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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Leicestershire => Topic started by: Tuggybear on Monday 28 April 25 22:02 BST (UK)
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Hi there,
I'm currently working on the family tree of my late mum's half brother. All are deceased.
My Grandma, Annie Elizabeth Prince was born in Leicester in 1891. By April 1914 she had married Albert Godson/Beckett, was heavily pregnant and was living in Stafford. Their son was born in May 1914 and a month later Albert died of tb..
His parents persuaded Annie to leave the baby with them and return to Leicester, where she eventually met and married my Grandfather.
The difficulty is that Albert's mother was, I believe, bigamously married to his father.
Annie used the surnames Prince, Godson and Beckett as her maiden name on the birth certificates of the children she and my grandfather had. I think Albert also alternated between Godson and Beckett.
I can find Albert on the 1901 census, living with the Cartwright family but can't find him in 1891 or 1911.
I have his death certificate and am wsiting on the marriage certificate. I believe Albert was born about 1886 in Stafford or Staffordshire but can't trace his birth.
I know that by the late 1940s, the son, who had been named Arthur Andrew Reginald Godson (known as Reg) was living with his mother and the children from her second marriage in Leicester and I know that he was part of a rather large skeleton in my grandma's cupboard as my mum spoke a bit about him. My dad met him but was not aware of his actual relationship to my mum and her siblings.
I can't find him on the 1921 census although he's listed on the 1939 register. He never married as far as I can tell.
Please can anyone find Albert or Arthur/Reg in the census or baptisms or births? Nothing comes up on GRO, free BMD, FindMyPast nor FS and I currently don't have Ancestry.
Thanks in advance.
June.
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Albert and Alfred (surely his brother?) are still with the Cartwrights in 1911 - transcribed on Ancestry as Gadson
My eye was taken by Lily Becket aged 6 b Leicester who's also a boarder in 1901
BECKETT, LILIAN
mmn GODSON
LEICESTER Volume 07A Page 197
They must all be related - Mary Cartwright's maiden name is Hartill. This is her previous marriage
Mary Hartell, 22
Alferd Godson 29
Marriage Place Saint Mary, Stafford, Stafford, England
Marriage Date 24 Jun 1866
She married James Cartwright in 1871
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The fact Albert changes between Godson and Beckett suggests to me his mother had both these surnames at various points - maybe he was born before she married Mr Beckett and Lily is his half sister?
I'm trying to untangle them all, but the Godsons all seem to call their sons Alfred, Albert and Arthur!
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Just to note
BECKETT, ELIZABETH
mmn GODSON
Q3 1890
BILLESDON Volume 07A Page 25
Looks like she's with Granny and family in Evington, Leicestershire, in 1891. The Becketts have Staffordshire connections
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Death of husband of Mary. Marriage to James Cartwright 1871 after census
Deaths Sep Q 1867
GODSON Alfred age 30 Stafford 6b 3
1871 - St Mary, Stafford - James Cartwright & family living a few doors above Hartell.
All born Staffordshire
Cathrine Hartell 55 Head
Mary Hartell 26 Daughter
Hannah Hartell 14 Daughter
Emma Crutchley 19 Boarder
Sarah Godson 5 Granddaughter
Alfred Godson 3 Grandson
Thomas Kent 1 Nurse Child (Nurse)
Lizzy Gerland 12 Granddaughter
Birth
GODSON, SARAH HARTELL mmn HARTELL
GRO Reference: 1866 S Quarter in STAFFORD Volume 06B Page 3
1881, Stafford - down as Sarah Cartwright with James & mother Mary
Marriages Jun Q 1887
Beckett James Leicester 7a 346
Godsan Sarah Hartell Leicester 7a 346
1891 in Evington, Leicestershire with husband & family.
1901
Leicestershire
James Beckett 35 Head
Sarah Beckett 35 Wife
Elizabeth Beckett 10 Daughter
Alfred Godson 6 Nephew. - Also enumerated at house of Grandmother Mary Cartwright, (was Godson, nee Hartell). - Son of Alfred Godson born 1867.
Likely death for Sarah 1905 in Leicester
1911 down as Jamas Berkitt, widower mistranscribed on A*
1921 - Reggie Beckett age 7 yrs 1 mth, with grandfather James Beckett age 55 living Leicester
Still looking for a birth registration for Albert bc 1886. Born before (with James being grandfather) parents marriage so maybe under Beckett or Godson.
Cas
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Not finding him under either surname, but a good possible as likely mother registered Sarah Hartell Godson
HARTELL, ALBERT - no maiden listed
GRO Reference: 1886 J Quarter in STAFFORD Volume 06B Page 18
There is this possible bapt..same date as wedding of Mary & Alfred snr, so born shortly before marriage registered after?
Sarah Hartell
Christening Date 24 Jun 1866
Christening Place Stafford, Staffordshire, England
Mother Mary Hartell
Bapt of her brother
Alfred Godson
Baptism Date 25 Sep 1867
Baptism Place St. Mary, Stafford, Stafford, England
Father Alfred Godson
Mother Mary
FHL Film Number 1040878
Reference ID - 2:3KW7N2V
His Marriage
Alfred Godson
Marriage Age 24
Residence Place 11 Clarke Street
Marriage Date 4 Jun 1892
Marriage Place Stafford, St Mary, Staffordshire, England
Father Alfred Godson
Spouse Mary Ann Reeves
Religion Anglican
Page number 91
Cas
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Hi everyone.
