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Hi, just Scratching my head through my Grand Fathers Family. His name was Kenneth Reed born 1920and although he was born in Leicester as far as I know I.m told his family origionate from Bristol. His Fathers name was Thomas William Reed and he was married to Elizabeth (Smith i think) from Leicester. Any help would be welcome...
Thx, Jim

Possible birth

Name: Kenneth J Reed
Mother's Maiden Surname: Smith
Date of Registration: Jan Feb Mar 1920
Registration district: Bristol
Registration county: Gloucestershire, Shropshire, Herefordshire
Volume Number: 6a
Page Number: 530

did he have a middle name?

Marriages Dec 1900 (>99%)
Mercer Amelia Leicester 7a 621
Morgan George Leicester 7a 621
Reed Thomas William Leicester 7a 621
Smith Elizabeth Leicester 7a 621

Can you give the names of any siblings?

The marriage cert. will give you their ages and their father's names and occupations which will help find them in the census records.

How can you be so sure that Elizabeth was born in Leicester?

My Grand Father Kenneth had brothers...Alfred, Stuart, Fredrick and Thomas he also had 3 sisters, Miriam, Margery and Edna

His Father Thomas William Reed was married to Elizabeth...is all I know really. I believe he was in the optical trade if that helps

Elizabeth Reed
Age: 21
Estimated birth year: abt 1880
Relation: Boarder
Gender: Female
Where born: Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Civil parish: Leicester Formerly St Mary
Ecclesiastical parish: St Paul
County/Island: Leicestershire
Country: England
Household Members:
Name Age
Joseph Pepper 63
Frances Pepper 60
Thomas Wm Reed 23>>>>Costing Clerk Books?>>Born Bristol
Elizabeth Reed 21>>>>>Hosiery Linker

1911


REED, Thomas William Head Married M 33 1878 Works Manager - Optical Trade Somerset Bristol VIEW
REED, Elizabeth Wife Married
10 years F 31 1880 Leicester Leicestershire VIEW
REED, Miriam Elizabeth Daughter F 9 1902 Leicester Leicestershire VIEW
REED, Thomas Frank Son M 8 1903 Leicester Leicestershire VIEW
REED, Frederic George Son M 7 1904 Goucester Gloucestershire VIEW
REED, Alfred James Son M 3 1908 Worcester Kings Norton VIEW
SMITH, Ellen Sister - In - Law Single F 27 1884 Hosiery Hand Leicester Leicestershire VIEW

Registration District:
Barnet Sub District:
Barnet Enumeration District:
3 Parish:
Chipping Barnet

Address:
9 Hill View Cottages Bells Hill Barnet County:
Middlesex

They seem to have moved about quite a bit it would seem. Anyone have a clue what a Works Manager - Optical Trade did?

Ooops Astra beat me to it!

Should have added to the 1911 that they have had 7 children 3 of which have died.

I should imagine he managed a works that made glass lenses for purposes such as telescopes, cinema projectors (in it's infancy then) as well as for spectacles etc.

Thanks, I guess the next step forward is to get the marriage cert for Thomas and Elizabeth.
Apparently Thomas (the oldest son) emigrated to Australia at some point and another son Stuart was suposed to be quite high up in the military during WW2 but I"ll dig and see if i can find more

Possible birth for Thomas

Thomas William Reed
Year of Registration: 1877
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Bedminster
County: Gloucestershire, Somerset
Volume: 5c
Page: 670

This could be him with his parents but you will need the marriage certificate to confirm his father's name and occupation


Thomas W. Reed
Age: 3
Estimated birth year: abt 1878
Relation: Son
Father's Name: William T.
Mother's Name: Clara
Gender: Male
Where born: Bristol Totterdown
Civil parish: Bedminster
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England
Street Address: 132 St Lukes Rd
Occupation: Scholar
Household Members:
Name Age
William T. Reed 25>>>>>Gardener
Clara Reed 21
Thomas W. Reed 3
Miriam Fisher 38

Thanks for the help. I"ll send for the marriage cert and get back to you when I know more. One of the family rumours is that there was an executioner somewhere way back on the Reeds side of the family...bit grewsome but would be interesting to find out

As this seems to be the only Thomas William Reed born correct time and place, here's the 1891 which goes with the 1881 census:-

