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hope it fits Clare - good luck

Fantastic find lancashireAnne thank you! It does seem to fit better - will have to order the cert now to find out.

Thank you for all your help

Clare

It does look more like it...Cotton was perhaps the fathers name?

That could be it -- surname error !!!

Mavis

Staffordshire Birth indexes for the years: 1915
Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Mother's Maiden Name Reference
DAVIES John Cotton Lichfield (held at Newcastle RO) Newcastle-Under-Lyme DAVIES L/105/71


Births Dec 1915 (>99%)
DAVIES John C DAVIES Lichfield 6b 743

If he was only 2 days old on the hand over I doubt if his birth had been recorded -- if it had been it would more than likely be in Dec Q 1915 - which its not - so must be the earlier record.

your John C Davis/ Harry Pike must have had a birth cert to have known that John C Davis was his father for that to be stated on his marriage. ??

It could be that John C Davis elder died in the war before John C Davis jnr was born .

Mavis

Hmm, I had not thought of Janet Sheer/Davis having a child by another man. But even if this was true, obtaining the birth certificate would not prove anything. Yes the birth month seems a bit out too. Since I am only going on family stories I don't know how accurate his birth date was. Apparently he celebrated his birthday on 28th Sept even though he was supposedly born on the 26th - because that was the day he was handed over to his dopted parents.

I know he was in the army in WW2 - do you think any other information may be held on his service records? He was a Private in the South Staffordshire Regiment. But I am assuming all there will be is the fathers name again.

He could use any name he chose on formal documents, as long as there was no intent to deceive or defraud.

Household transcription
1911 census

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Person: SCHEER, Janet Mcmillan Beattie
Address: Highfield House Carlton Road Worksop

BUSH, George Frederick Head Married M 52 1859 Private Means Yorks Sheffield VIEW
BUSH, Susannah Wife Married15 years F 45 1866 Yorks Sheffield VIEW
STEPHENSON, Ellen Visitor Married F 47 1864 Yokrs Beverley VIEW
SCHEER, Janet Mcmillan Beattie Visitor Single F 26 1885 Companion Warwickshire Birmingham VIEW
WOOLLEY, Sarah Ann Servant Single F 28 1883 Cook Domestic Yorks Wincobank Sheffield VIEW
BROOMHEAD, Sarah Servant Single F 37 1874 Housemaid Domestic Yorks Masborough VIEW
SABIN, Elizabeth Servant Single F 28 1883 Parlourmaid Domestic Yorks Masborough VIEW
WOOLLEY, Amelia Servant Single F 18 1893 Kitchen Maid Domestic York Wincobank Sheffield VIEW

This is the death of the above Johns Davis's mother

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
about Janet Mcmillan B Davis
Name: Janet Mcmillan B Davis
Birth Date: 1 Feb 1883
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1971
Age at Death: 88
Registration district: Tonbridge
Inferred County: Kent
Volume: 5f
Page: 2115

That birth is a bit too early unless 28th Sept is not his correct birthday

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
about John C Davis
Name: John C Davis
Mother's Maiden Name: Scheer
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1915
Registration district: King's Norton
Inferred County: Warwickshire
Volume: 6d
Page: 177 (click to see others on page)

This was their only child

Maybe he was'nt her husbands child as he was born during WW1? he may have been away fighting?

As she was married she would have to give him her husbands surname, even if he had died

I cannot find a birth certificate for John Cotton Davis.
He was informally adopted at 2 days old by Charles & Alice Pike 28th Sept 1915 in Burntwood, Staffordshire. He was said to have been born in Kings Norton.
After the 'adoption' he assumed the name Harry Pike - however he was married using his Davis name (with a note on the marriage cert. saying also known as Harry Pike). He listed his father as John Davis (Deceased) no occupation, on his 1936 marriage to Clara Atkins.
Their children were all born with the Davis surname but all assumed the surname Pike.
John Cotton Davis must have had his birth registered for him to continue using the name on formal documents - but where do I start? I note a birth of a John C Davis in Kings Norton 1915 with a mothers name of SCHEER. However on further investigation this woman was married in 1912 to a John C Davis.
The family story leads us to believe his mother was in service and became pregnant to someone she worked for.