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Desperately trying to find info on Alfred Drake, b.1899, who married Emily Galley of Barkingside. I know he had brothers Bill and Bert and at least one other plus 2 sisters. He went to Canada for a short while to do logging with his brothers. One stayed there. Would love to know more so that I can tell my grandfather. Thank you, Priscilla Westcott

for ref:

Marriages Dec 1921
Drake Alfred G Galley Romford 4a 1068
Galley Emily Drake Romford 4a 1068

There's only one birth to the marriage:

William C Drake Oct Nov Dec 1925 W Ham


Is it just Alfred you're looking for info about, or the other brothers/sisters?

Canadian info won't be available, unfortunately. The last available census is 1911 (1916 for western Canada); births aren't available for the last 100 years, and generally marriages for 75 years or so, and deaths for shorter periods depending on province. Several provinces have searchable databases on line, but there is no central registry of BMDs for the country.


If you want to trace the son William -- unfortunately, 1940-1960, there are several marriages for William C Drake in the London area. There's one specifically in Romford in 1940.


William seems to have died, unfortunately. The death certificate could contain a family member's name:

Name: William Charles Drake
Birth Date: 23 Nov 1925
Death Registration Month/Year: Jul 1997
Age at death (estimated): 71
Registration district: Hitchin and Stevenage
Inferred County: Hertfordshire
Register number: 3A
District and Subdistrict: 5341A
Entry number: 206

I also always recommend that with the specific date and place of death on the death certificate, people look for a published obituary in newspaper archives at the library local to the death, which would likely list children and grandchildren, in my experience. I don't think many people actually try that.

There is a record on the 1911 census for 3 laburnham grove, high street, Ilford which has names on that look correct.
Can't get the tabbing to work so have taken a cut down version
DRAKE, Ellen Wife 38 No occupation Essex Bursett
DRAKE, Beatrice Daughter Single 18 Calander Hand Laundry West Ham Essex
DRAKE, Herbert Son Single 17 Errand Boy Essex Bullwin Fen
DRAKE, Edith Daughter Single 16 Calander Hand Laundry Essex Navstock
DRAKE, Alfred Son 13 School Essex Billiricky
DRAKE, William Son 11 School Essex Schilditch
DRAKE, Arthur Son 10 School Essex Barkingside

No idea what a Calander Hand Laundry is, but if you have a birth certificate for Alfred this should tell you if his mother was Ellen and let you know if this is the correct family

New message to Janey
Thank you so much for your time - this all seems to fit in with my knowledge so far. I know that Emily and Alfred married on Christmas day. Their eldest son, Reginald (my grandfather) was born 6th May 1923. William was younger and has died. I am interested in Alfred's siblings as my grandfather's memory is not that clear. I know quite a lot about Alfred's wife, but am stuck when it comes to him. Your advice and tips are greatly received. At present I am reliant on the Internet as I have 16 month old twins, which limits my time somewhat! I look forward to getting out there soon! Once again, many thanks for all your help. Kind regards,
From Priscilla

That was Fiona there that gave you the family names in 1911, so between us we seem to have come up with the goods.

The next thing you want to do is try to identify Alfred's siblings' marriages.

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl

I'm afraid the names are probably somewhat common and it could be hard to do.

If you identify their births first (likely the year before what it says in the 1911 census), you might find they had middle names that could help. When searching for marriages, use only middle initials, not names.

You will probably enjoy doing that yourself and so I'm not going to do it for you. ;) -- that, and I have some work due tomorrow that I forgot about and I have to get at here!

Give it a try, and you can always come back here for help. Those twins must sleep sometime. ;)

A bit of extra info to add to Fionas 1911 census. States that Ellen had been married 20 years, had given birth to 7 children, 6 living and 1 which had died.

A calender hand, was one who worked on a calender machine that pressed and dried clothes,bedding etc, I think a bit more efficient than the "hand" laundry.........just had a quick read out of curiosity.

Ann

England & Wales, Birth Index: 1916-2005
about Reginald G Drake
Name: Reginald G Drake
Mother's Maiden Surname: Gulley
Date of Registration: Apr May Jun 1923
Registration district: Romford
Registration county: Essex, Suffolk
Volume Number: 4a
Page Number: 985 (click to see others on page)


View Image

I am setting it out as I know that Priscilla is a newbie.

So is the Reginald, mmm Gulley, your grandfather? Is Gulley a mistransciption and should be Galley?

Younger brother William Charles died 1997. We don't know yet if he married - perhaps you do?

We are now after Alfred the father, b 1899 and what happened to him. Well we have him age 13 on the 1991, with mother Ellen 38. He has brothers Bill and Bert as you said, plus one other, Arthur, and two sisters Beatrice and Edith, so that all ties in.

Then you say he went to Canada and "one stayed there". One who? One brother I surmise. Did Alfred come back to England?

But Alfred married Emily Galley in 1921, possibly two children, your father Reginald G and his brother William Charles. If Alfred went to Canada, did he take his children or go alone? You say he went "for a short while" so did he come back?

Fiona has found the likely family of Alfred in 1911. We cannot go any further forward Priscilla. Janey tells us Canadian records are unavailable, so as she says we can now only look for Alfred's siblings.

Or perhaps you have already done that?

We know his mother is Ellen in 1911, so the next thing is too look for the children of Ellen on the 1901 census. Or look for their marriages as Janey suggests. She has given you a possible link to help. Do you know how to use it? Do you know how to look for the family in 1901?

Shout out if not, we are here to help.

PS Fiona, Ellen is a Wife in 1911, so presumably her husband is somewhere? Something else that might be resolved with the 1901 census.

