Genealogy Forum UK

Hi all,
My name is Rachel and I am on the hunt to find my Great Grandmother Kate Mitchell however I have very little to go on and not much experience with family history.
My Grandmother Ann was born to Kate Mitchell on Christmas Eve 1935 however Kate gave my Grandmother up for adoption.
I have my Grandmothers birth certificate which reads:
Registration District: Birmingham
Birth in the Sub-district of: Colmore
No. : 5
When and Where Born: 24th December 1935 - 77 Dudley Road
Name, if any : Ann
Sex: Girl
Name and Surname of Father: -
Name, surname and maiden surname of Mother: Kate Mitchell - Servant domestic of 366 Church Road, Yardley, Birmingham
Occupation of Father: -
Informant: Kate Mitchell, Mother, 366 Church Road, Yardley, Birmingham
When Registered: 24th January 1936
Signature of Registrar: T.G Wigley
Name entered after registration: -

At the end is has:
"Adopted" W.F. Horn Supt. Registrar

So this is the only piece of factual evidence I have.

I also have my Grandmother's adoption certificate:
With the date of the adoption as 10th August 1936

Adopted to:
Terence George Morgan and Frances Morgan
Both of 68 Marston Road, Weoley Castle, Selly Oak, Birmingham.
By the Juvenile Court for the City of Birmingham.

My Grandmother only found out she was adopted when her adopted mother was on her death bed.
She told her that her mother (Kate) worked for a doctors family they knew and that a couple of years after giving birth to Ann she moved to Coventry to marry a bookmaker. My Grandmother has spoken to people who were living around the address at the time when she was working in service and from many accounts it was believed that her mother Kate was around 25/26 years old when she had Ann.

I have therefore researched into marriages in Coventry and also into the place of birth Dudley Road in which I know to be the old workhouse/infirmary.
I am waiting to hear back from Birmingham library regarding hospital records for Dudley Road.

My Grandmother has asked me to do this so that she can finally know something about her family and she feels her time is running out.
As I'm quite stuck at this point I am open to all suggestions, hints or tips.

Many Thanks in advance,
Rachel

Hi Rachel,
you had a couple of the same topics and I have tried to delete 2 of them. They are still there, as such, but the forum seems to be having a little problem with messages at the moment so please bear with us.
Jo

Hi Rachel

I guess this is the sort of problem which is trickiest!

You could try looking at old electoral registers for the address 366 Church Road, Yardley, Birmingham

It would be interesting to know who was living there in 1935/36. I think you can see that for free at some libraries, you would need to ask.

You say that Kate was probably 25/26 in 1936. The 1911 has a Kate Mitchell aged 1 month, in Birmingham. That could be her, although equally it might not be since her age could be slightly older or younger, called a variation on Katherine, or living in a different area

Still, it would be nice to know the family of that baby Kate - you could perhaps rule her in or out as a possible depending on her parents' occupation.

Someone on the forum does look up the odd 1911 census. That is all I can think of for the moment if you get really lucky then the father of the 1911 baby will match with a marriage in Coventry but it is a long shot.

Is this the Kare you mentioned Gaedner.

1911 : 5 Court 7 Ryland Street Birmingham
RG14PN17994 RG78PN1095 RD384 SD1 ED6 SN199
MITCHELL, Ellen Maud Wife Married F 26 1885 Ladywood Birm
MITCHELL, Lilian May Child F 1 1910 Ladywood Birm
MITCHELL, Kate Child F 0 (1 MONTH) 1911 Ladywood Birm
MITCHELL, Elizabeth Maud Niece Single F 17 1894 Press Worker At Brass Founders Ladywood Birm

Image saya Ellen is Married, had 3 children and 1 died.

Annie

Hi Rachel, I live not far from the address you mention.

You can see the house If you Google - 366 Church Road, Yardley and click on 'Street View'

I also lived around the corner from Ryland Street, Ladywood between 1949 - 1963

who living here in 1911 ? 366 Church Road, Yardley, Birmingham

mallosa wrote:Hi Rachel, I live not far from the address you mention.

