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I've just received the death cert for one of Charles Culmer's children. She died in 1897 and in the occupation box it says 'daughter of Charles William Culmer a whitesmith'.

I had sent for the cert hoping that it might have been her father who registered the death but that was done by her older brother.

Would you take this to mean that he was still alive then?

Thank you, Jane

PS thanks for that info Victoria, I have now found Letitia Allchin's death in 1909 also in Maidstone.

Sarah L Allchin married Thomas Bolton
1901 census Letitia Allchin with them
Letitia Allchin
Age: 71
Estimated birth year: abt 1830
Relation: Mother-in-law
Gender: Female
Where born: Milton, Kent, England

Civil parish: Barming
Ecclesiastical parish: Barming St Margarets
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image

Registration district: Maidstone
Sub-registration district: Loose
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 36
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas Bolton 51
Sarah L Bolton 46
William H Bolton 21
Letitia Allchin 71

you're very welcome



sylvia

Hi Sylvia

Sorry for the delay, I googled 'deed poll' and have been looking at National Archives website.

Don't think I am going to have much luck finding a name change though, if that is what he did.

Looks as if I'll never know what happened to him which is very frustrating!

Thank you very much for your help
Jane

Jane


it happened, and probably not infrequently


and no, you wouldn't find a record of it


Even now, you don't have to change your name with any kind of fanfare ..... you just start using a diffeernt name, and that is acceptable so long as the change is not for any kind of illegal purpose.


I can remember seeing notices in our local paper back in the 50s and 60s (before I left the UK) that so-and-so would be known as such-and-such from a certain date (or today on)

That was quite sufficient.

I presume the same thing happens now



There is such a thing as Deed Poll by which you change your name ....... some one else may know where you could find information on that, and on when it began.





sylvia

Hi Sylvia

I've seen the other Charles Culmer b 1853 and he is not the same one, but confusing with similar birth years. Have birth cert for mine and he is definitely 1850.

I hadn't thought about him changing his name though. Would that have been very common in those days do you think and would I be able to find a record of it anywhere?

Thank you, Jane

he may not have remarried


... that would be bigamy ......... although some husbands who deserted their first wife did later marry bigamously



he could also have changed his name.



There is a Charles Culmer who was born in 1852/3 in Kent ................. so you have to be careful of that one.




sylvia

Hi Sylvia
Thanks for all that information. I will have to plan a visit to Kent soon to look for the baptism records. It seems that Laura had a number of sisters and I can't find GRO references for any of them.

I'm tearing my hair out with Charles William Culmer. I did wonder if he had remarried but can't find any record of one. I know that when his? youngest daughter married she had a different maiden name which meant I had a lot of trouble finding it!

I just can't find any record of his death unless he is still alive which would make him 160!!

Thanks again, Jane

Jane


Birth registration was compulsory from July 1 1837 ...... the problem was that it was the Registrar's responsibility to find out about a birth, then go to the mother and get the details to fill out the certificate.


Not easy to do!! Many many births were missed


The law was changed in mid-1874 so that the onus was put on the Mother to go and register the birth within 6 weeks ...... or be fined.


Many births still were not registered PLUS some mothers who missed the deadline registered their baby with a later birth date.


Last week, one lady on GR who had been searching for a registration for a relative posted that she had eventually found it in 1954. He had been born in 1899! No change in birth date on that one fortunately!!



Secondly, the baptism record should show the father's name, and may show his occupation, and the address at which they were living.



Thirdly, have you considered the possibility that Charles William may have left the family, and then re-married or took up with another woman???


If this happened, divorce was usually not obtained ......... it was very expensive and extremely difficult

BUT the woman may well describe herself to everyone as a Widow .....perhaps telling them that husand had died in another town while on a trip. Much more respectable to be a Widow, than a deserted wife.


Remember that the much of the information given on a death certificate is only that which is known to the informant ................ if the informant was told that xxxxx was a widow, then that is what would be entered.


The only facts that you can depend on on a death certificate are :- date, place and cause of death; name and address of doctor; and , name, address and relationship of informant.

Everything else is hearsay!





sylvia

Thank you very much everyone who helped me last week, at least I now know that birth reg wasn’t compulsory in 1850s. Can anyone tell me whether parish records for births would contain info such as address and father’s occupation the same as a birth certificate would or is just the info found on familysearch?
I’m still unable to find any trace of Charles William Culmer (b1850) after the 1891 census – he just seems to have dropped off the face of the earth! If anyone can suggest anywhere else I can look for him I would be really grateful.
Thank you, Jane

Have to go back to work now but will check back later just in case anyone has added anything.
Jane x

Hi safc

Have found Sarah L Bolton and son living with George and Letitia on 1881 census. Could be same daughter, but Letita on 1861and Lauria on 1871?? suppose could have used different names or just been spelled wrong. Wish they had registered the births properly though so I could order the cert! And still don't know what happened to Laura's husband!

Thanks Jane

Name: Fanny Allchin
Gender: Female
Baptism/Christening Date: 28 Aug 1853
Baptism/Christening Place: Parish Church of Milton-next-Sittingbourne, Milton-next-Sittingbourne, Kent, England
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: George Allchin
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Letitia Allchin
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01262-2
System Origin: England-EASy
Source Film Number: 1835502
Reference Number: item 1 p 200
Collection: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Name: Sarah Latitia Alchin
Gender: Female
Baptism/Christening Date: 31 Dec 1854
Baptism/Christening Place: Milton-next-Sittingbourne, Kent, England
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: George Alchin
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Latitia
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01321-9
System Origin: England-EASy
Source Film Number: 1473711
Reference Number: 214
Collection: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

Hi safc

Think I've found George and Letitia on 1851 census., but later censuses have different names for the daughters! Not had much luck finding Letitia Straitfield's family on 1841 census though.

Thanks Jane

Hi Richard

I think you're right which means it isn't my Charles!

Thanks Jane

Marriages Dec 1850 (>99%)
Allchin George Medway 5 558
Straitfield Leititia Medway 5 558
Straitfield Letitia Medway 5 558
Straitfield Loetitia Medway 5 558

Hi Susan and safc

Can't understand why I can't find his death listed as his wife states she is a widow, unless the death found by Greensleeves is him and the age is wrong.

That looks like the christening record I found. Had hoped to get birth cert and check her mother's maiden name, think it was Letitia Straitfield but haven't had much luck with that branch of the tree and thought cert would help.

Thank Jane

Think the death for charles that greensleeves found is probably this one?????.

1901

Name: Charles Culmer
Age: 48
Estimated birth year: abt 1853
Relation: Head
Spouse's name: Emma
Gender: Male
Where born: Monkton, Kent, England

Civil parish: Garlinge
Ecclesiastical parish: Westbrook
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View image

Registration district: Thanet
Sub-registration district: Margate
ED, institution, or vessel: 2
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 19
Household Members:
Name Age
Charles Culmer 48
Emma Culmer 46
George Culmer 16
Frederick Culmer 12
Edith Culmer 9
Edward Culmer 7
Arthur Culmer 4
Georgina Culmer 2


richard

Name: Laura Allchin
Gender: Female
Baptism/Christening Date: 18 Apr 1852
Baptism/Christening Place: Parish Church of Milton-next-Sittingbourne, Milton-next-Sittingbourne, Kent, England
Birth Date:
Birthplace:
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: George Allchin
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Letitia Allchin
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: I01262-2
System Origin: England-EASy
Source Film Number: 1835502
Reference Number: item 1
Collection: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975