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I've not been on here for a while but used to be around a lot; have just started getting back into my research after being ill.
My maternal grnadmother's birth cert, Florence Clarke born 5 Feb 1888, Birmingham, gives her parents as George Clarke and Ann Clarke formerly Davis. But we know her father dies either just before or just after she was born, possibly before as it is the mother, Ann, who registered the birth. And family folklore has it that Florence's mother died in a fire, along with one of her sons, when Florence was about 5 , after which she was brought up 'on the parish'. I can find a George and Ann(e) Clarke in the 1881 census, with 5 children, but that was before Florence would have been born so i have no way of linking them with her. Also the same George and eldest child, with his brother and wife in 1871, but nothing before that.
Can anyone help me please? Where can i go from here?
I have looked on Ancestry but can't find marriage or births which match the ages on the 1881 census.
I just feel as if I am spending hours getting nowhere.
My mum is about to meet her sister who I found and who she has not seen for 55 years (another story!) and I so want to say I have found their grandparents...
Many thanks
Denise

Denise,

I am looking for you to see what i can find

Kirsty

don't assume because the birth was registered by the mother that this means the father was deceased, I have lots of birth certs and the vast majority of them are registered by the mother

for record is this them in 1881?

Name: George Clarke
Age: 32
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1849
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Anne
Gender: Male
Where born: St Georges, Worcestershire, England

Civil Parish: Birmingham
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England

Street address: No 4 Back 116 Wheeler St
Condition as to marriage: Married
Occupation: Coachman

Registration district: Birmingham
Sub-registration district: St George
ED, institution, or vessel: 48
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
George Clarke 32
Anne Clarke 29 St Martins Birmingham
Amelia Clarke 12 St Georges Birmingham
Alfred Clarke 5
Thomas Clarke 3
Harry Clarke 2
James Clarke 1

I believe that at one time it was the mother who had to register a birth


sylvia

Is this your grandmother in 1901?

Handsworth, Staffs.

John H. Jeffery - head - 39 - public house manager
Harriet Jeffery - wife - 39
Harry C. Jeffery - son - 17
Florence Clark - adopted daughter - 13 - Birmingham
Levi Elkington - nephew - 21
Mary Hawkins - asst.
Mary King - servant
Edward Roberts - servant

What about their marriage cert and the 1891 census? Do you have those? George's occuption should be listed on the birth cert.

Rose

Here's the 1881 family in 1891:


1891 England Census
about George Clark
Name: George Clark
Age: 42
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1849
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Birmingham

Civil Parish: Birmingham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary
Town: Birmingham
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Registration district: Birmingham
Sub-registration district: St George
ED, institution, or vessel: 9
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
George Clark 42
Ann Clark 38
Alfred Clark 15
Thomas Clark 13
Harry Clark 12
James Clark 10
John Clark 6

Rose

So that rules out father 's death about the same time Florence was born.

Maybe the family above isn't them, as there's no Florence with them.

Hey, thanks everyone so much!
Firstly from all this it seems the family from 1881 census is probably not them, as now that Rose has found them in 1991, as you say there is no Florence there. But the 1901 entry seems promising! Especially as I was told by an elderly aunt that Florence was brought up in a pub! I have addresses for her in 1907 and 1909, in Edgbaston and Hockley, in service as a children's maid. Then in 1911 she was working in the Red Lion on Soho Rd.
Is it possible to find out the address of the 1901 entry??

Back to George and Ann Clarke, Florence's parents, though- what next?
I just have the birth certificate, yes the one that you all found .
The address was something like 35 court 5 Farm st, in the district of St George- no idea where that was in Birmingham though, I think Aston perhaps. George's occupation was carter.

Here it is on fmp.


1901 census transcription details for: 270, Soho Road, Handsworth
National Archive Reference:
RG number: RG13 Piece: 2710 Folio: 124 Page: 6

Reg. District: West Bromwich Sub District: Handsworth
Enum. District: 21 Ecclesiastical District: St James
Parish: Handsworth City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 270, Soho Road, Handsworth
County: Staffordshire
Reg. District: West Bromwich Sub District: Handsworth
Enum. District: 21 Ecclesiastical District: St James
Parish: Handsworth City/Municipal Borough:
Address: 270, Soho Road, Handsworth
County: Staffordshire
Name Relation Condition Sex Age Birth
Year Occupation,
Disability Where Born
JEFFERY, John H Head Married M 39 1862 Public House Manager
London
JEFFERY, Harriet Wife Married F 39 1862
Birmingham
Warwickshire
JEFFERY, Harry C Son Single M 17 1884 Barman
Aston
Warwickshire
CLARK, Florence Adopted Daughter F 13 1888
Birmingham
Warwickshire
ELKINGTON, Levi Nephew Widower M 21 1880 Brewery Storekeeper
Birmingham
Warwickshire
HAWKINS, Mary Assistant Single F 19 1882 Barnard
West Bromwich
Staffordshire
KING, Mary Servant Single F 17 1884 General Servant (Domestic)
West Bromwich
Staffordshire
ROBERTS, Edward A Servant Single M 17 1884 General Servant (Domestic)
Smethwick
Staffordshire

have just checked and 270 Soho rd IS the Red Lion Pub! Even now, over 100 years later! Wow!!! So it wasn't just where my grandmother worked as a young woman but where she grew up.

Thanks for all this so far!
I will send for a birth cert of one of the children from the Clarke family in the 1881 census but i think that is unlikely to be Florence's family or surely she would have been mentioned in the 1891 census as she was born in 1888? Also that shows both parents still alive, whereas my mother and aunt are both sure that George died before Florence was born in 88.

Anyone got any idea how I can find George and Ann's marriage, and be sure it is the right one? presumably from that I could get their dates of birth?? So grateful for any help.

Thanks Jonesey, you have been a real help.
If anyone has any more clues about George Clarke and Ann Clarke (Davis) I would appreciate your help too.
Will order that cert now tho.

George and Amelia in 1871. George is a widower:


1871 England Census
about George Clarke
Name: George Clarke
Age: 22
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1849
Relation: Brother
Gender: Male
Where born: Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Civil Parish: Birmingham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mark
County/Island: Warwickshire
Country: England
Street address:
Registration district: Birmingham
Sub-registration district: Lady Wood
ED, institution, or vessel: 20
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 72
Household Members:
Name Age
Henry Clarke 25
Emma Clarke 24
George Clarke 22
Amelia Clarke 2


Rose

yes I thought it may have said widower against George in 1871, but when we magnified it my husband was convinced it said MAR for married, the same as the other two adults? What does anyone else think? It was the stray DOT that made me think there may be a letter I in there !

I'd say it says widower (Widr)

What occupation was given for George on Florence's birth certificate?

it says carter, presumably drove a cart?

In some ways it made sense for George to be a widower in 1871, as there was no wife mentioned. But in 1881 it says Amelia's mother is Ann, the same as the rest of the children- then again that's not that uncommon even nowadays, to call a step mother a mother.