You can see the house If you Google - 366 Church Road, Yardley and click on 'Street View'

I also lived around the corner from Ryland Street, Ladywood between 1949 - 1963

Birmingham Electoral Register - Address: 366 Church Road between the years 1930 and 1940

Year........Ward............Surname.......First name.....House No.......Street .......................Abode/Other info......................Street
1930....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Solan Percival...366 ...... CHURCH ROAD
1930....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Mary Elizabeth..366...... CHURCH ROAD
1930....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Donald Gordon..366 ...... CHURCH ROAD
1930....Yardley Ward......Chapman.......Violet........... 366...... CHURCH ROAD
1935....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....John Percival...366...... CHURCH ROAD
1935....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Mary Elizabeth..366...... CHURCH ROAD
1935....Yardley Ward......Share...........Eva...............366...... CHURCH ROAD
1935...Market Hall Ward..Bridgewater...John, P&rcival...147 ........................................366 Church road, Yardley..........CORPORATION STREET
1935...Market Hall Ward..Bridgewater...Mary Elizabeth...147 ........................................366 Church road, Yardley..........CORPORATION STREET
1939....Yardley.............Bridgwater....John Percival....366.................................................................................CHURCH ROAD
1939....Yardley............ Bridgwater....Mary Elizabeth..366............................................................................... CHURCH ROAD
1939....Yardley.............Casey..........Mary.............366................................................................................ CHURCH ROAD

peterd wrote:who living here in 1911 ? 366 Church Road, Yardley, Birmingham

FMP does not give a 366 in 1911

mallosa wrote:Birmingham Electoral Register - Address: 366 Church Road between the years 1930 and 1940

Year........Ward............Surname.......First name.....House No.......Street .......................Abode/Other info......................Street
1930....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Solan Percival...366 ...... CHURCH ROAD
1930....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Mary Elizabeth..366...... CHURCH ROAD
1930....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Donald Gordon..366 ...... CHURCH ROAD
1930....Yardley Ward......Chapman.......Violet........... 366...... CHURCH ROAD

1935....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....John Percival...366...... CHURCH ROAD
1935....Yardley Ward......Bridgwater.....Mary Elizabeth..366...... CHURCH ROAD
1935....Yardley Ward......Share...........Eva...............366...... CHURCH ROAD
1935...Market Hall Ward..Bridgewater...John, P&rcival...147 .......366 Church road, Yardley..........CORPORATION STREET
1935...Market Hall Ward..Bridgewater...Mary Elizabeth...147 .......366 Church road, Yardley..........CORPORATION STREET

1939....Yardley.............Bridgwater....John Percival....366..........CHURCH ROAD
1939....Yardley............ Bridgwater....Mary Elizabeth..366...........CHURCH ROAD
1939....Yardley.............Casey..........Mary.............366...........CHURCH ROAD

So do we read that as a couple plus possible maid?
Why the extra entry in 1935? (I've never looked at electoral registers).

Thanks Mal and Annie, you guys are brill.

Anyone got any bright ideas?

gardener wrote:

mallosa wrote:Birmingham Electoral Register - Address: 366 Church Road between the years 1930 and 1940

Year........Ward... .........Surname.......First name.....House No.......Street .......................Abode/Other info......................Street
1935...Market Hall Ward..Bridgewater...John, P&rcival...147 .......366 Church road, Yardley..........CORPORATION STREET
1935...Market Hall Ward..Bridgewater...Mary Elizabeth...147 .......366 Church road, Yardley..........CORPORATION STREET

Why the extra entry in 1935? (I've never looked at electoral registers).

Anyone got any bright ideas?

Never seen electoral rolls either but given they are in different wards could they have owned two homes but would only have been able to vote once?

Maths girl wrote:Never seen electoral rolls either but given they are in different wards could they have owned two homes but would only have been able to vote once?

That would make sense!


Donald Gordon Bridgwater from the 1930 register is in the 1911 census, aged 8 - could someone look and see if his father is a doctor?

John Percival and Mary Elizabeth (Minton) married in 1899 but the only John I can find in 1901 is down (I think) as an architect and building surveyor, not a doctor

1908 to 1915. Kelly's Directory of Birmingham.
John Percival Bridgwater, Alveston, Albert Road, Stechford.

Thats were they are in 1911.

Annie wrote:Is this the Kare you mentioned Gaedner.

1911 : 5 Court 7 Ryland Street Birmingham
RG14PN17994 RG78PN1095 RD384 SD1 ED6 SN199
MITCHELL, Ellen Maud Wife Married F 26 1885 Ladywood Birm
MITCHELL, Lilian May Child F 1 1910 Ladywood Birm
MITCHELL, Kate Child F 0 (1 MONTH) 1911 Ladywood Birm
MITCHELL, Elizabeth Maud Niece Single F 17 1894 Press Worker At Brass Founders Ladywood Birm

Image saya Ellen is Married, had 3 children and 1 died.Annie

Marriages Dec 1907.
BOTTRELL John. Birmingham. 6d. 31.
LEWIS Elizabeth. Birmingham. 6d. 31.
MITCHELL Albert Edward. Birmingham. 6d. 31.
MUSTIN Ellen Maud. Birmingham. 6d. 31.

Maths girl wrote:
Never seen electoral rolls either but given they are in different wards could they have owned two homes but would only have been able to vote once?

That's how I see it MG