Arthur George Farmer - adopted before 1901

[DavidG]

My first wife was Judith Ann Salmons born 2 Aug 1942.
Her father was Joseph William Salmons born 1 Feb 1916 in Dorking Surrey.
His father was Arthur George Salmons exact birth date not known.

What we do know is that he married Annie Agnes Daley on 4 Apr 1915 in Dorking Parish Church, and enlisted for War Service, in Dorking, on 30th November 1915, and so was a serving soldier at the time of the birth of his son on 1 Feb 2016.
His war records show that he served in Flanders as a motor cycle messenger, and suffered an accident which caused him to fall from his motor cycle on the evening of Christmas Day 1916, and he died in the early hours of 26 December 1916 in the No. 12 Stationary Hospital, St Pol-sur-Ternoise, France. He is buried in a local War Grave cemetery with a simple inscription.

[His widow Annie Agnes Daley - now Salmons - later married Roy Wanstall and had two children Joy Wanstall and David Wanstall, half brother and half sister to Joseph William Salmons.
Roy Wanstall was killed in WW2, leaving Annie as a double war widow bringing up three children. Very sad.]

Joseph William Salmons lost his father when he was just 11 months old, and in effect never knew him BUT he did know his father had been adopted.

The only clue to that adoption that I have found so far is in the 1901 census.
This shows that that his adoptive parents were William George Salmons and Emily Stone. The census image shoes the family living at Waverley Court Entrance Lodge in Frimley, Surrey - as follows:

William G Salmons Head Age 43 Gardener Domestic?? Worker born Romford, Essex
Emily Salmons Wife Age 42 born Norwich, Norfolk ..and over the page....
William Philip Salmons, Son Age 15, Bread Maker and Confectioners Apprentice, Born Walthamstow, Essex
Maud Emily Salmons, Daughter, Age 12 born Walthamstow, Essex
Arthur G Farmer, Adopted Son, Age I think 4 - or could be 7, born Greenwich, London

By the 1911 Census Arthur George Salmons has lost his adoptive father, and his adoptive mother Emily Salmons has found employment in the home of Martha Steward at Virginia Cottage, Dorking. She and her daughter Maud Emily Salmons are working as Cook and Housemaid respectively.

So far I have not found Arthur George Salmons in the 1911 census.

The questions I have are
1. Who were his parents and when was he born
2. At what stage did he take the Surname Salmons - certainly by the time of his marriage

His parents marriage was on 4 April 1915 at Dorking Parish Church and Arthur George uses the surname Salmons and states his age as 21, slightly at odds with his stated age in 1901 census as 4 (or possibly 7). So we deduce that he takes the name Salmons sometime between 1901, when he was Farmer and 1915 at his marriage.

Any help identifying the true Arthur George Farmer and parentage would be most helpful.

David Gutteridge (50 years married to a Salmons!)

[arthurk]

Hi David, and welcome.

I've got a possible sighting of Arthur George in 1911, as Salmons, at Winslow Hall, Bucks, the home of a Norman and Constance Helena McCorquodale - RG14/7967 schedule 174. He's shown as aged 18, single, a domestic footman, born Greenwich.

I found this at The Genealogist with the forenames Arthur George, year of birth 1894 +/-1, and keyword Greenwich (and no surname). I can't guarantee that there aren't any other possibilities, but based on those criteria, this one stood out as by far the most likely. You may be able to replicate that search on other sites.

It might be hard to find out exactly when he changed his name, but school records might provide clues, if you can find them. Adoption wasn't regulated by law until 1927 so there may not be any records of any agreement, unless it can be tracked down through some voluntary society or agency. The use of Farmer in 1901 might possibly indicate that the adoption had only recently happened or was still not 100% definite, so they hadn't decided on a name change at that point - but that's only a guess on my part.

[Pam Downes]

Hi David,

Welcome to British-Genealogy.

What an excellent first post. Lots of information to help our sleuths.

