Same person or not?

[LaurenceB]

Hi, I'm trying to track a relative, Thomas Andrew Seabright, born in Lambeth district 1888/89 to Sarah Ann Riches and Andrew Seabright. In the 1911 census the only Thomas Seabright the right sort of age is working at Buckingham Palace but is 25 and born in Aberdeen. In 1939 Thomas A Seabright is also at Buckingham Palace and married to Ruth. There is a marriage to Ruth Jordan in Camberwell in 1919, but there is also a marriage of Thomas Seabright to Florence Cullen in 1917 in St George's Hanover Square. There is a death of Florence Seabright in 1918 in Pancras district. Do you think these are all the same Thomases (and the age and place of birth in 1911 is a mistake)? Does anyone have access to marriage registers for Camberwell and St George Hanover Square to check father's names? Thanks for any help.

[Pam Downes]

Have you checked Scottish records for a Thomas Seabright, born Aberdeen(shire) circa 1886?

Bear in mind that Thomas-from-Lambeth may have been in the military in 1911. And although he should be shown in the census I know from experience that not all sailors were recorded in the 1901 census. My grandfather was out in China during the Boxer Rebellion and his ship didn't return until 1902. A similar thing could have happened in 1911.

Have you restricted your census search to the precise name spelling and the precise year of birth, or searched for variants, and plus/minus at least two years? Have you found other family members in 1911?

Pam

[helachau]

FindMyPast has military records for Thomas Andrew Seabright - No. 1705

a.attested 7 Sep 1914 aged 26 years 9 mths; place of birth "Middlesex"; occpn Footman
b. married Florence Cullen, Reg Office St George's, Hanover Sq, 23 Mar 1917; Florence died 1 Mar 1918
c. next of kin Thomas Chas Seabright, son, 79 Albert St, NW1 (replaced Mrs Graydon, 5 Medway St)

The General Reg Office has the birth registration of Thomas C Seabright, Mar Qtr 1918, Pancras, 1B 27 - mother's maiden name Cullen

Thomas resumed duties at Buckingham Palace Jul 1918

[Lesley Robertson]

I've had a quick look at Scotlands People, no Thomas Seabright born 1880-1890. Looks like Helachau's find is distinctly possible.

[LaurenceB]

Thanks Pam, helachau and Lesley. I hadn't thought to look at military records. It all seems to tie up except for the age and place of birth in 1911. I can understand an age discrepancy but Aberdeen is a long way from London! Could just be a mix-up with someone else I suppose. I have not found a birth in Aberdeenshire even allowing for different spellings and dates.
Just to complicate things, Thomas seems to have died in Cornwall in 1950, although I can't find any reason why he would have moved there. His headstone on findagrave has age 61 and refers to his wife Ruth so would seem to be the right person.

[Lesley Robertson]

He doesn’t have to have moved there, he could have been visiting, traveling through, or on holiday. What was the cause of death, and does the death certificate say where he actually died? If it was an accident, for example, there might have been something said in the local papers along the lines of “visitor run over by bus”....

[LaurenceB]

No newspaper item about his death, but he is mentioned 4 years earlier in 1946 as being defrauded of money by a bogus doctor in the same village where he died. I'll order the death certificate.

[LaurenceB]

Oh, Thomas's wife Ruth has a later surname, Philp, indicated on the 1939 register. Lo and behold, Ruth Seabright married John Philp in St Germans district, Cornwall (which covers Stoke Climsland).

[helachau]

1901 Census (ref RG13 91 133 20)

A Thomas Seabright, Nephew, age 12, born Lambeth is living with a Mark J and Maud Graydon at 5 Medway St.

See post#3 for connection.

[LaurenceB]

Yes, I saw that. but I can't work out the relationship between Thomas and Maud. 'Nephew' implies that Maud was the sister of Andrew (Thomas' father), as his mother didn't have any surviving siblings. But Andrew didn't have a sister of that name. And Mark Graydon seems to have married Annie Maud Hawkes, not Seabright. (Annie Maud doesn't appear to have been previously married either). Maybe he was a more distant relative, not a true nephew, although Maud was listed as next of kin in the army records...