Is this possibly them in 1901? Not all names tie up, but enough to be worthy of consideration:

1901 England Census
about Alfred Drake
Name: Alfred Drake
Age: 2
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1899
Relation: Pauper Inmate (Pauper)
Gender: Male
Where born: Billericay, Essex, England

Civil parish: Epping
Ecclesiastical parish: St Alban
Town: Epping
County/Island: Essex
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Epping
Sub-registration district: Epping
ED, institution, or vessel: Epping Union Workhouse
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 1

Mary Eleanor Drake 29 (Ellen)
Lillian Drake 8 (Lilian Beatrice?)
Herbert Drake 6
Edith Drake 5
Alfred Drake 2 (William Alfred?)
Charles Drake 12 months (Charles Arthur?)

My guesses in brackets.

Charles William Drake reg Sep 1900, Billericay.

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriages Jun 1884 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drake Thomas Reeth 9d 1024
Hutchinson Mary Eleanor Reeth 9d 1024

Reeth is North Yorkshire.

I didn't check her birthplace in 1901. Fiona do you have where she was born on the 1911?

EDIT it says Essex.

1901 says she was born Essex too, so I might be up the wrong street with North Yorkshire.

Wow, you ladies are efficient! I can't believe how helpful everyone is.
I hope the following clears up any confusion. It is what I know based upon family information.
*Alfred Drake m Emily Galley 25/12/1921 (I have lots of info on Emily)
*Alfred b. 27/09/1898 or 1899 in Billericay. Not known as William Alfred by my family.
*They lived in Barkingside, Ilford, Essex, with their children, and later moved to Wickford, Essex. I believe this would have been some time in the 1960s, possibly earlier.
*Mum says that on his gravestone it says he died aged 70, but she is convinced he was 69 - only a couple of months before his 70th.
*Alfred had 2 sons. Reginald George Drake is the eldest and my grandfather, living. He was born 6/5/1923. Younger son, Bill (William) - you have given me the info here - I knew he died not long after his mother in the 1990s, & not long after divorcing. His ex-wife, Edie, is still alive - has limited knowledge.
*Re. Canada - Alfred went to Canada with all of his brothers we believe. He went and returned (after how long I do not know) before he was married. There has been some intrigue/hush here as it is believed he was getting into some trouble - fights? and decided (?) to work in Canada.
*One brother - not Herbert or William - stayed in Canada, married and we think later divorced. I remember William living a few doors down from us when I lived in Ilford, Essex. He was an old man then and we think he lived with his female 'cousin.'
*Alfred's father was Ethan Drake (I was unable to find him on suggested site - will have another go) and mother we know as Eleanor. Do not know maiden name or where she came from. Am assuming Ethan may have been from Billericay as that was where Alfred was born.
*I have tried site for births and marriages of siblings but could only find possible entries for Herbert (unsure which) and Edith (Edith Maud?) - b.1895 in Ongar, Essex? I am going to have another try!
*I would be interested to know the name of the child who died.
*Just discovered some notes that says Bert (Herbert) lived in Tanners Lane, Barkingside. He married a lady affected by 'dwarfism.' No children.
Okay - this is the sum total of my knowledge!
Priscilla

Crikey Priscilla, that is a book!

Too late at night for me to absorb, perhaps someone in a different time zone will have a look. Otherwise, back tomorrow.

Margaret

So. There's the info. The 1911 and 1901 censuses posted seem to fit. In 1901 Mary Eleanor says she's married; in 1911 she records herself as "wife". To whom, of whom? Anybody get the feeling she was telling porkies?

Do you actually have the Drake-Galley marriage certificate? Is that where the father's name Ethan Drake comes from?

Thing is, as you've discovered, there's no such person in any English record.

If you don't have the certificate, that's where you need to start.

Name: Alfred G Drake
Spouse Surname: Galley
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1921
Registration district: Romford
Registration county (inferred): Essex
Volume Number: 4a
Page Number: 1068

If Alfred said on his marriage that his father was Ethan Drake, we have a quandary. ;)


This is the best match for your Alfred:

Births Dec 1898
Drake Alfred Billericay 4a 557

-- late September birth registered in October. I'd get that certificate too.



Births Sep 1873 ?
Drake Ellen Mary Chelmsford 4a 209

The names Ellen and Eleanor were commonly interchanged at whim.

1901

Name: Ellen M Drake
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1874
Relation: Daughter
Father's Name: William J
Mother's Name: Mary A
Gender: Female
Where born: Chelmsford, Essex, England

Civil parish: Chelmsford

William J Drake 47
Mary A Drake 49
Ellen M Drake 17
Sidney R King 24 - boarder

Can you tell us from where you have got the name Ethan Drake?

My grandfather, Reginald, said he was called Ethan. I really hope this was the case, as one of my twins is called Ethan!!
You have come to some of the same conclusions as me, which makes me feel better! I will get on to the birth certificates...
Priscilla

Have just had a thought...I wonder if Ethan should be Ephraim? It would make sense, knowing how names can be altered through word of mouth. Have found an Ephraim Drake, Billericay, marriage Dec 1892 4a 625.
Am going to follow this lead and see where I get to.

Good grief! I think you have just become a star in the firmament of GR - which of course means that you will be on permanent duty digging up other people's ancestral skeletons. Sideways thinking is the key.


Marriages Dec 1892
Drake Ephraim Billericay 4a 625
Fairchild Eleanor Mary Billericay 4a 625


I'm not going to start following it and spoil your fun - but you be sure to report back and of course shout if you need anything!

Thank you! Was stuck on how to find his wife's maiden name - will have to upgrade membership, I think. Going to order their marriage certificate now, and start digging! You ladies are real gems!