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No you'd need to buy the cert really,you can get a PDF download from the GRO for less than the cost of the paper cert'

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/menu.asp

That’s very interesting. Could be Gladys May as mothers maiden name is Gerrish. Without the birth certificate there’s no way to prove the child is Florence’s or is there?

For ref to see if an older sister might have been the mother of Annie, if the story got confused?

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Cornwell Buildings, 5, Bath, Somerset, England

Harry Gerrish Head Married Male 39 1862 Batheaston, Somerset, England Ostler
Ellen Gerrish Wife Married Female 40 1861 Mountain Ash, Monmouthshire, Wales -
Harry Gerrish Son Single Male 17 1884 Bath, Somerset, England Stable Lad
Eliza Gerrish Daughter Single Female 15 1886 Bath, Somerset, England Corset Maker
Florence R Gerrish Daughter Single Female 12 1889 Bath, Somerset, England -
Annie K Gerrish Daughter Single Female 11 1890 Bath, Somerset, England -
Lily Gerrish Daughter Single Female 8 1893 Bath, Somerset, England

?

Births Jun 1912 (>99%)
Gerrish Gladys May Gerrish Bath 5c 878

Looking at the GRO index which gives mmn there doesn't appear to be a birth for an Annie, or a Gerrish/Gerrish birth before the marriage.

I did wonder if the birth was possibly after the marriage but during WW1 if Albert was away but no sign of that either.

Sorry Sonia would have been 17 so working somewhere I guess.

Another thread to the mystery, and I can’t find any evidence for this story so I’m throwing it open to everyone for help.....

Florence Ruth Gerrish, Sonia’s mother, married Albert Isaac Roffey in 21/1/1914.
The family story says she had an illegitimate child called Annie who Albert refused to adopt, and she was taken to a home or someone else’s house in Bristol before he and Florence married. Sonia and Dorothy when older used to visit “ cousin” Annie once or twice a year, and later found out she was their half sister.

I can’t find any record of Annie Gerrish except Florence’s sister of that name and an unrelated Gerrish born in 1910 near Bath.

Can anyone help to either refute the story or find the missing child?

14 was school leaving age back then

Maybe the name is spelt incorrectly because she was alive and didn’t marry until 1947
She was only 15 so may be at school or boarding school

The 1939 Register was only updated by the NHS until some time in 1991, therefore any deaths of marriages that occurred after that time have not been added.

FMP is gradually updating the Register as people send in copies of death certificates or some at FMP gets time to check deaths. I hve no idea what they will do about women who have changed the name from that shown in the Register. Will they bother to try to connect?

So, someone you are looking for may ............

still be alive

be dead but the information has not been entered.

Also deaths overseas will never be entered unless someone sends in the information required by FMP

I couldn't spot Sonia on the 1939 register I'm afraid.

That’s really helpful. Thank you.
I don’t see where Sonia was in 1939only her sister Dorothy.

This may be more likely

1939 register
Johnson Household (3 People)
16 Victoria Street , Rochester M.B., Kent, England
Start free family tree View original image Print
FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB OCCUPATION
Albert I Roffey 19 Mar 1883 widower Commercial Traveller Stationery
Ada E (Ada Margery) Johnson 15 Aug 1877 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Ernest F Waghorn 30 Oct 1910 Aircraft Fitter
Ref: RG101/1772D/002/19 Letter Code: DINI
© Findmypast Ltd

1939 Register


Johnson Household (3 People)

16 Victoria Street , Rochester M.B., Kent, England


Albert I Roffey 19 Mar 1883 Male Commercial Traveller Mater Widowed 8 2
Ada E (Ada Margery) Johnson 15 Aug 1877 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Single 8 1
Ernest F Waghorn 30 Oct 1910 Male Aircraft Fitter Married 8 3

Maybe?

Rofe Albert 1884 — 1939 1939 Register Brighton C.B., Sussex, England

but does say he is divorced.

Husbands birth

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Births Jun 1883 (>99%)
ROFFEY Albert Isaac Brighton 2b 222


1911

in the 1911 England Census


Name: Albert Isaac Roffey
Age in 1911: 28
Estimated birth year: abt 1883
Relation to Head: Boarder
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Brighton, Sussex
Civil Parish: Gloucester
Search Photos: Search for 'Gloucester' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England
Street address: 16 Arthur St, Glos
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Manager, Gloucester Branch Bar Lock Typewriter Co Ltd 198 Upper Thames street London E C
Registration district: Gloucester
Registration District Number: 325
Sub-registration district: Gloucester Northern
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Household schedule number: 276
Piece: 15290
Household Members:
Name Age
Florence Blakemore 40
William Walter Blakemore 13
Albert Isaac Roffey 28
Edward Monro Purkis 25
Philip Fletcher Dixon 19


Andy

Deaths Sep 1924 (>99%)
Roffey Florence R 35 Bristol 6a 1

Deaths Jun 1946 (>99%)
Roffey Albert I 63 Brighton 2b 232

More detail on marriage

Somerset, England, Marriage Registers, Bonds and Allegations, 1754-1914

Name: Florence Ruth Gerrish
Gender: Female
Age: 24
Birth Year: abt 1890
Marriage or Bann Date: 21 Jan 1914
Marriage Place: Walcot St Swithin, Somerset, England
Parish as it Appears: Walcot
Search Photos: Search for 'Walcot St Swithin' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
Father: Harry Gerrish
Spouse: Albert Isaac Roffey


Andy

Mothers birth?

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Births Sep 1888 (>99%)
GERRISH Florence Ruth Bath 5c 591


1911

Florence Gerrish

in the 1911 England Census

Name: Florence Gerrish
Age in 1911: 22
Estimated birth year: abt 1889
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Bath, Somerset
Civil Parish: Bath
Search Photos: Search for 'Bath' in the UK City, Town and Village Photos collection
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England
Street address: 2 Nelson Place, East Walcot, Bath
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Assistant Photographer
Registration district: Bath
Registration District Number: 316
Sub-registration district: Walcot
ED, institution, or vessel: 6
Household schedule number: 305
Piece: 14708
Household Members:
Name Age
Harry Gerrish 49
Ellen Gerrish 50
Harry Gerrish 27
Florence Gerrish 22
Annie Gerrish 21


Andy

Sister somewhat oddly registered in 1939

Household (1 Person)
Hotel Metropole Brighton , Brighton C.B., Sussex, England


Gerrish E D Roffey Servant 04 Nov 1914 Female Hotel Chambermaid Single 1 136

Parents?

Marriages Mar 1914 (>99%)
Gerrish Florence R Roffey Bath 5c 909
Roffey Albert I Gerrish Bath 5c 909