Genealogy Chat

OC, i was also confused about the procedures of Electoral roles. What makes me suspicious is that fact that Elizabeth Levison was alone in 1919 then it seems Samuel was conciously added to the register in the 1920s. I would have thought if it wasn't updated, every year would have listed Elizabeth and Samuel. I thought about Barnett being married before, as 37 is a bit old to just be having your first child. I hope the service record is there, as it would solve some of the mystery! Liz

When Jews marry in a Synagogue, that marriage should be recorded and passed to the Registrar, so that it appears on the indexes. However, experience of various postings on various sites, suggests that this quite often did not happen! Some couples then married each other again, in a civil ceremony. Confusing, eh? What I am trying to get at - Barnett might already have been married, in synagogue, and was therefore unable to marry again. Another good reason to pretend to be somebody else! If it were me, I think I would go for his service record. They would have made SOME attempt to find him and there may be something useful there. OC

Electoral roll and default seems to be a continuing problem. If you are on the roll last year and this year you tick the box for only being on the council list I understand you are not taken off the public one - you have to specifically ask. Note I have not verified this with them wot makes the list! Clive

I am not sure on this point, but there is also the possibility that Samuel Levinson was included on the Electoral Roll by default. I do not know how Electoral Rolls were compiled - whether once on, you were there until someone told the Electing Officer that you were dead, or had moved, or whether you had to fill in a form (like today) each year. I DO know that one of my relatives appears as a householder, in the Rates Books, for 17 years after his death, and for five years in a Street Directory. OC

Tricky, isn't it - and Jennifer's right - he would have kept his head down for years if there was an outstanding warrant.

I thought about that, im not sure what sort of record would be avaliable in relation to Barnett. I don't know if he was that religious or not......i mean they never married and when Elizabeth did marry it was in a registry office. What would you suggest Paul?

Could there be records in the local synagogue?

Paul Obviously, just because something was a capital offence, it doesn't not mean that was always the punishment, but the very thought of the possibility could be enough to make a deserter stay under cover. Jennifer

Ah, I thought that name sounded familiar - he was featured on Who Do you Think You Are, as the ancestor of Nigella Lawson. As regards desertion being a capital offence, I thought so too until I found a record of a distant ancestor who was a serial deserter in WW1 and never got more than a spell in the Guardhouse. I think it's a bit of a myth about deserters being shot because the army never wanted to reveal the scale of the problem.

OC im afraid i don't think Barnett was anything to do with Joe Lyons......just a humble fruit hawker! In saying that though, i never thought him to be a deserter on the run from the authority! Liz

Electoral Rolls, then and now, only reflect what the householder SAYS. You don't, and didn't, have to prove you are who you say you are. This family of Solomons wouldn't be anything to do with the catering firm of Joe Lyons, would it? They had a Barnett Solomon. OC

Jennifer, that seems like a plausible explanation. Barnett only appears on the birth certificates of the children and his death cert in 1928. I can't think of another reason why they wouldn't marry.....and the electoral roles being so incorrect!!

If Barnett was a deserter in WW1, that was a capital offence. Have you considered that he may have taken Elizabeth's married name, maybe even to the extent of adopting her late husband's first name aslo, it would have been a good way of concealing his whereabouts from the authorities. Jennifer

I wondered if anyone could give any advice on this situation. My grandfather was Barnett Solomons born 1882 London. He was with an Elizabeth Jacobs, but didn't marry her. They had their first child in 1919, after Elizabeth was widowed by a Samuel Levison (he died in WW1, 1918). I think i have found Barnett's medal card, which states he deserted in 1917. I never really thought about this....as i had no proof this was my man. Until i looked at some electoral roles. I had a look at the family home between 1919 and 1930. I know Barnett was living with Elizabeth, but it states that Elizabeth Levison is resident there with a Samuel Levison (?!). Now im confused. Would desertion be the reason for being omitted from any official record?? Elizabeth even died under the surname Levison, which i find very strange aswell. Im planning to get up to Kew to have a look at the service record, but it might be one of the destroyed ones. I don't know what to think!! Liz

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