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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => London and Middlesex => England => London & Middlesex Lookup Requests => Topic started by: lilleywood on Wednesday 23 December 09 21:33 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I've drawn a blank on my Great grandfather George W A Blake, B:1879, England.D:8 Feb1950 in Pa USA. I know this information is correct because I have items relating to his death and letters from his wife Ina C Blake,B: 1879 in Scotland D: 1967. I don' know Ina's maiden name but they married 1930.
George had a daughter out of wedlock (my Grand mother) Ellen elizabeth Blake 1895-1967B: Chelsea, London.
I have lots of hints and evidence about George from the US census but can find nothing about him before he left for america around 1902, aged 23.
He returned to England several times. and kept in contact with his daughter.
I would be greatful of any help
Thank you
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Hi
By 1930 - George was around 51yrs old so as he moved to the USA in 1902 he presumably married Ina there
Do American marriage certificates for that period show parents names?
If so - it may be a good idea to look for their marriage and get a copy of the certificate as it may help to trace him in England
What did the W A stand for (William Arthur??)
Have you looked for him on the 1881 census which is free to search at www.familysearch.org
Is he named on Ellen's birth cert - if yes- what was his occupation
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Hi
Thanks for your reply.
I have searched Familysearch & FreeBMD & Philadelphia PA but found nothing.
Is it possible they married at sea? Idon't know where such records would be kept.
I think the W does stand for William, not sure about the A.
He is named on Ellen's marriage certificate, occupation doctors assistant.
On the US census he worked as a hospital doorman, so Idon't think he had anything to do with medicine etc.
In the 1930 US census there is an Alexander Joseph Morrison (nephew) listed B: Scotland 1909. So did George have a sister or did he become a hephew through Ina's marriage
I have tried searching George or Ina Morrison, again with no luck.
I have letters to Ellen from uncle Bill refering to her father so George must have had a brother William.
There seems to be a Scotish link here as all the sailings to the states were from Glasgow
I have searched Scotish records and found some Blakes but can't limk it to anything.
Also the fact that Ellen was born in London doesn't mean George came from there.
So many Questions!!
Regards
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It is quite unusual (although not unknown) to be called Ellen BLAKE if born out of wedlock.
Do you have her birth certificate that names George as her father? My concern is that there is an Ellen E Blake, age 6, b St Luke, Chelsea, in the 1901 census, the daughter of a Charles Blake.
Do you have your Ellen on the 1901 census?
Richard
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Hi
I Don't have Ellen Blake in the 1901 census as I could'nt link her to her father.
George W A Blake is listed on her birth and marriage certificate as the father.
When my mother was alive she told me that her mothers (Ellen) father was George and her mother was Elizabeth and born out of wedlock.
She never mentioned any siblings.
I supose it is possible that if George had siblings Ellen may have been raised by them and not the mother. Thus retaining the name blake.
I only have 1 record for Ellen and that is her marriage in1919. As yet i don't subscribe to 1911
Regards
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Some possible information on Ina:
Birth
20 Apr 1908 Coatbridge
Alexander Joseph Morrison, son of Angus Morrison, spirit salesman, and Margaret (nee Cameron)
Marriage
7 July 1903
Angus Morrison, 32, barman, s John Morrison and Catherine (nee Morrison) deceased
M. Cameron, 28, dressmaker, d, John Cameron, labourer and Catherine (nee Macrae) deceased
Witnesses: Malcolm Morrison and Ina Cameron
1881 census
John Cameron, 32
Catherine Cameron, 33
Mary McRae, 35
Colin Cameron, 11
Malcolm Cameron, 9
Mary Cameron, 7
Margaret Cameron, 5
Alexandrina Cameron, 1 (in 1891 she is Alexina, 12; I haven't found her in 1901, although she may be the 21 year-old servant in Nairn)
I'm not sure that this is your Ina. but the co-incidence of names seems unusual, and this Ina is Alexander's aunt. It seems worth looking for a George Blake/Alex(andr)ina Cameron marriage.
Who is the mother on Ellen Elizabeth Blake's birth certificate?
Richard
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There is a naturalisation for an Ina Cameron Blake in Pennysylvania in 1926 here:
http://www.footnote.com/document/25721513/
...and here:
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=ROOT_CATEGORY&rank=1&new=1&so=1&MSAV=1&msT=1&gss=ms_f-2&gsfn=ina+cameron&gsln=blake&sbo=1&ne=3
There is another one in 1927, so perhaps the first application failed (you have to pay to see them or have a different membership to ancestry to the one I have).
Both state she emigrated in 1910.
As you probably know there are three applications for a George William Blake (1919, 1925 and 1926) which state that he emigrated in 1904 from England. One of the witnesses, Ida K Rowley, was also a witness for Ina Cameron Blake (the only two she did, so she isn't an official).
Given their emigration dates, perhaps they married earlier than you thought. Did you base your 1930 estimate on the fact that they are married by the 1930 census (where he is George W Blake)?
There is an Ina Cameron living in Philadelphia in 1920 (bc1882, so may not be the same person) which might pin the date down to 1920-26.
Don't the 1920 and 1930 censuses give parents' names on them? If you don't have access, I'm sure a posting on the US board will bring a response.
Richard
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The US federal census records would not have parents' names unless the parents were living with them.
I can see Ina's petition for naturalization from 8 Sep. 1926. It says she was living at 4543 N. Mole St., Philadelphia. She was born 6 Apr. 1881 in Innoness, Scotland. She immigrated from Liverpool to Philadelphia on the Friesland arriving 21 Nov. 1910. Her husband George was born 6 Nov. 1870 in England and they were married 2-22-22. Below that it says "Husband Nat. 3-1226." Her oath of allegiance was taken on 25 Feb. 1927.
