Can I find out any more info?

[Tenny]

Hello all,

This is my first posting and I am very new to geneology so I hope you'l be patient !!

I am trying to find out anything about my paternal grandparents. The background is that my father was brought up by foster parents, not knowing his true name until he joined the army at 14. He was born in December 1914 & his bc states his father was Alexander Middleton, profession: private in the RAMC. His mother's name was Isabella, née Walker. Birth registered in Lambeth by I.Middleton.

Family legend was that his father was killed in WW1, and his mother died when he was a baby, hence the foster parents. My father never expressed any interest in finding out about his background, saying that there were family members alive when he needed them as a baby, but they weren't interested in helping him.

I've scoured the BMD indices looking for matching marriage entries for the grandparents, as far back as 1895. I've looked at the CWGC and War Pensions sites. Other people have checked on data bases of soldiers killed in WW1. I've looked for deaths of Isabella Middletons of an appropriate age up until 1920. I've looked at the 1901 census records. All without any really promising leads.

I don't know where else to look. Is there any chance of tracking down my grandparents given the information we have, or is this a futile exercise ? My main aim was to locate my grandfather's grave.

[jeeb]

Hi Tenny,
You say your father's birth is registered in Lambeth and his mother was Isabella Walker. I am not finding this birth registration. The only Middleton registered in the correct period is Jack Middleton with a mother's maiden name of Young. This reg. is in Lambeth Jan/Mar 1915.
You have not said what your father was called. What was the name he was known by until he was 14?

Jeremy

[Wirral]

Hi Tenny,
You say your father's birth is registered in Lambeth and his mother was Isabella Walker. I am not finding this birth registration. The only Middleton registered in the correct period is Jack Middleton with a mother's maiden name of Young. This reg. is in Lambeth Jan/Mar 1915.

There is the birth of Richard MIDDLETON born December quarter 1914 Lambeth vol 1d page 571, mother's name WALKER.

[jeeb]

Hi Wirral,
Interesting that because I felt certain that with the information given it must be correct and yet I tried under several methods and not once did it come up on my screen. I know other people have found information I have not which seems very odd. I will have another go now I know the christian name.


Jeremy

[jeeb]

Hi again Wirral,
I have just tried again with all the information you have given and it still says not found!

Jeremy

[Pam Downes]

Hi Jeremy,
If you're looking at the full GRO Index via 'A' certain site, the reason you can't find the registration is because a Henry E was 'pencilled in' to the Index after all the Williams, and instead of taking William as the last name, they've taken Henry. Do a search just for Middleton, Dec Q 1914, click on the image,and you'll see what I mean.
(Not helped of course by no Middletons for that quarter having yet been transcribed for FreeBMD.)
Pam

[jeeb]

Hi Pam,
You've solved the problem, I was searching FreeBMD.

Many thanks, thought I was going barmy!

Jeremy

[Pam Downes]

Hi Pam,
You've solved the problem, I was searching FreeBMD.

Many thanks, thought I was going barmy!

Jeremy

Dolly!
Go and write out 100 times 'I must remember that FreeBMD is a work in progress'.
When you really have to be careful with FreeBMD is when they've transcribed say Albert to Frederick in a quarter, but not Fritz to Zepheniah.
Pam

[jeeb]

Pam,
I never did like writing lines, too much practice at school perhaps! Anyway I've smacked the back of my hand. Not that I wish to pour scorn on the indexing of BMD but it would surely make more sense to complete a year at a time. I thought at least all 1914 was included by now seeing some 1926 are on there.

Jeremy

[Karen Newman]

Have you considered the possibility that some or all of the information that has been handed down is 'incorrect' (and I mean that in the nicest way). I say this because a relative (now deceased) 'invented' a father to hide his illegitimacy. The tale was relayed to me by his daughter who naturally believed her father, and never found out the truth before she in turn died. I don't think she would have minded at all, but would have been hurt that he lied to her. His birth cert revealed the truth.

Perhaps Alexander died and Isabella remarried but was unable to keep her child/children (there are two Middletons registered in Camberwell with mother's maiden name Walker around the same time - a long shot perhaps).

Perhaps he didn't die in the war.

I would not give up though. Sometimes it is best to shelve it for a short while and then go back to it.