I've found the birth registration for an Arthur George Farmer in December quarter 1896, Lewisham registration district, mother's maiden name Goult. Lewisham is not that far from Greenwich.

FreeBMD have a marriage with a Henry Farmer on the same page as Elizabeth Goult, March quarter 1882, Lewisham registration district.

False hope.
In 1901 the Arthur George Farmer born in Lewisham, is living with parents Henry and Elizabeth in Lewisham. Census reference RG13/548 folio 47 pages 33 and 34.

[Lesley Robertson]

There is a death for a William George Salmons (born abt 1857) in Farnham, Surrey in March 1906, listed on Ancestry's Civil Registration Death Index. Anc link the entry to the marriage index page of 1880 that includes Emily Stone. There are 9 other entries for the same name, with various birth years.

[christanel]

ARTHUR GEORGE SALMONS
Service Number: 161192
Regiment & Unit/Ship
Royal Engineers
Third Army Signal Coy.
Died 26 December 1916
Age 23 years old
Buried or commemorated at
ST. POL COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION

According to his very detailed accident record in his service records this is your man and born c1893 unless he put is age up for some reason when he enlisted.

Christina

[Pam Downes]

The only clue to that adoption that I have found so far is in the 1901 census.
This shows that that his adoptive parents were William George Salmons and Emily Stone. The census image shoes the family living at Waverley Court Entrance Lodge in Frimley, Surrey - as follows:

William G Salmons Head Age 43 Gardener Domestic?? Worker born Romford, Essex
Emily Salmons Wife Age 42 born Norwich, Norfolk ..and over the page....
William Philip Salmons, Son Age 15, Bread Maker and Confectioners Apprentice, Born Walthamstow, Essex
Maud Emily Salmons, Daughter, Age 12 born Walthamstow, Essex
Arthur G Farmer, Adopted Son, Age I think 4 - or could be 7, born Greenwich, London

Arthur's age is definitely 7. If you look at the way 4 is written on this page, plus pages either side, you will see they are written completely differently.

[christanel]

Looking at the 1901 census I would say Arthur's age is 7 not 4 when comparing with other 4's on the page.
Hi Pam I had written this but not posted it.
There is a baptism for an Arthur George Farmer in 1893 but he is on the 1891, 1901 censuses with his parents Thomas farmer and Eliza. Can't see him in 1911 as yet.

Arthur George Farmer
Registration Date: September 1/4 1889
Registration Place Wandsworth, London, England
Vol 1d Page 659
Christina

[DavidG]

Thank you, Arthurk. That is most interesting.
I was at first surprised to think of him in Buckinghamshire, but I suppose moving from Waverley Court in Frimley, Surrey to Winslow Hall, Bucks - from one country house to another - makes some sort of sense. One can imagine his father wanting the best for him and pulling some country house strings. One can imagine his father getting pleasure that his adopted son had secured a role as a footman.
Thank you for finding a missing link in his story.
David Gutteridge.

[DavidG]

Thank you, Pam.
Others agree with you that the 1901 age is 7. That makes his birth 1994+/- 1.0
Arthurk has found a likely candidate in 1911 census and age 18.
Now I would like to pin down his birth parents.
David

[DavidG]

Hi David,

Welcome to British-Genealogy.

What an excellent first post. Lots of information to help our sleuths.

I've found the birth registration for an Arthur George Farmer in December quarter 1896, Lewisham registration district, mother's maiden name Goult. Lewisham is not that far from Greenwich.

FreeBMD have a marriage with a Henry Farmer on the same page as Elizabeth Goult, March quarter 1882, Lewisham registration district.

False hope.
In 1901 the Arthur George Farmer born in Lewisham, is living with parents Henry and Elizabeth in Lewisham. Census reference RG13/548 folio 47 pages 33 and 34.

Yes, Pam
I had found this "possibility" and followed it up, only to discover that this Arthur George Farmer married Maud Alice Briggs in July 1926.
David