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Thank you for the workhouse line of enquiry.

I have sent an email to the London Metropolitan Archives, to see if any records exist of children adopted from the workhouses and if the adoptive families are also recorded.
They kept records of foster parents, so don't see why not.

Whitechapel Workhouse was in Mile End Old Town. Perhaps they 'adopted' him from there?

There must have been many children 'adopted' from the workhouse and perhaps they kept records..... ie 'Joe Bloggs' discharged to care of Mr & Mrs Eley???

I have looked 2-3 years either side of 1903 to see if his birth was ever registered, but there appears to be nothing.

Whilst he was baptised I have no other information to confirm he was born to Martha & George, so I guess I must assume he was adopted. With no adoption records available, my geneology line comes to an end as I have no family to ask.

George jnr married in 1938 to Vera Jeramiah. They too only had 1 child (my mum) in 1944. Tragically Vera died 2 months later of leukemia and unable to cope, my mum was put in a home and because it was the Blitz, she was evacuated to the Home counties.
She occasionally saw her dad up until her teens, but never returned to the East End even when her father re-married.
George's 2nd wife had 2 sons from her first marriage, but they never had any more children. His 2nd wife and 2 sons are now deceased.

So I think I've come to a dead end, but any other lines of enquiry welcomed.

Interesting that George and Martha were living in Mile End in both 1901 and 1911

Name: George Eley
Age: 35
Estimated birth year: abt 1866
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Martha
Where born: Woolwich, Kent, England
Civil parish: Mile End Old Town

-- although not at the same address -- but George Jr is recorded in 1911 as born in Whitechapel.

Specifically, born and still living?

only one child born on the 1911 census

Well that sure is the obvious question (re the 1911), isn't it?? ;)

Not that they might not have fudged the truth ...

What does it say under "Children born alive to present marriage"?

Rose

info ruled out, deleted

He married twice?

George F V Eley + Jeremiah Jul-Aug-Sep 1938 Stepney Middlesex

George F V Eley + Rudd Or Johnston Jan-Feb-Mar 1948 Islington Middlesex


Births Sep 1908
Johnston Maud Alexandra Bethnal G 1c 126

Name: Maud Alexandra Eley
Birth Date: 6 Jul 1908
Death Registration Month/Year: Nov 1995
Age at death (estimated): 87
Registration district: Camden
Inferred County: London
Register number: B43A
District and Subdistrict: 2501B
Entry number: 249

And now I see you have her in your tree. I had wondered whether there might be a second family (I don't see any children) but I guess you know.

My gradfather was born December 17, 1901, but all his life until he retired and had to get his birth certificate thought he was born on December 19, 1900.

In death records for people born in that era, it wouldn't be unusual to find the year being slightly off -- the actual birthday is more likely to be right. Just something to keep in mind.

Not finding any birth registration for him anyway!

I'm just wondering with the multiple names -- George and Frederick are the father's names. Might he have been informally adopted, and those names added later, rather than being part of his birth name?

If he was their child, the baptism and his age at marriage do suggest a 1904 birth. He (or whoever registered his death) may have been like my grandfather. ;)

Wait ... zoe, can you explain that last? The record (what record?) gives both birth and baptism dates?

Born: 31st March 1903 EDIT ( from Margaret's opening post )
Record Type: Baptism
Date: 8 May 1904


They had been married since Jun 1898 so perhaps George JNR was "adopted" ( no official adoptions until late 1920's so no paperwork ) as they are childless for more than 5 years.
Especially if George JNR was an only child.


Z

If records show his mum Martha C Eley died in 1937 and according to George Jnr's marriage certificate, his father (George Vincent Frederick) was also deceased by 1938.

There is a death record of a George H Eley in 1937 in East Ham age 72 (b 1865). Not sure if second initial is a typo.

I have checked birth register again - this time 1904 and still there appears to be no record.
Seems a bit of a mystery ........

Baptism record - this is new and could be a lead .....
Thanks
Maggs

Thank you or this info.
Whilst he appears on the census, there seems to be no record of his birth @ HM Registry - Is this unusual?

His death certificate says 31-Mar-1903 and his marriage certificate says he was 34 when he married in 13-Jul-1938.

Maggs

Marriages Jun 1898
Eley George Vincent F Whitechapel 1c 514
Murgett Martha Ceilia Whitechapel 1c 514

Z

Alternatively, George senior could have filled in the form several days prior to the actual date required. Or he was just rubbish at remembering his son's birthday!

If he was born 31st March 1903, Mary. I wonder if he was actually born in 1904 - he would definitely have been 7 at the 1911 census in that case. The date would fit in with his baptism. Will check for a 1904 birth rather than 1903.

Is this the death of his mum Martha C Eley in Stepney 1937 born @ 1869.

Maryb
Just a thought the 1911 census was written out by George ,it was taken on 2nd April.
Wouldn't George junior just have gone 8, 2 days before yet he has written 7years old.

1904 Baptism record shows address as 12 Holford Street, Mile End.

George the father is a decorator.


Gwyn