Genealogy Chat

Hi - it seems my great grandfather went by three different names and I keep hitting brick walls with all my bmd/census searches. He was born around 1871 and died in 1927 and lived in London and the Manchester area and may have been a comic singer performing mainly in the Lancashire/Yorkshire theatres in the 1890s/early 1900's. If anyone has any useful information about where else I can look to maybe find some more information about him to help me narrow down his actual birth name then that would be absolutely fantastic.

Many thanks in advance for any assistance. :-)

Without knowing who you are looking for and what you have already found dont think anyone can help

:-)

What name did he marry under? What name was on his children's birth and/or marriage certs? Where have you found him on a census?

If you post some details then we can help.

Thanks for responding - sorry it's taken me a while to come back here due to various circumstances.

I wasn't actually asking people to research my ancestor for me hence not putting the name. It was more a query as to resources. As mentioned, I've done the usual bmd/census searches (Ancestry, Findmypast etc) but there may be other websites out there or records to search, particularly relating to the North of England and the theatre, that I'm not aware of that I was hoping somebody might know about.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond. :-)

http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/

http://www.lan-opc.org.uk

http://www.yorkshirebmd.org.uk/

If you're looking for theatre references, try the newspapers on FMP, be flexible with the search terms. Also worth googling theatres you think he may have played at.

If he used a stage name, it's unlikely that there will be a cross-reference to a 'real' name

Did he marry? Was the same name on his death cert?

Have you found him in any censuses?

Bear in mind failure to register a birth only became punishable in 1875

Hi Julie

We all like looking for people on here so if you would like to give us any of the names he was known by we could try to see what we can find.

Kath. x

Hi Erika and Nyx. Yes I've checked the newspapers on FMP and have a couple of possible entries but the name issue is a persistent problem. I was thinking along the lines of one being his stage name but then it was used on his death cert in 1927 which also gave another alias. I do have full details of his partner (they weren't actually married but said they were) and his kids between 1895 and 1920. Basically he starts off using name 1 in 1895-1901. In the 1911 census (with his partner & kids) he’s changed his first name so that’s name 2. Then in 1920 he goes back to name 1 but on his death cert he’s listed as name 2 otherwise name 3!

All highly confusing and frustrating but I will continue to research and am grateful for the Lancs & Yorks research links.

Thank you again. :-)

If he's only changed his first name, and not his surname can you pin him down on the 1881/1891 census, by possible birth 1871 plus or minus several years , cross checking against the GRO birth index?

If he's only changed his first name, and not his surname can you pin him down on the 1881/1891 census, by possible birth 1871 plus or minus several years , cross checking against the GRO birth index?

There is usually a reason why people having children together didn't marry. Is it possible your Great Grandfather or his partner were already married? Have you looked for other marriages under any of his names?

You say he MAY have been a comic singer- it sounds you are unsure. What is his occupation on his children's birth certificates and on the census?

Have you tried searching his addresses in the newspapers- sometimes names get auto transcribed incorrectly, so using alternative search words could help.

Is he listed in any prison registers- although he may have had a stage name, alias's were also often used to avoid the law.

Finally- sometimes, even when you think you've exhausted all avenues, sharing his name could help- I understand you want to research yourself, but sometimes another pair of eyes can give results or reveal a little titbit to get you a further.

:-)

Have you tried Google?