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I believe that Hoo is near Gravesend so you're probably right, Alter - his parents probably put Gravesend as his place of birth on the Census returns to simplify things. As Helen mentioned before, although the GRO have said that the fathers name on this cert is not Henry, he could have used his middle name or perhaps Harry (short for Henry). I'll give it a go and order it. Thanks for your help everyone. Becky x

Found this last night..........just checked -Hoo is a little place just down the road from Gravesend. George Henry Scudder born June 1859 Hoo Kent 2a 301.

Is Hoo near gravesend

The Family Records Centre records will be the same as what is on 1837 online, but it might be worth trying the local register office to Gravesend. Kate.

Alter Ego Thanks for the search, I am convinced that we have the correct family and the right George. It's just a matter of finding his birth record! Do you happen to know whether I'll be able to find anything different if I go to the Records Centre in Islington? I mean different to what is on the web? Thanks Becky x

Hi June Thank you for that, I had the details for the two George Scudder baptisms but not for Henry, Phoebe or Elizabeth (I believe they were George's siblings) Many thanks for the info! Becky x

Sorry folks this is him............ Theres an entry for him as youngest child in the 1861 census,with father henry,aged 50.Says born Gravesend,and hes 2 years old. Henry 50 Mary looks like 25,butmust be 35 henry 15 elizabeth13 Phebe10 george 2

You searched for: British Isles Father: Henry Scudder, Mother: Mary Elizabeth Exact Spelling: Off Batch Number: C135031 [refine search] Prepare selected records for download International Genealogical Index / British Isles - 7 Select records to download - (50 maximum) 1. GEORGE SCUDDER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 25 DEC 1856 Holy Trinity, Milton By Gravesend, Kent, England 2. GEORGE SCUDDER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 21 JAN 1859 Holy Trinity, Milton By Gravesend, Kent, England 3. HENRY JOHN SKUDDER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 19 APR 1846 Holy Trinity, Milton By Gravesend, Kent, England 4. ELIZABETH SKUDDER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 13 JUN 1847 Holy Trinity, Milton By Gravesend, Kent, England 5. JAMES SKUDDER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 19 AUG 1850 Holy Trinity, Milton By Gravesend, Kent, England 6. JAMES SCUDDER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Male Christening: 11 SEP 1853 Holy Trinity, Milton By Gravesend, Kent, England 7. PHOEBE SKUDDER - International Genealogical Index Gender: Female Christening: 07 DEC 1851 Holy Trinity, Milton By Gravesend, Kent, England do you have this June

Thank you for all your help everyone. If anyone does happen to think of anything else, please let me know! Becky x

Hi Valerie That's interesting becuase I found a George Scudder baptism for 1856 in Gravesend and his parents had the same names as my George's parents. So perhaps like Helen mentioned before, the George christened in 1856 could be the onw who died in 1858 and then the next son born c1859 was named in his stead?! All based on assumption of course but quite possible all the same. Thanks for searching 1837Online, was just about to do that myself! I think my only hope is going to be the Gravesend Registry Office then. Becky x

Crista Thank you for doing the 1871 search, it's interesting because the 1861 Census showed Henry as being born c1811 and Mary c1826. Quite a big discrepancy as far as Mary is concerned! So it is very likely that I have the right family and probably the right George too. Just need to find the record of birth (if it exists!) I'm going to check 1858 records now.....will let you all know if I find anything in a mo! Thanks again Becky x

just been on 1837 1858 to 1859 no george scudder but there is a george scudder death 1858 june gravesend on ancestry

Thanks Kate, I'll have a look now Becky x

Thanks Helen. I think you could be right regarding the father's name being down as something else. One of George's children was named Henry and everyone remembered him as 'Uncle Harry'. So it is quite possible that he could have been down as Harry on the birth cert that I has applied for. I think I might just take a chance and get it and fingers crossed it's the right one! Thanks for the advice and also the Gravesend Register Office details - if all else fails, I'll get in touch with them. Becky x

Here he is in 1871: Name Estimated Birth Year Birthplace Relationship Civil Parish or Township County George Scudder abt 1859 Gravesend, Kent, England Son Milton Kent Henry Scudder abt 1808 Gravesend, Kent, England Head Milton Kent Mary E Scudder abt 1815 Higham, Kent, England Wife Milton Kent Crista

Don't forget that if a census transcription / index says 'born about 1859' it means most likely born 1858, less likely to be 1859. So you should definitely check 1858 for his birth - at least the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters. But if I were you, if I didn't find him there I would check the 1st quarter too. Kate.

Four thoughts a) if George was baptised Jan 1859, he could have been born Dec 1858. b) as there is a bit of discrepancy with this date and George's date on census, it might be that there was an earlier George who died and your George was named in his stead. c) perhaps the cert you got, the father was called something else, but in reality was Henry. I have a chap whose dad is Solomon on his birth cert and Zalig on his marriage cert - father is Solomon Zalig on his death cert. Also have a James McCarthy who is Dennis McCarthy on his son's birth cert. Maybe the cert you didn't get, father is down as Harry or John and his name is John Henry or Henry John. d) have you thought of applying direct to the local register office: Location Gravesend Address 132 Windmill Street Gravesend Kent DA12 1BE Tel +44 (0)845 678 5000 Fax +44(0)1474 564 428 Registration and Census District (1852 - 1946) 2a Email - gravesend.register-office[AT]kent.gov.uk nell

Thanks Geoff, I think you could be right. I suppose that would mean that I can't go any further back than George then?

It's quite possible he wasn't registered; it didn't become compulsory until mid 1870s.

Right, the birth record I am trying to find is for George SCUDDER (name of his father on marriage certificate from 1888 is Henry SCUDDER Deceased) The 1901 Census shows him as being 39 years old, born in Gravesend, Kent. The 1891 Census shows him as being 31 years old, born in Gravesend, Kent. The 1881 Census shows him as being 20 years old, born in Gravesend, Kent. So looking at that, you would think he was born between 1860 and 1862 in Gravesend, Kent (funnily enough!) Despite searching 1837Online, Free BMD and Ancestry, I cannot find a record for a birth around this time. A very kind member on Genes Reunited did a search on the 1861 Census for me and found a record for a Henry SCUDDER living in Gravesend with his wife Mary and 4 children which included a George SCUDDER born c1859 in Gravesend. Even if he did lie about his age on later Census returns and was actually born in 1859, there is still no birth record for that year either! An IGI search has brought up a George SCUDDER (with parents called Henry and Mary) christened in Gravesend in Jan 1859. So we can safely assume that there was a George Scudder born in 1859 in Gravesend with a father named Henry but where on earth is his birth record?! I took a chance with one George Henry SCUDDER born in 1859 in Hoo, Kent (which is quite near Gravesend, I believe) but a search by the GRO showed that the father for this person was not named Henry. Is it possible that his birth was not registered at all? Please can someone help me before I go crazy?! I’ve a whole bank holiday weekend to do some research but nowhere left to search! Thank you so much!