May Bradley died 30/10/99 Macclesfield, chesh

[ellandrew]

I am researching my family history and whilst my great grandmother was May Bradley, I am trying to find out if there is a link between them. My great grandfather was Percy Bradley. How do I start?

[Megan Roberts]

Find the entry in the death register, and that will give you her date of birth. Then look in the birth register and see if you can find her. If you can’t that probably suggests that she was married.

Look in the local paper and see if there was an obituary for her.

If you can’t find anything and you still think there is a connection then you will need to start purchasing certificates. On the death certificate see how she is described; e.g. “widow of Fred”, and who registered her death.

Basically you would have to do everything you would do if you were starting to research anyone’s family tree.

[Lesley Robertson]

Ellan, is that 1899 or 1999? I assume the latter, in which case I need to remind potential helpers about the "nothing about (potentially) living people on the open forum" rule!

[ellandrew]

Ellan, is that 1899 or 1999? I assume the latter, in which case I need to remind potential helpers about the "nothing about (potentially) living people on the open forum" rule!

Sorry, I do apologise.

[Lesley Robertson]

What for? You didn't mention anyone living.
I think that Megan's suggestion is the way to go.

[christanel]

Is this your great grandmother's death registration?
May Bradley
Birth Date - 18 Dec 1920
Date registered Nov 1999
Age at Death -78
Registration district =Cheshire east. Cheshire
Register Number -A58B
District and Subdistrict -3441A
Entry Number = 31

Christina

[geneius]

t my great grandmother was May Bradley, I am trying to find out if there is a link between them. My great grandfather was Percy Bradley.

If your great grandparents were Percy BRADLEY & Mary BRADLEY, then presumably the link is marriage !

[Pam Downes]

If your great grandparents were Percy BRADLEY & Mary BRADLEY, then presumably the link is marriage !

Except that the only marriage of a Percy Bradley and a May (not Mary) is May T Cowling December quarter 1937 Romford (Essex) registration district. If the death registration Christina found in post #6 is correct that would mean that May might still have been 16 when she married - unusual in 1937. There's no birth registration for a May T Cowling in 1920; and the only likely May Cowling birth is one registered in 1912.

What everyone (including nearly me! ) has missed is that ellandrew is failing to give us basic vital information. It is almost impossible to pick up anything about a woman when all you have is a date of death and the town in which the death occurred.

1. Presumably Bradley is May's married name. In which case (assuming that her birth date on the death certificate is correct) check out how many May birth registrations were made in December quarter 1920 and March quarter 1921. (A 100 as far as May Day - poor girl! - in the December quarter.)

2. However, there's a birth registration for a May Bradley in March quarter 1921, Macclesfield registration district.
Mother's maiden name Stonway. But I can't find a Bradley/Stonway marriage in the GRO Index.
So is May Bradley the maiden name of the deceased?

3. There's a mention of a May (Roberts) marrying a Percy Bradley in this thread, but they married in 1899, so I'm not sure if it's coincidence or an entirely different May or different Percy.

ellandrew - you need to come back and clarify a few things.

Is Bradley May's maiden or married name?
How do you know that this May is yours? You must have her marriage certificate (and presumably her birth certificate).
The names of her parents on her birth certificate are needed before we can really start to ascertain whether she might be related to Percy Bradley. For whom at the moment we have no details other than a name. Got any idea when he was alive? Who he married? etc, etc.

Pam

[geneius]

Even though May BRADLEY died in and around the Macclesfield area, it does not mean that she & Percy grew up in the area!