Hello, Following someone’s suggestion that the family may have changed their name, and subsequent searches and cross checking. I am now back armed with some certificates regarding the births of Mary Bullock 6 March 1888 and Hannah Bullock 11 July 1875. Also, for the marriage of Joseph Bullock age 21, labourer – Titford with Elizabeth Barnsley age 22 servant – Titford on December 26th 1870.
I am now 99.9% convinced that the family that is recorded up to the birth of Mary in1888 as Bullock for some reason changed their surname to Thomas prior to the 1891 census. There is no trace of the “Thomas” family of Joseph and Elizabeth with their children prior to 1891 census and conversely no trace of the “Bullock” family of Joseph and Elizabeth with their children after the 1881 census.
- Bullock-Thomas comparison.jpg (124.44 KiB) Viewed 3395 times
The only two of Joseph & Elizabeth Tomas’s children that I have been able to follow through their lives with any degree of certainty are Hannah and Mary, so I concentrated on their stories.
The Birth certificate for Mary Bullock records her dob as 6 March 1888 – which almost corresponds with the 1939 register listing for Mary Thomas of 6 March 1886. The recorded dates for Hannah do not match so closely – the birth certificate for Hannah Bullock records her dob as 11 July 1875 whereas the 1939 register lists Hannah Thomas/Knight as 29 July 1873. I would not be surprised if Joseph and Elizabeth were illiterate (marriage certificate singed with their crosses) so it would be conceivable for the exact dates/ages to be forgotten over the years.
I am unable to account for a lack of records for the birth of John Thomas b 1886!
All that remains is the reason why Joseph and Elizabeth saw (what seems drastic to us) the need to adopt an entirely new family name. It is possible that they were even living in the same house when they took the new name. Mary Bullock’s 1888 birth certificate states the residence as Canal Side, Albion, West Bromwich – and the 1891 census lists the address as Canal Side, Bromford Lane, West Bromwich. The census entry that is 3 before Joseph and Elizabeth is for Albion Road, West Bromwich.
I had never come across a family changing their Surname like this before, so I thought that you and you followers might find this interesting.
Thank you all for your interest and help with this search.
Another Brick Wall smashed.
Ron