On the passenger list from 1910, Ina is listed as last residing in Inverness and her nearest relative was John Cameron, 2 Manse(?) Place, Inverness. She was a domestic servant, single, and going to Philadelphia to join friend Ewen Fraser at 500 N. 18th St. She was 5'2" tall with auburn complexion (can't say I've ever seen that description before), black hair, and dark brown eyes. Her birth place is hard to read - it's Scotland, and there is something like Danisk with Invernesshire below it.
I also see a passenger list for Ina from 21 Aug. 1920 from Southampton to New York. She is a typist, single, last residing in Philadelphia, born Daviot Inverness, going to join friend Ida K. Rowley in Germantown, Pa. Her nearest relative in country from whence she came was sister Miss Maggie Morrison, 50 Gladstone Rd., Saltcoate.
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Thanks for that; she was born in Daviot.
It's George William's birthplace that remains unknown.
Richard
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According to his petition for naturalization, George was born 6 Nov. 1870 in London, England and traveled over on the Majestic from Southampton 5 Apr. 1904 to New York 15 May 1904. His children are listed as Nellie 4-8-94 and Eva 3-25 (2nd number hard to read)-96. London and England are after both of their names - not sure if it's place of birth or residence, as the question asks for both.
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The Philadelphia marriage index on the Family Search Labs site has Alexina Cameron married to George W. Blake in 1922.
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Thanks; that's all very useful info.
Richard
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According to his petition for naturalization, George was born 6 Nov. 1870 in London, England and traveled over on the Majestic from Southampton 5 Apr. 1904 to New York 15 May 1904. His children are listed as Nellie 4-8-94 and Eva 3-25 (2nd number hard to read)-96. London and England are after both of their names - not sure if it's place of birth or residence, as the question asks for both.
The only birth fitting this date is:
Dec 1870 Lambeth
George William Blake
He may be this one:
1871 RG10/670
George Blake, 23, cab driver, b Lambeth, Surrey
Elizabeth Blake, 22, b City, Middx
Elizabeth Blake, dau, 4, b Lambeth
George Blake, son, 5 months, b Lambeth
In the 1881 census (RG11/692) he is listed as George W Blake.
That said, 1870 is very different to what he claims on censuses etc (1879).
The best bet seems to be to get the marriage certificate for Alexine Cameron and George Blake in 1922.
The link is here:
http://secureprod.phila.gov/wills/marriagerecordinfo.aspx
The index gives:
Digitla GS number: 4141644
Section or license no: 457030
Image number: 00019
Richard
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Looks interesting:
RG13/62
Fulham
George Blake, 53, cab driver groom, b Lambeth
Elizabeth Blake, 53, wife, b City of London
Frederick Blake, 7, son, b Westminster
Nellie Blake, 5, granddaughter, b Chelsea
The evidence is now fairly strong that George William Blake was born on 6th Nov 1870 in Lambeth, and that he gave a false age later in his life. He had two children (Nellie and Eva) who were left behind in England when he emigrated to Philadelphia in 1904. On 22nd Feb 1922 he married Ina Cameron, who had been born in Inverness and emigrated in 1910. They were later joined by her sister Margaret's son, Alexander Morrison.
The 1922 certificate should give George's father as George, a cab driver; and this birth should confirm George William's birth date:
George William Blake Dec 1870 Lambeth 1d 437
It would be good to find George in the 1891/1901 censuses, but I haven't found him yet under George or William. There is a George Blake, 30, living in Chelsea in 1901, who was born in Kennington Lane (which is in Lambeth); but he is married to Caroline (although I can't find their marriage).
Richard
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Hi
Thank you so much for all the information, I am so greatful.
The address of N Mole Street is correct, I have letters from Ina to Ellen with this address on them.
As for the different birth dates of George, and maybe he lied about this, I think this is also correct.
1930 passenger list: 1879.
1939 passenger list:1871.
This is indeed very interesting and will take me a while to undertsand it all.
As you are both very good at this may I put something else into the puzzle.
1920 US census
George W Blake B: England 1872. married. Immigration year 1907.
Mary E Blake B: England 1876. married. Immigration year 1907.
This doesn't seem much in its self, but on the cencus George's occupation is Hospital Doorman.
1930 US census (when married to Ina), George's occupation is Hospital Doorman.
Shelly has found that Ina was going to join Ewen Fraser in 1910 at 500 N. 18th St.
The 1920 census has George & Mary's residence as Buttonwood Street.
I have Google Earthed these two adresses and found that they are only two blocks apart.How strange is that?
George must have left England married to Mary ?,either divorced or widowed then met Ina in Philadelphia?
Graham
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They are likely to be the same George W Blake, although yours first came over in 1904. They could have married in the USA, of course, even though they may have come over on the same ship. There is no evidence of a George William Blake marrying a Mary E in the UK (except a couple in Yorkshire who stayed there).
In case you didn't have the 1881 entry, here it is:
1881
Model Lodging Houses, 6 High St, Lambeth
George Blake, 33, cabman, b Lambeth
Elisbeth Blake, wife, 32, City of London
Elisbeth A Blake, dau, 14, b Lambeth
George W Blake, son, 11, b Lambeth
Benjamin J Blake, son, 8, b Lambeth
Arthur A Blake, son, 6, b Lambeth
William H Blake, son, 4, b Middlesex? Perhaps this is 'Uncle Bill'
Thomas H Blake, son, 2, b Lambeth
Albert E Blake, son, 1, b Lambeth
Once you have looked through all this, and are convinced they are your family, let us know whether you need any help with earlier generations.
Richard