Neale1961]

Although Sgt Thomas Brown was clearly with the 1st Battalion in 1906 in Dublin (per the birth registration - see reply3), the baptism of son Thomas in India in 1908 indicates that the father had transferred to the 2nd Battalion (the old 66th Regiment of Foot) which had gone to India in 1906 and remained there until 1912. Since Anne appears to be back in England in 1911 and a widow, I think it's fair to conclude Sgt Thomas Brown may have died in India. However there are no Army/overseas deaths of a Thomas Brown reported for the period 1906-1911 in India. There are several possible deaths at sea but without any details to confirm or eliminate him.
Of course it's possible that Anne made up the bit about being a widow, perhaps in order to get the job in the (?)private school in Windlesham. If so, and Sgt Thomas Brown was still in India at the time of the 1911 census, that would account for why he can't be found in the UK.

I have looked through the 1911 census records at the detachment of 2nd  Royal Berkshire Regiment who were in Chakrata, Uttarakhand, India.
There is no Thomas Brown listed. So he was not in India, or had died, or had left the military before that date.

However interesting to note there is Benjamin Brown age 20 who is brother to the Thomas Brown I identified in my reply #7 (son of Henry and Lucy Brown of East Ilsley, Berkshire)

[Neale1961]

I think I have finally found the 1911 census that Cosmos is talking about. 
It is partly damaged and ages are missing.

43 Kings Rd, Chelsea, London
Louis Hayward – stationer’s printer, born Bath            (from 1939 reg - born 19 Nov 1880)
Mary Elizabeth Hayward – wife born Cornwall              (from 1939 reg - born 29 Jun 1874, Nee Perry)
Freida Stephanie Hayward – daughter, born Dublin      (from 1939 reg – born 11 Jan 1906)


I think it would be good for Cosmos to engage with us on the forum now. Feed back is needed.

[Little Nell]

Cosmos is new to the website and seems to be experiencing a little difficulty in navigating around.  They have been trying to give feedback on the public boards, but it's not always going to the right place! 

Please allow them some time to work things out.

Nell

[Cosmos55]

Hi

This is all very interesting and I cant thank you enough. I will colate and pass on to my father.

To add to the mystery of all this between February 1906 and April 1911 (Census) my grandmother 'Annie Bessie Brown DOB 11 January 1906' was living in Kings Road London with her adoptee parents Louis Hayward and Mary Elizabeth Hayward and she was renamed -Freida Stephanie Hayward.
She married my grandfather in Bristol and became 'Freida Stephanie Barraclough'.
Having had 10 boys (quins) who all dies then 5 individual boys she decided to leave the family home about 1950 ish. She changed her name by deed poll sometime later to Freida Stephanie Felton and I have her last passport 1992.