Grandfather problem!

[RobinC]

I'm currently trying to research my grandfather's side of the family tree and ordered the marriage certificate of his marriage to my grandmother, however, I received the certificate this morning and I have no further information on him as his father is "unknown (deceased)" and the occupation is "unknown".

I know that my grandad was born in 1919 as he was 90 years of age when he passed away last year and I have found a record of a Robert Peter Crouch being born in West Ham in 1919 with his mother's maiden name being Giles.

I cannot find any other information on him and don't really want to order his birth certificate as it may also say that his father is unknown.

Has anyone got any other ideas of how I can find information on him?

[nuttyhelen]

North Lincs council do an index search on Births Deaths etc maybe worth a look at the West Ham council webpages

[RobinC]

North Lincs council do an index search on Births Deaths etc maybe worth a look at the West Ham council webpages

Thanks for the tip Helen, I've found this council website https://www.directory.londoncouncils....ectory/newham/ but it doesn't let me search for birth records. Newham seems to cover where West Ham is found on Google Earth.

[nuttyhelen]

A shame I have foun my local one a great source of info

Helen

[Mutley]

It is worth ordering the birth certificate as this would give the full name of his mother and also the address at the time of the birth. You could then look for her in the census of 1901 and 1911.

Unless you know that information already.

[Geoffers]

I'm currently trying to research my grandfather's side of the family tree and ordered the marriage certificate of his marriage to my grandmother, however, I received the certificate this morning and I have no further information on him as his father is "unknown (deceased)" and the occupation is "unknown".

........which often hints towards an illegitimate birth.

I have found a record of a Robert Peter Crouch being born in West Ham in 1919 with his mother's maiden name being Giles.

Is this just information from the GRO index, or do you have other information that his mum's maiden name was GILES?

I cannot find any other information on him and don't really want to order his birth certificate as it may also say that his father is unknown.

Has anyone got any other ideas of how I can find information on him?

Was he baptised? You might try the parish registers.

Did he have any siblings?

[RobinC]

I was considering the thought of an illegitimate birth but am confused where the name "Crouch" came from if his mother's maiden name is "Giles".

I have found a birth for Robert P Crouch on Ancestry which states the following:

"Robert P Crouch
Birth: Jul Aug Sep 1919 - W Ham, Essex, Suffolk".

I searched freereg earlier but got no luck when searching for him on there.

I really don't know that much about him unfortunately, so can't say if he had any siblings.

There's 130 children with the surname Crouch born in W Ham, Essex, Suffolk between 1909 & 1929.

[Geoffers]

I was considering the thought of an illegitimate birth but am confused where the name "Crouch" came from if his mother's maiden name is "Giles".

The GRO index of births at this time includes the mother's maiden name.

This could be an legitimate birth to a married woman where her husband died before the birth of their child.

This could be a married woman who had an illegitimate child.

This entry may not refer to your chap, but someone completely different - unless as I mentioned you have some other source of information recording his mum's maiden name?

I have found a birth for Robert P Crouch on Ancestry which states the following:

"Robert P Crouch
Birth: Jul Aug Sep 1919 - W Ham, Essex, Suffolk".

Essex, Suffolk???????

Searching freebmd 1912-1922 where the registered surname is CROUCH and the mum's maiden name is GILES; and the birth was registered in Vol 4a brings back three hits.

Dec 1915 - Rose
Mar 1917 - Daisy
Sep 1919 - Robert P

Can you locate a CROUCH - GILES marriage (possiboly June 1902?) which may be the parents and then possibly identify them on the 1911 census? Is there then a possible death for the dad around the time of the 1919 birth? It may not provide definitive results, but it may help to clarify in your own mind if you have the correct birth in 1919 (and you have to do something whilst the kettle is boiling/tea brewing).

[Sue Mackay]

It would be worth getting the birth certificate to see if the mother is Florence GILES. I put in a search on FreeBMD for any CROUCH children with mother's name GILES born between 1911 (when mother's maiden name first given) and 1920, and as well as Robert it came up with Rose (Dec qtr 1915) and Daisy (Mar qtr 1917) - the other Crouch/Giles entries were for Yeovil.

I then searched for a CROUCH/GILES marriage and the likely one would seem to be Francis James CROUCH to Florence GILES in West Ham RD June qtr 1902, which would probably indicate other children born before Rose, Daisy and Robert. Do you know whether your grandfather had many siblings?

ETA: There you go! Geoffers and I agree!

[Mutley]

Free BMD has a marriage for Francis James Crouch and Florence Giles on the same page in West Ham registered June 1902.
(Elizabeth Greest and Robert Frederick Pooley are the other two names.)

Unfortunately they will not be on the 1901 but would be interesting to find out where they were in 1911.

P.S. and I am going down the same road, all minds thinking alike.