Find Ancestors

I wonder if anyone can help me. I'm trying to find my paternal grandmother Florence Goddard. Florence(born may 1900) married my Grandfather, John Orritt in 1934 in Southport and mentions her fathers name as William Goddard, deceased. I have no idea where Florence came from.
I have always been told that Florence was a twin and that when she was about 12 her Mother, Father and twin sister went out in a pony and trap. Unfortunately the trap overturned, killing all three, leaving Florence an orphan. She was then brought up by someone else. She suffered from epilepsy brought on apparently by the tragedy.
I wondered if possibly Florence had been christened a different surname and brought up by someone (william) with the surname Goddard after the incident, or maybe it is just a story to cover up the fact that my grandmother became epilectic at the age of 12!!! or that something more sinister happened in the family.
If anyone can help I would be most grateful
Sue Stacey

Hi there Sue - welcome to the boards :-)

would have been better to make just the one posting as they both concern the same family - things might get messy

have sent you some info by message as they may be living people

Name: Florence R Goddard
Event Type: Marriage Registration
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration Year: 1934
Registration District: Southport
County: Lancashire
Event Place: Southport, Lancashire, England
Spouse Name (available after 1911): Orritt
Volume: 8B
Page: 1957
Line Number: 97


Florence R Goddard probably married one of the following people
Name: John Orritt

Name: Florence Goddard
Event Type: School enrollment
Event Year Range: 1896 - 1905
Event Place: Lancashire, England

Digital Folder Number: 004470517

hi
searched all night for three deaths togeather for name goddard found none
found no birth for florence in 1900 or years before or after that date

First name(s) FLORENCE ROSALIND
Last name ORRITT
Gender Female
Birth day 12
Birth month 5
Birth year 1900
Age -
Death quarter 1
Death year 1979
District WEST LANCASHIRE
County Lancashire
Volume 40
Page 2871
Country England

Presumably, the birth info is known only from the death record, which could be wrong

How old was she when she married?

What is her father, William's occupation please?

The other post referred to, but not identified

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1349194

Hi everyone and thanks Ann for your messages.
Williams occupation was "commercial traveller" according to Florences marriage certificate. I have a gut feeling that Florence was adopted possibly by William, which is why we can't find her birth record. I've contacted the Goddard Association of Europe also and they can't find her so she's definitely a mystery

Hi Jaqueline
Florence was 34 when she married. The marriage was on the 1st September 1934. She was a domestic servant. The odd thing is that she is classed as Florence Rosaline (not Rosalind) on the certificate.

The spelling is probably down to the way the registrar interpreted what he heard

Who were the witnesses?

The witnesses were F Middleton and C. S Wright

Hi

What was the address for her on the marriage certificate?

The address was 69 Bedford Road Southport

Susan this may be of interest to you. Names match but relationship is that of husband/wife and not father/daughter. Info comes from the National Archives which is always a good source of info as well.

Divorce Court File: 5787. Appellant: William Goddard. Respondent: Florence Rosaline Goddard. Type: Husband's petition for ...

Court for Divorce and Matrimonial Causes, later Supreme Court of Judicature: Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Files. 1928-1931 Series. Divorce and matrimonial cause files, described at... Divorce Court File: 5787. Appellant: William Goddard. Respondent: Florence Rosaline Goddard. Type: Husband's petition for divorce [HD].

Held by: The National Archives - Supreme Court of Judicature
Date: 1930
Reference: J 77/2767/5787

This comes from FreeBMD

Marriages Sep 1918 (>99%)
Cestr-Cross Dorothy M Cox Ormskirk 8b 1447 Scan available - click to view
Cox Charles B Cestr-Cross Ormskirk 8b 1447
Cross Dorothy M C Cox Ormskirk 8b 1447
Evans Florence A Goddard Ormskirk 8b 1447
Goddard William L Evans Ormskirk 8b 1447

The initial A after florence could just be transcription error.

Hope this helps you

according to this record on ancestry ............ Florence ADA Evans married William Goddard ...............



Lancashire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1936

Name: Florence Ada Evans
Gender: Female
Age: 29
Birth Year: abt 1889
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 4 Sep 1918
Parish: Birkdale, St Peter, Lancashire, England
Spouse: William Leslie Goddard
Spouse Age: 27
Father: Henry James Evans
Spouse Father: William Shallcross Goddard
Register Type: Parish Register

This really does not seem to be your Florence (with a change of name) ..........



............ among other things, she was 29 on the 1918 marriage, and 34 on the 1934 marriage

?? twins mentioned (but obviously not May 1900)! but fits as to twins and father's name of William

Births Sep 1894

Preece Ada King's N. 6c 373
Preece Emily Jane King's N. 6c 374a
>>>>Preece Florence Rosaline King's N. 6c 411
>>>>Preece Gertrude Grace King's N. 6c 412



1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census

Highfield Villa, Station Road, Harborne, Kings Norton, Worcestershire, England


William Preece Head Married Male 47 1854 Commercial Traveller (Brawn Papers) Selly Oak, Worcestershire, England
Frances A Preece Wife Married Female 32 1869 - Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Elsie M Preece Daughter Single Female 8 1893 - Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
>>>Florence R Preece Daughter Single Female 6 1895 - Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
>>>Gertrude G Preece Daughter Single Female 6 1895 - Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
Sarah Preece Mother Widow Female 78 1823 - Bedford, Warwickshire, England


Deaths Mar 1903

Preece Frances Annie 34 King's N. 6c 278

Deaths Jun 1904

PREECE William 50 King's N. 6c 271


1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census

262 Harborne Park Road Harborne Birmingham, Harborne, Worcestershire, England

George Reeves Head Married Male 67 1844 Edgbaston Warwickshire Retired Tool Maker
Sarah Jane Reeves Wife Married Female 51 1860 Selly Oak Worcestershire -
Hilda Reeves Daughter Single Female 15 1896 Harborne Staffordshire School
Elsie May Preece Granddaughter Single Female 18 1893 Harborne Staffordshire Clerk Typist
>>>Florence Rosaline Preece Granddaughter Single Female 16 1895 Harborne Staffordshire
>>>Gertrude Grace Preece Granddaughter Single Female 16 1895 Harborne Staffordshire Clerk Typist
Beatrice Baker Servant Single Female 19 1892 Lye Worcestershire Domestic Servant


Marriages Sep 1918

Goddard William Preece Kings N. 6d 72
Preece Florence R Goddard Kings N. 6d 72

married on 10th August 1918 at Harborne Parish Church
Groom's father - Tom Goddard (Farmer)
Bride's father - William Preece decd (Commercial traveller)

Witnesses - Charles Wiltshire and Hilda Reeves


(could be a complete red herring!!) but William Preece was a Commercial traveller

National Probate Calendar


Name: William Preece

Probate Date: 19 Jul 1904

Death Date:23 Apr 1904

Death Place:Birmingham, West Midlands, England
Registry:Birmingham, England

of 33 Lonsdale Road, Harborne, Commercial traveller
Administration to George Reeves, gentleman

£1001 12s 6d.

?????

Marriages Sep 1919 (>99%)

Bartlett Donald J Preece Eastbourne 2b 196
Preece Gertrude G Bartlett Eastbourne 2b 196