Thank you for the replies. Some interesting information there. I'm very grateful to you all.
This is the second family with possible bigamy in my grandma'sfamily line. But this one has so many changes of names that I'm just going round in circles.
My Grandma, was scared that she'd get into some sort of trouble over past happenings and she was a lady who was afraid of no one, even cloutiig Mick McManus over the head with her handbag on one occasion but she refused to go into detail about her forst marriage and the son she bore. The birth certificates for all her children show that she was probably as confused as I am over her correct married name.
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Albert death?
Deaths Jun Q 1914
Godson Albert age 28 Stafford 6b 23
After this date she was free to marry..I am not sure where bigamy comes in.
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Sorry, I didn't explain things very well. My Grandma wasn't a bigamist. Her mother in law was. This is why Albert had an assortment of surnames.
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Sarah Hartell Godson only married once from census evidence
Looks like Albert married under Beckett..if James Beckett was father or just his stepfather that is unknown. But seemed Albert used both Godson & Beckett but was one person, same man.
Does not mean his mother was a bigamist.
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Thanks for picking up where I left off yesterday, Cas. Well done for tying all those pre and post marriage births and name changes
Agree Sarah was no bigamist
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Quite a few twists Mabel...
Going back to the 1886 birth reg, there is this baptism
Albert Hartell
Birth Date 11 May 1886
Birth Place Staffordshire, England
Sub registration district Stafford
Also mistranscribed/misheard under Hartle, but you would have to view register to confirm, or BC
Albert Hartle
Birth Date 11 May 1886
Baptism Date 1 Aug 1886
Baptism Place St Mary, Stafford, Stafford, England
Mother Sarah Hartle
FHL Film Number 1526110
Reg seems to have been born Staffordshire moved back to Leicester with mother and was raised by the Beckett family. Sarah died 1905, James Beckett died 1926. 1911 has 4 children born 1 died. Mary 1889, Elizabeth 1890, (Hannah b 1893 d 1898) Lilian 1895. So possibly James may or may not be father of Albert, but treated him so, at least accepting Albert's son as grandson.
Maybe by the time Annie was settled, Reg wished to stay with the Beckett family..some things are unknown.
1939 he is with Horace & Lilian Bonnet nee Beckett they married 1919.
Cas
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Also incase you are not aware this looks like Reg. I have no access to newspapers.
Arthur Andrew Reginald Godson
Topic Crime
Residence Date 8 Feb 1937
Residence Place Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Publication Date 8 Feb 1937
Publication Place Leicester, Leicestershire, England
Newspaper Title Leicester Mercury
Cas
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Thank you both again for this extra information. I'm starting to pull it all together.
My grandma told us kids that Reg was left with Albert's family and she came back to Leicester where she eventually met and married my grandfather, who was much older than her.
My mum told me lots of stories about her childhood and her life before meeting my dad and after marriage. Reg never figured in any of these stories until around the 30s/40s. My dad knew Reg but thought he was my youngest aunt's boyfriend.
Of course stories often get muddled and mistold and my mum died before I could delve deeper into uncle Reg so all I have is a few words muttered between my oldest uncle and my cousin.
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That newspaper report -this is the summary:
Andrew Arthur Reginald Godson,age 22, a dyer of 44 Farnham St, pleaded guilty to stealing 2 womans garments, the property of Mrs Laura Cook. (Specifically this was a pair of camiknickers and an underslip).
It's an odd story. He was found upstairs in the home of Walter Charles Young, a butcher of Clyde St. He appeared "dazed", had had a lot to drink and "appeared a nervous wreck". It took 4 men to hold him in a chair. He "came round" at the police station the following morning alleging no recollection or understanding of the incident. Although he wasn't known to the police, Walter Young alleged it was the 2nd time he'd caught Reg in the house (so I'm guessing they were known to each other?). The court discharged him, after hearing he'd "signed the pledge". It mentions that Reg was adopted by his aunt as a small child.
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Thank you for posting that. I haven't seen the full article only that he was found acting dazed in someone's house. It gives a bit more of an insight into this man. I wonder if he was formally adopted, it fits in with Grandma's story of her being persuaded to return to Leicester but handing her baby over to his father's family to raise.
In aware that he did something unforgivable when he returned to his mother and half siblings and theee are a couple of things it could be but I'm not sure I'll ever be able to prove any them but they all held a grudge against him, even my older cousins, who refused to discuss it with me. Its nice to know he wasnt a regular offender though.
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Formal adoption (paperwork) only began in 1926.
Adoption Act 1926
Various bills and several parliamentary committees during the 1920s had tried to arrive at legal procedures for the adoption of children. Although adoption did take place, it had no legal sanction and adopted children did not have the rights of natural children.
The Adoption Act which was passed in 1926 introduced adoption procedures for the first time.
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Thanks for that information, Cas.
That also answers a question I have about another person (unrelated to this family.) who was adopted as a young child.