Who is my real Grandfather? Harry Hayward

[stevenwright]

I am based in Melbourne, Australia and am seeking assistance in trying to solve a family mystery regarding my Grandfather, Harry Hayward who we believe was born in or near Aston, Birmingham in or about 1902.

Harry Hayward married my Grandmother Charity Neta Emma Leeworthy in Victoria, Australia in 1932. Harry's children - Rex (81) and Val (79) are still alive but are also in Melbourne, Australia. I am posting on their behalf.

Harry didn't talk much about his childhood other than to say he grew up in orphanages and foster homes in Aston before he joined the Royal Marines and Merchant navy. He said he was born on 27 July 1902.

Harry sadly died in 1963 in Melbourne, Vic, Australia. Following his death, his son Rex applied for a copy of his birth certificate. Surprisingly, that birth certificate said he was born on 14 June 1900 and his parents were Henry and Georgina. My family had always thought this was strange but accepted it as correct as it was sent to them as the official record at the time of his death. Recently, I have begun looking into the life of my grandfather in more detail. My research proves that the birth certificate is not the correct one as that Harry Hayward sadly died at 14 months of age in 1901.

I have not however, been able to find any birth certificate for our Harry Hayward near Aston in 1902 that fits the description of what we know.

in the 1911 census, I have located a Harry Hayward aged 9 who is listed as a boarder with the "Neal" family in 5 Upper Sutton Rd, Aston. This would suggest that this Harry Hayward was born in 1902 and as a boarder could have been living with them as a foster family. it is my understanding that back then, foster children were called boarders. We believe that this was our grandfather.

During the research I have undertaken in recent months, I have been able to find copies of Harry Hayward's admission to the Royal Navy School of Music (1916-1919) and the Merchant Navy (1919). Both say he was born in Birmingham on 26 July 1902.

I have also been able to obtain his attestation files from the Fleet Air Museum. Those files make a note of the fact that it was not possible to find a copy of his birth certificate owing to a lack of information.. There is also a hand written note mentioning a foster mother called "Mrs Neal" of 24 Dolmin(?) Rd, Ashton, which is the same name as the family in the 1911 census, so we are certain that it is our grandfather in the 1911 census boarding with the Neal family. The papers also mention that he had been adopted by the Guardians of the Birmingham Union.

I have managed to contact the descendants of the Neal family but they are not able to offer any assistance.

I have also the records at the Birmingham library searched which has produced the following information.

BCC 10/BCH/3/1/2 Erdington Cottage Homes
Register of children. 30 November 1899 - 19 May 1925

Date of Admission 23 October 1911

Name Haywood Henry

Sex m

Date of Birth 26.07.1902

Religious Creed C of E

Home Sent to: Boys

Name and address of nearest relative Mrs. Neal, 103 Little Oak Rd. xiii

Class on Admission: orphan

Home in which child is placed 7

Date of Discharge July 22nd 1914

Where Gone To Traing Ship [sic] Exmouth Off Grays.


To

July 2nd 1915

HaywardHarry

M

26.07.1902

E. C.

Boys

Holiday from Exmouth

Orphan

-

July 22nd 1915

Returned to Exmouth

December 24th1915

Hayward Harry

M

27.07.1902

C.E

Boys

Holidays from Exmouth T Ship

Orphan

-

Jany 5th 1916

Returned to T. Ship Exmouth

July 4th 1916

Hayward Harry

M

27.07.1902

C.E

Boys

Holidays from T. S. Exmouth

Orphan

-

July 25th 1916

To T. S. “Exmouth”

17th April 1917

Hayward Harry

M

27.07.1902

C. of E.

Boys

Holidays from Naval School

Orphan

-

26th April 1917

Farm Colony Marple Dale Cheshire



BCC 10/BCH/3/1/7 Erdington Cottage Homes
Register of children. 6 July 1909 - 22 March 1937

Admitted to workhouse

Name Hayward Harry
Born 1902

To School 24 Dec. 1915

From School 5 Jan. 1916

Where to T Ship

Remarks

-

4 July 1916

Hayward Harry

1902

2 July 1916

25 July 1916

To T. S. Exmouth

From T. S. Exmouth

2 July 1915

Hayward Harry

1902

17.4.17

26.4.17

Naval School Portsmouth

-

Whilst this reveals some information, it also has a couple of contradictory entries, but nevertheless it doesn't cast light on the birth details of my grandfather.

It's my mothers 80th birthday next month and I would love to be able to solve it
Any suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.

Many thanks

[gasser]

Have just read your post and doing a quick search, I managed to find a photo of Harry Hayward (b. 26.7.1902) on find my past. Have you seen this?

[stevenwright]

Thanks. Is that the one from Merchant Navy ? We kind of know what happens from 1911 census onwards but nothing before. We are not even sure if that is his birth name or someone gave his name later as he appears to be an orphan. We also don't know why he ended up with Mrs Neal as a foster mother. That's the massive brick wall!

[Peter Goodey]

Births Sep 1903
Hayward Henry Aston 6d 266

Have you checked that one (bearing in mind that the date in the index refers to registration not birth)?

[stevenwright]

Thanks Peter. I have actually ordered that one and am waiting for it to arrive. It takes a few weeks to get to Australia. That's the only one that could be a possibility from what I could find. I'll check the parents details as well.

[Dundee10]

When Harry married, did he give any names for his parents?

[sandiep]

there is a Harry Hayward born 1st July 1900 on the baptism pages parents Henry & Georgina living Rocky Lane
also on opposite page is a William & Polly Neale bap dau Gladys Millicent address also Rocky Lane ,,,,,,,,,,,,,could just be a coincidence.


There is also a Harry Neal Hayward in the 1901 son of Mathew and Annie another coincidence maybe
scrap this last one he stayed in England

[sandiep]

sorry was bap date July birth was 14th June 1900

[stevenwright]

When Harry married, did he give any names for his parents?

No he didn't. He never knew who they were. He called himself an Orphan

[stevenwright]

That's interesting as that is the Harry Hayward that was on the birth certificate that was sent to us when Harry died. It was however the wrong Harry as that one died as an infant.