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Fold3 solves a mystery for me

Discussion in 'Military records' started by At home in NZ, Jan 6, 2020.

  1. In the 1901 England census Mrs Brady, a widow, listed herself and some children with only their initials. The youngest child was listed as her son C E Brady.
    He sat in my tree for a while and I have just gone back to this branch of the tree to try to find more about him.

    After much searching in births, baptisms and the GRO I discovered that he was William Charles Eric Brady. His baptism record has the widow's husband and herself as parents. But, the GRO birth record has a dash for mother's maiden name.
    Further adding to the mystery Mr and Mrs Brady (John and Eliza) already had a son called William and he was still alive in 1901.

    William Charles Eric Brady joined the RN and was killed in 1918, I found his naval records and his pension card.
    The pension card is in Fold3 and has Eliza Ann Wonderling for William's mother.
    Eliza Ann Wonderling was Eliza Ann Brady, daughter of John and Eliza. When I found that out I realised why there was no maiden name in the GRO.

    In the 1911 census William Wonderling and Eliza nee Brady have a son William, which I added to my tree at the same time I added C E Brady but couldn't find any details for him either.

    William Wonderling junior and William Charles Eric Brady are is obviously one and the same because birth year and birth place are the same as the 1901 census.
    I guess William Charles Eric was named after his real father and the entry in the 1901 census was a cover up.

    Without my subscription to Fold3 I doubt I would have solved the mystery.
     
    • Useful Useful x 1
  2. Pauline

    Pauline LostCousins Megastar

    It's always satisfying to solve a mystery like this. In my experience, our ancestors used a number of tricks to cover up things like illegitimacy, and don't make things easy for us.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1

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