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Hi JeannieR

Thank you, the issue is tracing his "real mother" all the census records show him as born New Jersey USA, British Subject, can't work out how to obtain that record, or where to start, Arthur Hill is a very common name.

The census in 1881 has him living with Patience Hill & the Major), at the age of 2, in 1891 he is living with Ellen Hill & the Major, with other siblings: Sydney and Cyril, these are not the children of Ellen, she is to young, plus I have a copy of the Sydney's birth certificate naming Patience Hill (nee Booth) and Major Arthur Hill as the parents.

Regards - Paul

Hi JeannieR

I know that Tremlet Grove features a lot in the family history,  Major Arthur and Patience registered the birth of a son "Sydney Montague Hardwick Hill" (makes a change from Arthur), in 1883 I have a copy of the birth certificate that stated Patience's maiden name was Booth, Sydney was a sail maker in the Navy and died in service in 1915.

Problem is my Grandfather is the Arthur Herbert Hill known as Bertie born in New Jersey, I don't know if this Birth Place is true, when a census was taken back then did the public have to provide documents to prove, could be a red herring.

The other problem with Arthur (Bertie) is this, I dont have his birth certificate, I do however have his marriage certificate for his first marriage to Doris Aline LeCren they married in 1911, she died in 1923, on the marriage certificate it states his father as Major Arthur Hill, my Grandmother was Winnifred Nellie Hill, birth certificate states father as Major Arthur Deveraux Hill,  so yes they look like half brother and sister.

My father Paul Herbert Hill tried in vain to find a birth certificate for Bertie without success, others in the family refused to discuss, they have all passed on now, (my father last year), the more I review the documents and tree the more obsessive it becomes, would love find out who Bertie’s mother was, Bertie used to talk of a half brother called Cyril. Both Arthur and Cyril pop up on a census living with the Major and Ellen, who have their own children, one of which is also named Arthur.

My suspicion is that whilst married to Annie Menham he stated a relationship with another unknown woman, possibly the mother of Arthur and Cyril, he also started a relationship with Patience, the unknown and Patience found out what he was up to and left the Major holding the babies so to speak, except they are not babies at all, therefore he gets his new “Wife” Ellen to take the Bertie and Cyril in, or the unknown mother died.

A number of people/family  have suggested that he wasn’t really Atrhur Herbert Hill at all and that he made the name up, but I have traced him with a number of records, military, and wills, when he married Doris LeCren they lived at Findon Tower Sussex, a record of a Arthur Herbert Hill awarded the Victory Medal in WW1 has the address of Findon Tower Sussex, so he’s real, another census shows him living with George and Jessie Booker at Ecclesden Manor on his Own Means, born in NJ USA again I know he was a left a fortune by two families including Jessie, don’t know why though.
Someone holds the key to this or a record exists, just can’t find it, it doesn’t bother me that they may have been half brother/sister, just want to finish the search. 
Paul

Hi Alp
Great to hear from you, it was late when I responded, looking back at my records I can see Herbert, he must have been the youngest with Annie.

I have a faded copy of the article following the Major death in 1917, I will forward to you, and yes I would love to see your family tree.

I am from the Arthur (Major) and Ellen “line, my grandfather must have know about the Major’s lifestyle, also used traditional family “Hill Family” names, my father’s middle name was Herbert, and my uncle’s was Arthur, my aunt was named Patricia!

I had guessed about Graham Hill’s connection as Devereaux is an unusual name; funnily enough one of my middle names is Graham.

There is other information but not for placing on the site, how do we make contact.
Regards
Paul