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Hi there,

I am attempting to do some genealogy for a friend of mine.

Her mother is Christine Flower (1948) and was born in York. Christine's father was James Flower (1923) and his brother was Alan Flower (birth unknown), however I can not find birth records for them!

My friend told me that she believes they changed their surname from Townsend to Flower (no idea why) and that their mother was called Mary (my friend has no idea what her name was). Mary married a Bernard Townsend (again I can not find a marriage record).

Any help with tracking them or any advice of where to locate useful resources would be greatly appreciated.

Ellenxx :-S

I assume you have found Christine's birth in York on freebmd with mother's maiden name.

So is it just her father james and his brother you are searching for ?

Marriage information removed as it has been sent by pm.

Kath. x

Any idea when and where Bernard and Mary died ?

Thanks for the quick replies.

I am searching for a birth record for Christine's father James Townsend/Flower he was born in 1923 and in Yorkshire.I have spread the search out further and still have not found nothing.

I have also tried to tally James' brother - Alan Townsend/Flower up by trying to locate the same mothers maiden name (we have no idea what her maiden name is) and again I have found nothing

I can't even find similar spelt names :S

I PM'd the above 1947 marriage as they may still be living.
( my mother was maried in 1947 and is still with us)

Mary died in 1979 in York and James Flower died in 2008.

Christine and Lawrence (my friends parents) are still around but they know so little about the Flower / Townsend family.

We would love to learn more about James' parents

Are you sure the brother was definitely called Alan?

There is a James Townsend born the correct year in Sheffield and what might be a brother born 1927 in Sheffield but his name is Arthur. Mother's maiden name is Parker.

Kath. x

Hi Kath,

It is Alan, but I suppose back in the day they could have changed their name. Can you find a marriage record for Parker and Townsend as I cant seem to find one. I have been told James' mothers first name is definitely Mary.

Ellenx

No - I couldn't find a marriage either.

What makes your friend sure her father was born in 1923?

Kath. x

She said he was born in 1923, however I have broaden the search to 10 years, but I still can't find anything. (Head hits table) :-S

Ellen x

I can only find one marriage in Yorkshire between 1911 and 2005 for a Bernard Townsend. The bride was Mary Booth but the marriage wasn't until 1945.

EDIT - forget that, there are lots of other marriages with the surname spelt Townend.

Kath. x

Hi Kath,

I shall pass this info onto my friend and see if this is the correct date. I will get back to you by the morning x

Just to check, is this a correct death?
Mary Flower
Birth Date: 22 Nov 1892
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1980
Age at Death: 87
Registration district: York
Volume: 2
Page: 3189

If so, she was almost 30 at birth of son, so could have been married before.

Added:
What age was James at death in 2008?
And do you know Bernard's occupation from son's marriage certificate?
Thanks

The only death I can see for a Mary Townsend in 1979 in Yorkshire, is in Sheffield. Is this her?

England & Wales, Death Index, 1916-2006
about Mary Alice Townsend
Name: Mary Alice Townsend
Birth Date: 29 Jun 1906
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1979
Age at Death: 73
Registration district: Sheffield
Inferred County: South Yorkshire
Volume: 3
Page: 1481

Christina,
I had assumed from the OP that they were now known as Flower, so Mary would have died as Mary Flower.
The death that I posted could have been in December 1979, and not registered until 1980, to fit in with the information given about the death in 1979 in York

Yes Patchem, looking at the death you've posted above, I'm sure you're right.

I was confused (this often happens) I'd taken it that the boys were given the name Townsend because their mother married a Townsend, but their birth father's name was Flowers.

Please make allowances - I didn't sleep well last night :-)

As James is no longer alive, is it okay for us to know who James named as his father on his marriage certificate?