Genealogy Forum UK

I have always known my wife's late grandmothers' date of birth - 1st May 1920, born in New York. I think I even got that date from her myself, and we were always sending her birthday cards on the day.

Now I have seen a copy of the 1920 New York census and incoming passenger lists, I'm not so sure. Something's not right.

The 1920 census is dated 28th January 1920 (before she was born), yet gives her age as 3 months. The UK Imcoming passengers list in on 21st December 1920 gives her age as 10 months.

I even looked into the idea of obtaining her birth certificate, but was quoted more than $50.

Why is nothing ever easy?

Time to consult the father-in-law again!

We always celebrated my Gran's birthday on the 8th January up until she died in 1976. It wasn't until I started tracing our family and obtained her birth certificate that we realised she was born on the 11th - same year though.

Maggie

Was she first born?

Quite often the real birth date of a first born is suspect as they don't want an instant baby, i.e one that appears 6 months after they marry.

I also find people confuse the birth date and baptism/chistening date.

MarkCDodd wrote:Was she first born?

No, she was the third child. The first, as far as I can tell, born in NY.

I don't suppose the family had a passport issued before travelling? Ancestry has scans of passports from that period, it would have be issued in the father's name most likely if it existed.

Or - just wondering, any chance someone wrote her date of birth down in the American order and then read it later as UK? So she was born Jan 5th and written 1/5/1920 which was then read as 1st May? She could have been 3 weeks in the census, rather than 3 months. Doesn't quite explain the 10 months in December though

What was your grand mothers name.

This one,
1920. Manhattan Assembly District 23, New York, New York.
George Robertson 33.
Agnes Robertson 28.
Stevan Robertson 5.
Bertha Robertson 4.
Margaret Robertson 0. [2/12]. should be 3/12.

gardener wrote:I don't suppose the family had a passport issued before travelling? Ancestry has scans of passports from that period, it would have be issued in the father's name most likely if it existed.

Or - just wondering, any chance someone wrote her date of birth down in the American order and then read it later as UK? So she was born Jan 5th and written 1/5/1920 which was then read as 1st May? She could have been 3 weeks in the census, rather than 3 months. Doesn't quite explain the 10 months in December though

I didn't know ancestry had passport scans for then. Would they be available eveb though they're not 100 years old yet?
I guess the date round the wrong way could explain things. I'll look into that.

Jimmy wrote:What was your grand mothers name.

This one,
1920. Manhattan Assembly District 23, New York, New York.
George Robertson 33.
Agnes Robertson 28.
Stevan Robertson 5.
Bertha Robertson 4.
Margaret Robertson 0. [2/12]. should be 3/12.

That's the one Jimmy, Margaret is my Wife's G'mother. Is that the census you sent me? Or have you found something else?

Thats the one I sent you, I can't see any passports.

I did a google and found an ancestry page for the passports, but can't view anything because I don't have the international access to ancestry!

But thanks again for looking!

Can this be archived now Loakesy ?

Jo