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  1. #11
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    In the 1891 Census Alice's place of birth is given as Heath Town, Staffordshire

    Baptism

    Alice Elizabeth Blunt parents Robert and Caroline, was baptised at Heath Town, Holy Trinity, 23 May 1883

    Robert Blunt married Caroline Williams Sep 1881 Dudley 6c 98


    Added - Sorry, not quick enough!

  2. #12

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    Robert Blunt widowed, age 30, father John Blunt; Caroline Williams 24, father John Williams, married 28 Aug 1881, Sedgley Parish, Lower Gornall, S
    Alma

  3. #13
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    Thank you for all of your help!

    I’ve ordered John Trevor Poston’s birth certificate, as well as the marriage certificate between Margery and John. I’ll report back as soon as I have these.

    To summarise, my understanding is the following:

    There is a birth record in 1900 for a John Trevor Poston around the Shrewsbury area. The location here makes sense for the family.

    There is a record for a John Rudge in 1901, 1 year after his birth, living with an Alfred and Caroline Rudge, as well as a stepdaughter to Alfred, Alice.

    In 1911, there is a record for a John Poston, aged 11, living with Alfred and Caroline Rudge.

    The 1921 census has John Trevor Poston Rudge with Beatrice Poston Rudge. John then remarried after her death.

    If this is all the same John, any thoughts on the name change? Born a Poston, listed as a Rudge in 1901, Poston again in 1911, then listed as John Trevor Poston Rudge in all records after. Is this unusual? Is it common for the likes of Beatrice to take two surnames (Poston Rudge)?

    Thanks again for the help!

  4. #14
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    Yes, you've followed the main points, and summarised them well.

    If this is all the same John, any thoughts on the name change? Born a Poston, listed as a Rudge in 1901, Poston again in 1911, then listed as John Trevor Poston Rudge in all records after. Is this unusual? Is it common for the likes of Beatrice to take two surnames (Poston Rudge)?
    Slightly unusual for the bride to take both surnames, but really no different to marrying someone with a double-barrelled surname.

    John's change between Poston and Rudge is not unusual at all. My great-grandfather was illegitimate. Baptised on the same day his parents married, I assume he was baptised after their marriage because the surname in the parish register is that of his father. 1841 and 1851 census when he was still living at home he was listed with his father's surname.
    Come 1861 I went through the indexes for all the local piece numbers about six times, without any success in finding him, though I found his parents without any problems. It was only when the 1861 census went online and I saw a mangled-but-couldn't-be-anything-other-than-his-birthplace that I found the little blighter. Living two counties away and using his mother's maiden - and therefore his birth - surname. He used his birth surname when he married and when he named his children, but gave the his father's surname as a middle name.
    e.g. father William White; mother Mary Brown.
    Baptised as John White. 1861 census and married as John Brown.
    His children named James White Brown and Elizabeth White Brown.
    (Obviously names have been changed, but you get the idea. )
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  5. #15
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    Forgot to add, that if John is Alice's son, it could be argued that his surname shouldn't be Rudge, but Blunt.
    However, we'll cross that bridge when his birth certificate arrives.
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  6. #16
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    Adoption as a legal concept first came into being under The Adoption of Children Act 1926. Before then, adoption or fostering took place either informally or through private treaties. Children without any support could just end up in the workhouse or places like Barnardo's, which was established about 1867.

    Informal arrangements took many forms, but often when a child was orphaned, or their mother could not keep them, then relatives, or friends or neighbours could step in.

    My grandfather was orphaned when he was 6. At that time he had 3 older siblings and 2 younger ones. His mum had died 3 years before and he together with his older siblings was brought up by his widowed paternal grandmother. I don't know whether it was she or his father who decided that the two babies were too much, because they were given to two other families to bring up. I cannot find any blood relation with these families. All six siblings stayed in contact and in each other's lives.

    My great-aunt's adoptive family changed her surname to theirs, and she married under their name. However, on her marriage certificate she lists her biological father as her father. My great uncle's adoptive family did not change his surname, and in fact 20 years later they took in another unconnected child.

    We can make the mistake of thinking that there must be some paperwork either for the adoption or name change, but in those days it was neither necessary or practical. It is relatively recently that everybody has had to be able to prove their identify.

  7. #17
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    Yesterday I received two documents. The marriage certificate between Margery Hale and John, as well as John’s birth certificate. His birthday is the same as that known by the family, as well as on the 1939 census (13/03/1900).

    John appears to have been adopted by Alfred and Caroline Rudge.

    No father was listed on the marriage certificate, however the birth certificate gives the mother’s name as Rachel Poston. I believe she lived between 1876 and 1902. She grew up in Bishops Castle, Shropshire and seems to stay here until at least the 1891 census. She gives birth to John at what appears to be 24 Saint Julian’s Friars, Shrewsbury. She names him John Trevor Poston.

    A year later, I think Rachel Poston could be working in Lancashire. Ancestry has read her name as ‘Rachel Roston’. Approximate birth 1879 (3 years out), however the birth location of Bishops Castle is accurate. She is a servant to Gertrude Eley. I then think a year later Rachel dies and she is cremated in Cheshire.

    If this is true, I still don’t know who the father to John is. I had an idea that it could have been a Rudge. There is a Sarah Rudge (single, born around 1869) a few doors down from Rachel in 1891. I believe Sarah is a maid to Jane Sophia Augusta Brown. I was hoping to see a relation between a Sarah and an Alfred Rudge (John’s adoptive father), but I can’t see one. I thought either one of Sarah’s siblings could have been the father, or Sarah and Rachel were friends and a relative of Sarah adopted John. Any thoughts, or am I at the end of the road for John’s biological father?

  8. #18
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    I know it isn't any help but Gertrude Eley was actually Victoria Gertrude Ellis who married Frederick Eley in 1894. The marriage was registered in Solihull. Wonder what he did for a living, can't find him.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by suemalings View Post
    I know it isn't any help but Gertrude Eley was actually Victoria Gertrude Ellis who married Frederick Eley in 1894. The marriage was registered in Solihull. Wonder what he did for a living, can't find him.
    Sue - I know it's probably me, but I have allegedly read this thread twice and can't see any previous reference to Gertrude Eley in it. Have you posted this message in the wrong forum?
    Vulcan XH558 - “Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”

  10. #20
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    Post number 17. I'm not going daft am I?

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