Genealogy Chat

According to my brother the sister was born after my father as he was worried he had caused her death, as apparently he felt he was too young to have been carrying her when he bumped her head! This is what he told my brother one day. I wonderered if it was the baby that died as a toddler, hopefully if I get his death certificate itmay give a clue, although my brother is adament my dad said it was a girl Found Lens death today, he died as a Mead, and it says his date of birth is Jan 1908, so my cousin (his son) got the wrong year! Cousin just confirmed he was wrong with dates, without me asking him. Also said there had been a sister. So still looking for a female Hornsby born Croydon after 1910 , bearing in mind dad was born 25.12.1909, and had been able to carry her should think after 1911 is more likely. I have searched 1912 to 1920, but maybe I missed her.

Oh, you got one of /those/ families :) My GGrandad was one too lol He's been a pain to track down! Only thing I can think is 1) Dad had a sister, but she died as a baby when he was born 2) Dad had a brother who died as a toddler

Long story here, my great grandmother was Eliza Hornsby, she had my grandfather Claude a year before she married James Mead, Claudes middle names are Daniel Bohannan, a Daniel Bohannan lived 5 doors away from Eliza in Pleshey. Sometimes Claud(e) is a Hornsby 1881 census, sometimes Mead 1891 census Father may have been Daniel Bohannan b 1857c, whose parents were Nathaniel and Charity Emma Bohannan. Claude had his marriage witnessed by father James Hornsby! I have the certificate. My father married as a Hornsby, died as a Mead -but we were all called Meads. My uncle on marriage certificate was Leonard Charles Hornsby otherwise Mead. Everyone in Penge knew the family as Mead, I know this as my mum and her family lived 5 doors away and I asked my aunt before she died. We always knew there was a mystery if Frank visited cos he was known as Hornsby, but we didnt find out, my cousin Lens son, says he knew Claude as they lived with him and Alice, and you werent to use the words illegitamate around him! So there you have most of it!

Yes because all subsequent births after my dads were in Croydon (they lived in Penge all thier lives). Claude and Alice married in Finsbury, so presumably lived that way then moved by the time my Dad as born.

Where does Mead come from??

Yes it is Hornsby, they were all Hornsby although Wilfred and Leonard were always known as Mead and died Meads, Frank decided to stick to Hornsby. So it has been a job all along and one that went to the grave with my dad the last surviving one of his family.

so do we know for sure that the girl was born in croydon?

Thanks for looking, have just checked my cousins note and Len was born in Bow!! Sorry I got it wrong. I do appreciate all the help.

Jess, though it looks like an E, it is a B. Hornsey is below Wilfred.

Wilfred Harold birth is in the name of HORNSEY Not HornsBy which is correct??

I found this one... Birth Jun 1911 Hornsby William Croydon.2a 286 Death Sep 1913 Hornsby William 2 Croydon.2a 359 Could be one of yours... (I too, can only find the Chelmsford Len in 1909)

Yes I found my dads and I have his certificate. He was Wilfred Harold. Croydon 2a 350 jfmar 1910 Presumable his brothers Len was registered in Jan 1909, although I havent checked. I have Franks born in Croydon jfmar quarter 1912 and Sidney b Croydon 2a 562 Oct quarter 1916 d Croydon 2a 406 July quarter 1918 I have Lens, marriage and death, Franks first marriage , but not his second to a Susie (Susan), nor his death in the early 1970's I think.

Maureen - have you found your Dads? tired eyes I have but i cant see him registered in Jan/feb/mar 1910in croydon the only Leonard i can see for 1st Qtr of 1910 is in Chelmsford. can you Merry?

There are only two births reg after 1911Q3 through til 1920......I would imagine these are the two younger siblings you mention. So any other child of this couple, should, in theory, have been registered 1921 or after, or 1911Q2 or before. However, it is true to say that not EVERY child was registered, though by that time it would have been difficult to bury a child without a death certificate. Also, not every birth registration made it to the GRO index, though, saying that, omissions are fairly rare. Merry

My uncle Len Hornsby was born according to my cousin 27/01/1909. My father was born 25.12.1909, his birth was registered in 1910. So they are 11 months apart. This is why it is surprising there are not a load more siblings, so can only presume that either dad was away at war, or mum had miscarriages. I dont think that Mabel born in 1909 would fit in, thanks though. I imagine we are looking at 1910,1911, 0r 1912. Also I may have rightly or wrongly presumed that Alice Shead (mum) would have been too old post 1920 to have more chidren, alhtough I did wonder if she had any earlier as they married in 1901, but havent researched that.

There is a girl in 1909 by that surname born croyon reg district MABEL 2a 279 dec Qtr there is no mothers maiden name shown though- too early no appropriate death in 1910 a Lydia in Croydon but she is 69

Babies by law have to be registered within 6 weeks of the birth, though what ought to happen isn't always what does happen. Whether or not the baby's birth was registered, I am sure its death would be and if it had died in this tragic way there would probably have been an inquest. nell

i think your dates of birth are perhaps a little out with your dad and his brother

Apparently my late father had a baby sister, (my brother has told me this) and he accidently banged her head against a door and the baby died a short while after, although its not known if it was his fault, he told my brother he was too young to have been holding a baby. My brother says that if the baby hadnt been registered before it died they didnt need to , but I am not sure about this. I have searched the years 1912 onwards and although I have found a brother, no sign of a sister, registration is Croydon registry district. My dad was born Dec 1909 and his older brother Jan 1909 , the next one was Jan 1912, and the next Oct 1916. Surname is Hornsby and mums maiden name is Shead. Hope this makes sense, I havent looked at 1910 &1911 yet, as I thought he would probably have been 3 when it happened, but thats guesswork.