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Violet Smith was my grandmother she married my grandfather FRANK GRITT 30 July 1923 at Bishops Waltham, Hants she was stated as being 23 making her birth year 1900. But on her death in 1957 at Fawley, Hants she was aged 53 making her birth year 1904. Her father William Smith, labourer was deceased at the time of Violet's marriage. VIolet had 9 children with Frank my mum Margaret being 2nd youngest. My mum can only remember there was no family on her mums side, Violet was a romany/traveller. Any help with information would be much appreciated as my mum is now 70 and I would love to be able to tell her something about her mothers family. Her father Frank Gritt was married before to Ellen Green and how 9 children with her.
Many thanks Mandy

Do you have a copy of the marriage certificate? How old was Frank on marriage and does the certificate show that he was Widowed? Where were Violet and Frank born? Was Frank a lot older than Violet? Did Frank also die in the New Forest area c1959? Trying to establish a starting point, would it be possible to name some of the older children?

Thanks

Lynne

did Violet have a middle name?

If Violet had a middle name looks like she didn't use it when she married.

Marriages Sep 1923
Gritt Frank Smith Droxford 2c 411
Smith Violet Gritt Droxford 2c 411


Name: Violet Gritt
Birth Date: abt 1904
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1957
Age at Death: 53
Registration district: New Forest
Inferred County: Hampshire
Volume: 6b
Page: 344

If Frank was an older widower when they married, it is possible that Violet lied about her age if she didn't have her parents permission to marry.

Have you ruled out this Violet please?

1911

Name: Violet Elizabeth Smith
Age in 1911: 7
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1904
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
Civil parish: Portsmouth
County/Island: Hampshire
Country: England
Street Address: 20 Cumberland Road, Southsea
Occupation: School
Registration district: Portsmouth
Registration District Number: 90
Sub-registration district: Portsmouth and Mid Southsea
ED, institution, or vessel: 14
Household schedule number: 315
Piece: 5606
Household Members: Name Age
William Michael Smith 40 Skilled Labourer Dockyard
Lydia Eliza Smith 50
Millicent Dorothy Smith 17
William Victor Smith 16
Ethel Rose Smith 14
Robert William Smith 9
Violet Elizabeth Smith 7
May Ann Cartis 87 Mother-in-law

Says on image 5 children born, 4 living 1 had died BUT the Smiths listed below Lydia are all listed as his children!

Just getting a bit of background information.......

Marriages Mar 1889
Green Ellen ..Lymington 2b 897
Gritt Frank ..Lymington 2b 897

???
Deaths Dec 1918
GRITT Ellen ...48 ..Romsey 2c 284

PM Received from Mandy:

I have marr cert for frank and violet. He was54 widower she was 23 spinster, a hawker. Both living COrhampton Downs her father was noted as deceased William Smith a labourer.

They married at Bishops Waltham 30 July 1923. I don't have VIolet's death cert only an announcement in paper died June 12 1957. Would her death cert reveal any further clues to her birth?

A great aunt sent me a letter saying violet had been adopted or given away as a child and thought she was bought up in Park Gate the surname possibly Doby/Dobie. My 2nd cousin said she was told VIolet was adopted and had an adopted brother who found his family

Children from Frank and VIolets marriage
Elizabeth 1923-1999
Violet died age 8yrs
Gladys 1928
Kathleen 1931 died age 6 weeks
Norman 1932
Heather 1934-2010
Ivy 1936 died
Margaret 1941 my mum
Henry 1943 died

Frank also died and buried at Fawley feb 1959.

1891 census for Frank Gritt with first wife:

Name: Frank Gritt
Age: 23
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ellen Gritt
Gender: Male
Where born: Wimborne, Dorset, England

Civil parish: Iping
Ecclesiastical parish: Iping
Town: Harting
County/Island: Sussex
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Midhurst
Sub-registration district: Harting
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 849
Folio: 67
Page Number: 16
Household Members: Name Age
Frank Gritt 23
Ellen Gritt 21
Frank Gritt 2/12

Address: In a Tent
Occupation: Basket maker

1881 census for Frank Gritt:

Living with grandparents:
Name: Frank Gritt
Age: 13
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1868
Relation: Grandson
Gender: Male
Where born: Cranborne, Dorset, England

Civil parish: Cranborne
County/Island: Dorset
Country: England

Street Address: Ringwood Road
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Servt

Registration district: Wimborne
Sub-registration district: Cranborne
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 2090
Folio: 54
Page Number: 3
Household Members: Name Age
Moses Sherred 62
Harriet Sherred 59
Frank Gritt 13

This may fit with the Sherred Family, taken from the website below:
Granny Gritt the Gypsy pedlar was Mary Sherred, who married William Gritt, who was son of James Gritt and Sarah Harris.She was born about 1842 in either Cranborne or Winterborne, Dorset, depending on what years census returns you read! She was the daughter of Moses Sherred and Harriet?. Emma Gritt widow of Job Gritt continued the business after Job's death in 1907.She was Emma Gregory a widow on her marriage to Job and was originally a Rampton.She was born about 1849. The Gritts, Harris's, Ramptons,all seem to have intermarried along with the Rawlings, Ayres and Sopers, all chimney sweeping families.

It looks like Granny Gritt, was Franks mother, see census below:

1871 census for Frank Gritt, with parents:
Name: Frank Gritt
Age: 2
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1869
Relation: Son
Father's Name: William Gritt
Mother's Name: Mary Gritt
Gender: Male
Where born: Cranborne, Dorset, England
Civil parish: Cranborne
Ecclesiastical parish: Cranborne
Town: Three Legged Cross
County/Island: Dorset
Country: England
Registration district: Wimborne
Sub-registration district: Cranborne
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Household schedule number: 11
Piece: 1980
Folio: 56
Page Number: 2
Household Members: Name Age
William Gritt 30 - occupation Sweep
Mary Gritt 28
David Gritt 8
Fanny Gritt 5
Harriet Gritt 3
Frank Gritt 2
Tamar Gritt 6 Months

No direct help, but posting this link for information on Romanies in Hampshire and Dorset

GRITT surname is mentioned

http://gypsyjib.wetpaint.com/page/Romanies+In+Dorset+and+Hampshire

Gwyn

Mandy

Who are the witnesses on the 1923 marriage certificate please?

Gwyn

I know this isn't finding Violet Smith, however Frank Gritt, son of Frank Gritt and Ellen was in the Army for just over 5 years:

Name: Frank Gritt
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1891
Age at enlistment: 23
Birth Parish: New Forest
Birth County: Hampshire
Document Year: 1914
Regimental Number: 14338
Regiment Name: Hampshire Regiment
Number of images: 4

pm from Mandy re. witness names...

Witnesses are George and Ellen Hoare, Ellen is Franks daug from first marriage


Gwyn