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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: drykid on Wednesday 25 January 23 10:52 GMT (UK)
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Sorry if this is in the wrong section, but it's a bit of a strange one... I picked up recently a bunch of old paintings in an auction, one of which was an old tapestry of the Last Supper; there's a handwritten label on the back that reads:
"Done by Phoebe Grainger aged 15, born 1853 died 1916, m. [married I assume] Joseph Martin (1849-1935), begat 8 children... this picture MUST stay with Martin descendant" (NB the "MUST" is their capitals not mine.)
I don't have any use for the tapestry and it would have next-to-no value as an antique so I thought it might be a nice idea to try to pass it on to a descendant as stipulated in the note. Of course there may not be any still living and even if there are they may not have any interest in it, but it feels like it's worth a try. Now I realise tracing living people is not allowed by RootsChat so I just want to make it clear that that's *not* the purpose of this post. My plan is to use a local Facebook group for the relevant area (if there even is one) to see if I can find any relatives that way. But to do that I would need some kind of locality information for either of these two people and I have none at all currently. (The picture was bought in Herefordshire, but I don't know if that's any meaningful clue to where this family lived. Possibly not...)
Any help appreciated! I realise it's a long shot with such limited info, and I imagine "Joseph Martin" would be a very common name back then.
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The only Grainger - Martin marriage I can see in FreeBMD is Q4 1876, West Bromwich
Phoebe GRAINGER - Joseph Riley MARTIN
The GRO site will help you to identify their children as it gives MMN prior to 1911 and their birthplaces will help you find the family in census returns.
Boo
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That marriage took place 25 Dec 1876 at St Peter's , West Bromwich
Their stated ages on the marriage register are Joseph 22 and Phoebe 21
Joseph was a brickmaker, son of Stephen Martin whose occupation looks like Fitter - though the writing is dire
Phoebe's father listed as James Grainger and his possible occupation was Butcher
Boo
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The 1891 census has the family in Bordesley, Warwickshire. 4 children at home
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WLXW-C6Z
The 1901 census has them in Aston, Warwickshire. 3 children at home
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSZ3-C5M
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1911 Census which matches the no of years married and number of children born (all still alive in 1911)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWZ5-V53
3 of their children are with them, plus a daughter in law and a grandson which should give you a good start.
NB Phoebe's recorded age is slightly 'out' for having been born in 1853 on both her marriage record and this census. That's not unusual but worth bearing in mind.
Boo
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That's great, thanks both for the information, it's a lot more than I expected! :)
Re: the 1911 census, which is probably most useful to me since it would be the last recorded location of the ones listed so far, what's the significance of it listing the place as Walmley but the "original" place as Yardley? The two are only a few miles apart but it would be useful to narrow it down a bit further if I can decide which of the two is more meaningful.
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Re: the 1911 census, which is probably most useful to me since it would be the last recorded location of the ones listed so far, what's the significance of it listing the place as Walmley but the "original" place as Yardley? The two are only a few miles apart but it would be useful to narrow it down a bit further if I can decide which of the two is more meaningful.
Do you have access to original census images (sites such as Ancestry or Find My Past?) You'd need to see the images to be sure exactly where they were living. We are slightly restricted in what info we can give out in here for census such as 1911 from subscription sites but can give links to places like Family Search as those are freely available
EDIT I have looked at the images and have no idea where 'Walmley' comes from, but can tell you that the transcription of Yardley as the civil parish is correct.
Boo
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Joseph's death registered December Quarter, 1935 in Birmingham, if it is any help.
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That's great again, I suppose thinking about it that the death was quite possibly at a hospital so may not therefore be particularly local. And if so then it's not inconsistent with the possibility of him still living in Yardley up till then as it's a suburb of Birmingham anyway.
Will see what exists on Facebook for Yardley :)
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Joseph's eldest, James Grainger Martin's death registered June Quarter, 1948 in Stoke on Trent
He married an Ann Middleton, Longton, 1900.
The family are living in Longton on the 1921 census. Their sons, James Frederick, b 1904-1971. Joseph Henry, 1903-1979. George Edwin, 1908-1980. Could be 9 children.
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Ahh thanks, Longton might be another place for me to follow up then since it's more recent :)
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1935 electoral registers Municipal Borough of Birmingham, Ladywood Division, Rotton Park Ward
show a Frederick Charles Martin, Edith Martin and Joseph Riley Martin registered to vote at 45 Bellefield Rd
a free advanced search of the 1921 census using surname Martin and 45 Bellefield Rd as the address (just those two search terms)
Brings up
Davis ** Frederick Martin born 1917, Birmingham
Edith Martin born 1888 born Birmingham
Frederick Charles Martin born 1891 Birmingham
Joseph Riley Martin, born 1854 London
** I believe that is a mistranscription and should say Denis
FreeBMD shows:
Marriage
Frederick Charles Martin married Edith Smith Q4 1915, Birmingham
Births
Denis F Martin MMN Smith, Q4 1917, Birmingham
so I'd say that the above electoral roll shows Joseph living with his son Frederick Charles and daughter in law Edith when he died in 1935
Boo
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Some marriage details for one of the sons?:
1924 August 30th at Christ Church by Banns .
Minister : H. Saunderson
Groom : John Edward MARTIN Police Constable Bachelor Age: 27 Residence: Boyston Hall, Shrewsbury
Bride : Ada Doris GREEN Dress Maker Spinster Age: 22 Residence: Spies Lane Quinton
Groom's father : Joseph Riley Martin Boiler Maker
Bride's father : Edward Green Post Man
Witnesses : Edward Green, Constance Clay
www.qlhs.org.uk/archive/christ-church-marriages-1924-1929.htm
Monica