Genealogy Forum UK

HI Everyone

I am researching Melville Salter Chaning-Pearce born 1886 died 1969. You'd have thought with a name like that he should leap off the page at you.

I have his wife's name as Doris and a date of death of 1966 (he remarried the same year aged 83!) but I need to find her maiden name. They had a son called Paul born 1922 killed in 1942. I can't find a marriage record for them or a birth for him. I have her death record but I don't want to pay for a death cert if i can avoid it.

Anybody got any ideas.

Eddie

I can find his 1966 marriage, but not his one to Doris. Could they have married abroad?
I don't think Doris's death cert will necessarily help, none of mine have a woman's maiden name on them.

I couldn't find the birth cert for Paul either.

Lieutenant Clement Chaning-Pearce married Dorothy Constance Carr of Durban at Jinja, Uganda on the 19th October 1940.

Clement was a member of The Kings African Rifles.

Their first son was born on the 2nd April 1942 at Kampala, Uganda.

Another son was born in Durban, South Africa on the 3rd July 1952.

Might be we find Melville around Africa as well....

Was Melville a tutor at Oxford?

It looks like him in the 1939 Kellys Directory.

Chaning-Pearce M., M.A.Oxon, The College, South Leigh, Witney. TN 197.

Don't know if you have this for 1911


4 Victoria Parade Ramsgate

CHANNING-PEARCE, Joseph, Head, Married, 66, M D, Trowbridge Wiltshire
CHANNING-PEARCE, Elinor Lois, Wife, Married 43 years, 64, Stockwell London
CHANNING-PEARCE, Elinor, Dter, Single, 39, Brixton London,
CHANNING-PEARCE, Amelia Stancomb, Dter, Single, 37, Brixton London
CHANNING-PEARCE, Wilfred Thomas, Son, Single, 25, M R C S L R C P, Brixton London
CHANNING-PEARCE, Melville Salter, Son, Single, 23, Undergraduate Of Oxford, Ramsgate Kent
BUSH, Rosella, Stepsister, Single, 52, Bath Somerset,
FILTALL, Fanny, Servant, Single, 25, Domestic Parlourmaid, Eastry Kent
HALL, Charlotte Elizabeth, Servant, Single, 23, Domestic Housemaid, East Peckham Kent
HORN, Louisa Kate, Servant, Single, 27, Domestic Cook, Minster Kent
KNIGHT, Emily, Servant, Single, 16, Domestic Kitchenmaid, Ickham Kent

I have found him in the Dorset Regiment where he served in Iraq. He received two medals there in July 1925.

His Biography is in "Who Was Who among English and European Authors, 1931-1949." printed in 1978.

Overseas registration event: Marriage
Name: PEARCE, Melville
Consulate: Shanghai
Country: China
Year: 1921-1925
Volume: 17
Page: 110
Spouse's last name: Not stated
Record source: GRO Consular Marriages (1849-1965)
MarriageFinder: Melville Pearce married one of the following people
FRISOVSKAYA, Galina
PRATT, Lucinda B
BERRY, Francis W

MarkCDodd wrote:Lieutenant Clement Chaning-Pearce married Dorothy Constance Carr of Durban at Jinja, Uganda on the 19th October 1940.

Clement was a member of The Kings African Rifles.

Their first son was born on the 2nd April 1942 at Kampala, Uganda.

Another son was born in Durban, South Africa on the 3rd July 1952.

Might be we find Melville around Africa as well....

There is a Mr C Channing Pearce travelling with Mrs D Channing Pearce and Mst M Channing Pearce in November 1953. No years of birth are given. They're travelling from London to South Africa onboard the Bræmar Castle.

There is another Mr and Mrs Channing Pearce travelling from Southhampton to South Africa that year, they are born in 1907/1906 respectively. Sorry no initials given.

There is also a Channing Pearce family arriving in the UK in 1920 from Bombay, India:

Captain Channing Pearce 29
Mrs Channing Pearce 24
Infant Channing Pearce 6 months

In 1914 there is a Miss A Channing Pearce arriving from Bombay , no age given. I can only tell that she's over the age of 12!

I can see he relinquished his commision from the 4th Battalion, Dorset Regiment in May 1922. Might be about the time Paul was born...

Groom's Name: Melville Chaning Pearce
Groom's Birth Date: 1885
Groom's Birthplace:
Groom's Age: 33
Bride's Name: Doris Viney
Bride's Birth Date: 1896
Bride's Birthplace:
Bride's Age: 22
Marriage Date: 30 Dec 1918
Marriage Place: Bombay, Bombay, India
Groom's Father's Name: Joseph Chaning Pearce
Groom's Mother's Name:
Bride's Father's Name: Josiah Ernest Viney
Bride's Mother's Name:
Groom's Race:
Groom's Marital Status:
Groom's Previous Wife's Name:
Bride's Race:
Bride's Marital Status:
Bride's Previous Husband's Name:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00211-5
System Origin: India-EASy
Source Film Number: 523907
Reference Number:

1891
4, Victoria Parade, Ramsgate

CHANING PEARCE, Joseph, Head, Mar, 46, Registred Physician & Surgeon, Bradford Wiltshire
CHANING PEARCE, Elinor Lois, Wife, Mar, 44, Stockwell London
PEARCE, S Salter, Brother, Single, 48, Living On Means, Bradford Wiltshire
CHANING PEARCE, Elinor, Daughter, Single, 19, Student, Brixton London
CHANING PEARCE, Amelia S, Daughter, Single, 17, Student, Brixton London
CHANING PEARCE, Eversley, Daughter, Single, 14, Student, Brixton London
CHANING PEARCE, Gladwys S, Daughter, Single, 12, Student, Brixton London
CHANING PEARCE, Wilfrid Thomas, Son, Single, 5, Student, Brixton London
CHANING PEARCE, Melville S, Son, Single, 4, Ramsgate Kent
CHANING PEARCE, Rosella Lois, Daughter, Single, 3, Ramsgate Kent
SMITH, Eleanor, Governess, Single, 31, Teacher Of General Knowledge, Manchester Lancashire
FRENCH, Edith Mary, Nurse, Single, 25, Nurse Domestic Servant, Islington London
EBERY, Annie, Servant, Single, 22 , Parlour Maid Domestic Servant, Wingham Kent
SHORLANDS, Alice, Servant, Single, 23, Parlour Maid Domestic Servant, Hitchin Hertfordshire
VARCOE, Harriet J, Servant, Single, 22, Housemaid Domestic Servant, Lincolns Inn Fields London
MORECROFT, Jessie, Servant, Single, 16, Kitchenmaid Domestic Servant, Ramsgate Kent

Doris' birth entry.

Name: Doris Viney
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1890
Registration district: Chertsey
Inferred County: Surrey
Volume: 2a
Page: 49

Her father is Josiah Ernest Viney 1855-1930

Her mother is Bessie Louisa Creasy 1856-1934

They married and lived around the Dorset area which fits in with Melville being in the Dorset Regiment.

You guys are magic!!! There are some red herrings there (Clement for one) but the rest are sheer gold. I had many of the census entries but a lots of new stuff there. It will take me a week to get my head around it. I particularly must find the author's biographies book!

Thank you all so much

Eddie

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