Genealogy Chat

I have managed to find a marriage record for my Great-Uncle (Leonard) Herman Pitman, who married Edith E Davis in 1914 in Chelsea. However, I am struggling to find a birth certificate for Great-Auntie Edith!

I know my family are all based in and around Brixham in Devon, but cannot work out why this wedding took place in London! Can anyone also help me in locating a birth certificate. My mother, and a lot of relatives I could ask are deceased, so am working in the dark here!

(just adding below, apologies as can't stay!)

Chris :)

1939 Register (Find My Past)

8 Crescent Estate , Brixham U.D., Devon
Leonard H Pitman 04 Aug 1885 Male Painter Married
Edith E Pitman 01 Jan 1884 Female Unpaid Domestic Married

Do you know her middle name?

These are the only two births for the March Quarter 1884 on FreeBMD. Neither is in Devon but one is in London.

Births Mar 1884 (>99%)

Davis Edith Eliza Wareham 5a 293
Davis Edith Elizabeth Pancras 1b 153

Does marriage cert. show age at time of marriage? There are many entries for Edith E Davis for births in the right age group

shows middle name

Name: Edith Emily Davis
Estimated birth year: abt 1885
Age: 29
Spouse: Leonard Herman Pitman
Spouse Age: 27
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 1 Aug 1914
Parish: St Simon Zelotes, Chelsea
Borough: Kensington and Chelsea
Father Name: Alfred Davis - builder (deceased)
Spouse Father: John Pitman

They must have moved around a bit as Emily's son was born in Sydenham, Kent

Births Jun 1915 (>99%)
Pitman Leonard J Davis Bromley 2a 1034

As on her marriage her father was supposedly a builder he may not have been in Devon when Emily was born.

Another alternative is that Alfred is a fiction

from the death registration

NAME: Edith Emily Pitman
BIRTH: 20 Jan 1887
DEATH: Dec 1977 - Torbay, Devon, England

1891?

Name: Edie Davis
Age: 3
Estimated birth year: abt 1888
Relation: Daughter
Mother's name: Emily Davis
Where born: Newton Abbot, Devon, England
Civil Parish: Taunton St Mary Magdalene Within
Ecclesiastical parish: St Mary Magdalene
County/Island: Somerset
Registration district: Taunton

Household Members:
Name Age
Emily Davis 39 - states widowed
Alfred Davis 17
Henry Davis 14
Edward Davis 11
Edie Davis 3 - born Newton Abbot

Edward Davis as Witness on Marriage...(if anything!, and another look at 1939 shows Dorothy M living with them)

Marriages Jun 1942 (>99%)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Pitman Leonard J Sloggett Plymouth 5b 789
Sloggett Dorothy M Pitman Plymouth 5b 789

Chris :)

Edits (Edward possible from posting by Ann above!)


http://tinyurl.com/hso9n24

(Culford Mansions, given as Residence At Time of Marriage, near Brompton Road)

same family in 1881

Name Age
Emly Davis 32 - states married
Harry Davis 3
Edward Davis 1

Devon Baptisms Transcription (Find My Past)

First name(s) Edith Emily
Last name Davis
Birth year 1887
Birth date 21 Jan 1887
Baptism year 1890
Baptism date 01 Jan 1890
Denomination Anglican
Baptism place Wolborough, St Paul
Father's first name(s) Alfred (Deceased)
Mother's first name(s) Emily
County Devon
Archive South West Heritage Trust
Archive reference 2518A/PR/1/37
(Abode, 4 Court, East Street)

Chris :)

LEONARD HERMAN PITMAN

England & Wales deaths 1837-2007



County

Devon

Year

1980

Birth Year

1886

Event Quarter

1

District

TORBAY

Her birth reg?


Births Jun 1887 (>99%)

Davis Edith Emily Newton A. 5b 129

Explains why the marriage was in Chelsea:


Name:Edith Davis
Age in 1911:27
Estimated birth year:abt 1884
Relation to Head:Servant
Gender:Female
Birth Place:Newton, Devon, England
Civil Parish:Chelsea

11 Culford Mansions, Culford Gardens, Chelsea S W

Marital Status:Single
Occupation:GENERAL SERVANT DOMESTIC

Thanks everyone for your help. You've given me lots to look into. I can start my research again!

Thanks again! Have now located Auntie Edith's birth certificate - no idea why they married in London. Guess that's one thing I just won't know. I was looking in completely the wrong direction <3

I think I have answered why the marriage was in Chelsea. Edith was a servant there in 1911. It was quite common for girls to go into service a long way from where they were born, although they would usually go home to be married.