Brick Wall.....Help!!

[Spotter]

Hi

I have started to research my family tree and have arrived at a dead end.
I did not know my father but i do have his birth certificate which names him as Frank Edward Potter[/color], born 18th Aug 1922 in St Pancras. He was also known as Fred

On this certificate it states that his mother is Helen Potter (formally Brazil) and William Edward Potter the father.
I have found no marriage record for Potter / Brazil and no record of my father anywhere else except for his death.
I have checked electoral registers five years either side of the my father's birth without finding anything to link the Brazil / Potter pairing.

However a Helen Elizabeth Brazil married a Henry J Neale in St Pancras 1912 and as far as i can see, stayed together for many years. This relationship produced five children, one of which was born in 1922 but of a completely different name. After speaking to a member of the Neale family, i believe there to be no connection.

Records show that William Edward Potter was married to Matilda Smith in Camden Town in 1904 (which is in close proximity to St Prancras) and between them possibly had six children with the last being born in 1915.

My mother (now deceased) said that my father never spoke about his childhood which leads me to the possibility of adoption. He was in the British army during WW2, possibly with the desert rats.

I would appreciate any help in breaking down this brick wall in helping me find out about my father's side of the family.

Many thanks
Steve

[peterd]

wonder if any info on the 1929 register ?

[Jimmy]

Thats odd looks like Helen could have had 2 children in the same year,

Births Mar 1922.
Neale Harry C J. Brazil. St.Giles. 1b. 1063.

Births Dec 1922.
Potter Frank E. Brazil. Pancras. 1b. 126.

[grangers14]

Hi Spotter,
this section is just for beginners to explain how to search. This appears to be a general thread so I am moving over to general.
Jo

[BC Wench]

I'm thinking that Frank Edward Potter was the child of Helen Elizabeth (Brazil) Neale and born while Helen Elizabeth was still married to Henry J Neale, and Frank's father William Edward Potter was still married to Matilda Smith.

The births that Jimmy found:-

Births Mar Quarter 1922
Neale Harry C J Mother's Surname: Brazil St.Giles 1b 1063

This looks likes Harry's death on Ancestry

DEATH
Name: Harry Christopher J Neale
Birth Date: 25 Nov 1921
Date of Registration: Jun 1974
Age at Death: 52
Registration district: Greenwich
Inferred County: Greater London
Volume: 12
Page: 1095

It gives his birth date as 25 November 1921 - a birth has to be registered within 42 days (6 weeks) and this March Quarter covers January - March 1922.

Frank Edward Potter's birth certificate says he was born 18 August 1922. This is a bit "tight" being just 9 months after the birth of Harry C.J. Neale, but still possible.

Regarding the Mother's name Ellen Elizabeth Potter formerly Brazil on Frank's birth certificate. I have a similar situation in my tree. I have, say, Elizabeth Smith marrying Charles Brown and they produced 2 children before Charles dies - that's fine.

Elizabeth then has a relationship with Henry Green and they never married, but they produced 2 children Emma & John.

On Emma's birth certificate it says her father is Henry Green and the Mother's name Elizabeth Green late Brown (she married Charles Brown) formerly Smith (her maiden name).

On John's birth certificate it states that his father is Henry Green and Mother's name Elizabeth Green formerly Smith (her maiden name). So she had reverted back to her maiden name on this certificate.

Also, in the 1911 census for William Edward & Matilda Potter it states that he is a Postman. On Find My Past, there are newspaper articles dated 1931 about a William Edward Potter aged 48 who robbed the Post Office of about £200 over a period of 4 years and was sentenced to 3 years penal servitude - could this be your William Edward? Perhaps another reason for your father not talking about his childhood.

Matilda Potter and her children are on the 1939 register at FMP.

I hope this isn't too confusing, but I just wanted to show how it could be possible of Frank's parentage.

[gardener]

On this certificate it states that his mother is Helen Potter (formally Brazil) and William Edward Potter the father.

Is there an occupation for the father?

And have you located any of these people in the 1939 register?

(sorry, just saw the bit above)

[gardener]

There is also

Name: William Edward Potter
Gender: Male
Age: 46
Birth Date: abt 1883
Departure Date: 19 Jul 1929
Port of Departure: London, England
Destination Port: Gibraltar
Ship Name: Razmak

Postman
Last address: 23 Essex St, Strand W.C.
Going to Gibraltar but permanent address England.

------

Name: William E Potter
Birth Date: abt 1883
Age: 46
Port of Departure: Bombay, India [but that is the ship, he departed from Gibraltar]
Arrival Date: 2 Aug 1929
Port of Arrival: London, England
Ports of Voyage: Plymouth
Ship Name: Mantua

Same address as above, but occupation Civil Servant

That must have been him off on his hols