Name: Thomas W Reed
Age: 13
Estimated birth year: abt 1878
Relation: Son
Father's Name: William Thos
Mother's Name: Clara
Gender: Male
Where born: Bristol, Totterdown

Civil parish: St Mary de Lode
Ecclesiastical parish: Gloucester
Town: Gloucester
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address: 35 St.Mary Street

Registration district: Gloucester
Sub-registration district: St Nicholas
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
William Thos Reed 35 - born: Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
Clara Reed 31 - born: Bath, Somerset
Thomas W Reed 13
Frederick A Reed 3 - born: Gloucestershire
Clara May Reed 9 - born: Bristol, Totterdown
Ethel Violet Reed 8 - born: Bristol, Beaminster
Hilda M Reed 4/12 - born: Gloucestershire

Father is noted as Prison Warder, so maybe there is something in your family rumour.


Have checked 1881 again and father's occupation is noted as (looks like) Cillarman but may be Cellarman ?

The family in 1901:-

Name: William J Reed
Age: 45
Estimated birth year: abt 1856
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Clara
Gender: Male
Where born: Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales

Civil parish: Gloucester
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mark
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address: 11 Hinton Road

Occupation: Clerk and Schoolmaster Warder

Registration district: Gloucester
Sub-registration district: St Nicholas
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 202
Household Members:
Name Age
William J Reed 45
Clara Reed 41
Clara M Reed 19
Ethel V Reed 18
Frederick A Reed 13
Hilda M Reed 10
Stewart F Reed 6 - born: Gloucestershire
Walter J Reed 4 - born: Gloucestershire

Possible 1871:-

Name: William Reed
Age: 17
Estimated birth year: abt 1854
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Eliza
Gender: Male
Where born: Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
Civil parish: St Ewen
Town: Bristol
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England
Registration district: Bristol
Sub-registration district: Castle Precincts
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Household schedule number: 21
Household Members:
Name Age
Eliza Reed 51 born: Bideford, Devon
William Reed 17
Sarah H Reed 15 born: Bristol
Henry Reed 13 born: Bristol
George Taylor 4 - Visitor born: Bristol


1861
Name: William Reed
Age: 8
Estimated birth year: abt 1853
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Eliza
Gender: Male
Where born: Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales

Civil parish: Bristol St Mary Redcliffe
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England

Street Address: 5 Redcliffe Buildings

Registration district: Bristol
Sub-registration district: St Mary Redcliff
ED, institution, or vessel: 9e
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 95
Household Members:
Name Age
Eliza Reed 42 born: Bideford, Devon
Margarett Reed 17 born: Bideford, Devon
Elizabeth Reed 16 born: Plymouth, Devon
Mary Jane Reed 13 born: Plymouth, Devon
John Reed 11 born: Bideford, Devon
William Reed 8
Sarah Ann Reed 5 born: Bristol
Henry Reed 3 born: Bristol


1851
Name: John Reed
Age: 33
Estimated birth year: abt 1818
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Eliza
Gender: Male
Where born: Braunter, Devon, England
Civil Parish or Township: St Woollos
Ecclesiastical parish: St Paul
Town: Newport
County/Island: Monmouthshire
Country: Wales
Registration district: Newport
Sub-registration district: Newport
ED, institution, or vessel: 1e
Household schedule number: 135
Household Members:
Name Age
John Reed 33 - Mason Lab.
Eliza Reed 32
Margaret Reed 7
Elizabeth Reed 6
Mary I Reed 3
John Reed 1

Hi, got the MC of Thomas William and Elzabeth Smith and the fathers name and occupation is the same as the tips i recieved from you guys, so big thanks there.
On the 1911 census, the eldest son Thomas Frank moved to Australia, any clues as to how I might go forward on this one?
// Jamie

And then on the Electoral Roll for Australia in 1954 there is a Thomas Frank Reed Engineer living at 61 Eighth St. Flinders Victoria with Ivy May Reed.

I wonder if this is their marriage

Marriages Sep 1927 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADAMS Ethel A WALLINGTON Bristol 6a 233
Bolwell Olive E Toutt Bristol 6a 233
>>Crane Ivy M Reed Bristol 6a 233
>>Reed Thomas F Crane Bristol 6a 233
Wallington Ernest V Adams Bristol 6a 233