Genealogy Chat

Is it common for a person not to name their father, whether he is dead or alive, on their marriage certificate. Im trying to trace the family of my great grandfather, Charles Henry Jones. As you can imagine with a name like that there are hundreds of them on 1901 census. I got his marriage cert in 1917 and even though his wife has named her father, Charles hasnt, it just has a blank line through it. I ordered Charles' death cert as well which gives me no info to go on either. As well as the marriage cert query, does anyone have any ideas of where i can go from here on tracing his parents? Thanks, Claire

You will need his birth cert,but it could be his mother was unmarried,when was he born??? could look for his birth on 1837...i have some credit's if you need a look up Sandra:-)

I would say his mother was unmarried. What age does he give on his marriage certificate? You can't count on it being correct but it gives an idea of when to start looking. Where did the marriage take place? This might narrow down the search for his birth. Kath. x

Hi, Well there is a story from my grandmother that Charles' parents didnt aprove of his wife Harriet as they thought she wasnt good enough so they disowned him, would that be a reason why he didnt name his father? The marriage took place in 1917. His birthday was the 2nd December but unsure of the year. Was between 1894 and 1896 but ive looked at 1837 already for possibles. I dont know where he was born. The marriage was in Sheffield but he wasnt born here from the Charles' that are on 1901 census. We know there is a welsh connection with this side but Charles wasnt necessarily born there. He is my biggest brickwall at the moment. Claire

Hi Claire How old was he on the marriage certificate? Also, how old is he on the death certificate? A december birth may not always appear on the Dec Quarter of the index it may be listed in the March Quarter. Trish

Did the son take the surname of his Mother (if you find a birth cert)? It was unusual for an illigitimate child to get the fathers name if the parents were not wed? The answer to this might give you a clue....Or the baptismal records, they were very harsh it often said Bas.....child of single mother or unwed mother if you find the nearest parish to birth place and hope he got baptised, I've found several children born in these circumstances and was lucky enough to find the baptisms that gave me the answers unfortunatly making it a dead end.

There is this birth on Ancestry that occurred in Wales that could be a possibility:- Name: Jones, Charles Henry Record Type: Births Quarter: December Year: 1895 District: Cardiff (1837-1974) County: Glamorgan Monmouthshire Volume: 11a Page: 365 Kath. x

Hi, Looking at the marriage cert now, it was on the 17th December 1917 Charles Henry Jones to Harriet Eastwood. he was aged 22. His birthday was the 2nd Dec. There is a Mary Jones on it as one of the witnesses but i havnt a clue who she is. The other witness is a James Dolphin. He might have been born Wales but my nan doesnt know, she says he didnt speak with a Welsh accent, apparantly well spoken, think he went to a private school. Wish he didnt have such a common surname, lol. Claire

I cant remember the age exactly on the death cert, my aunt has that but he died in 1941.

The only death that looks right is Sheffield Charles Henry Jones age 46 9C 1161. I think it looks pretty sure that he was born 1895. Bob

Cheers Robert, that is him. I had worked it out as 1895 as well but its the birth place that is stopping me from getting anywhere, as i dont know it, i cant get the certificate. I would assume he was registered as Charles Henry Jones as his marriage and death cert show the Henry bit but cant be sure his birth will show as that.

Claire using the age 5 there are 96 on 1901. Searching for Charles H Jones shows only 10. The top one is born Cardiff Glamorgan as found by Kathleen. It be worth looking at 1901 record. If no father in household it would explain marriage cert. and perhaps he might have sister Mary! Bob

found all these people in 1901 census living at same address hope it helps xxx clare Albert H Jones 1 Wednesbury, Staffordshire, England Son Wednesbury Staffordshire Alfred J Jones 7 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Son Wednesbury Staffordshire Charles H Jones 5 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Son Wednesbury Staffordshire Ernest L Jones 4 Monmouthshire, Monmouth, Wales Son Wednesbury Staffordshire Lewis Jones 40 Monmouthshire, Monmouth, Wales Head Wednesbury Staffordshire Margaret Jones 12 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Daughter Wednesbury Staffordshire Priscilla Jones 32 Monmouthshire, Monmouth, Wales Wife Wednesbury Staffordshire Thomas O Jones 9 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Son Wednesbury Staffordshire Thos Jones 35 Monmouth, Monmouth, Wales Relative Wednesbury Staffordshire Trevor W Jones 11 Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Son Wednesbury Staffordshire Charles H Jones Age in 1901: 5 Estimated birth year: 1896 Relation: Son Household: View other family members Gender: Male Where born: Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales Civil parish: Wednesbury Ecclesiatical parish: St James County/Island: Staffordshire Country: England Source information: RG13/2726 Registration district: West Bromwich Sub-registration district: Wednesbury ED, institution, or vessel: 4 Folio: 90 Page: 33 (click to see others on page) Household schedule number: 139

Claire if you find its not on his birth cert, try finding his baptism record, then look at the bastardy records in the parish, some went to court for maintence and it was recorded sandra

Thanks to everyone that has replied. Im certainly going to have a look into some of the suggestions that you have given me. Nan seems pretty sure Charles wasnt illegitimate and was just disowned by his parents but maybe she is wrong. Thanks again, Claire

The Charles that was born Glamorgan was the one with a father called Lewis. I have saved the image for another Charles H. who was 5 yrs old in 1901, who is the only one I can find with a sister called Mary. They were in Liverpool. Send me you email address if you'd like to see it. Kath. x

Good luck with your searching on this Claire. I have to say, sometimes having a father on a marriage certificate can still send you down the wrong track. I found one of my rellies was illigetimate and the man he had named on his marriage cert was in fact his grandad!

It's possible the being disowned story was made up to cover up his illegitimacy, which was considered a great shame and scandal in those times. Or perhaps the truth is that although he was illegitimate his mother knew who the father was but he refused to acknowledge his paternity. I hope the parish baptism records shed some light. nell

I just wish my nan knew where he was born and then it would get me somewhere, with a name like Charles Jones and no birth place its like looking for a needle in a haystack. The marriage cert was just as bad for giving his wife Harriet's dads name as Harry Eastwood when we thought he was called william. Had to get her birth cert which showed he was William, god knows where Harry came from. Then on the 1891 census Harriet parents were showing under her mums maiden name of Booth rather than Eastwood and Williams name showed as Harry Booth! Can see why im ready for throwing the computer out of the window now, lol. Claire