Elizabeth Bradshaw or Sheargold? Stratford-upon-avon 1870s

[midlandsmix]

Hi,
I'm having real problems finding the maiden name of my great grandmother.

On the 1911 census she is down as Eliza Smith 39 years old married to Ernest Smith (for 9 years) living in Birmingham.
her birthplace: Stratford upon Avon.

My Nan (Doris M Smith, her daughter) was born in Birmingham in March 1913 and on the BMD lists there are 2 Doris M Smith's - one with mother's name Bradshaw (ref 6d, page 393) and one Sheargold (ref 6d, page 954).
I've looked through census for 1881 and 1891 and cannot find her.

Without going to Birmingham records office or ordering birth cert has anyone got any further ideas how to clear this one up?
thanks

[MaryA]

Do you know if she had any siblings?

There's a possible John born 1914, mother's maiden name Sheargold.

There's a possible brother for the Doris with the mother Bradshaw - Joseph born 1914.

Your way forward is really with her marriage certificate which will give the  name of her father and his occupation and maybe you will be able to trace her parents marriage this way.

Two names on the same page so a possible couple are

Henry J Smith and Nellie Sheargold Q2 1912 Aston 6d 541
Hubert Smith and Mabel Beatrice Bradshaw Q1 1910 Birmingham 6d 212

[midlandsmix]

Thanks for your reply and time taken.
That's given me some leads to go on.

I also know that Eliza (or Elizabeth) died around 1917/1918.
Regarding siblings, unfortunately I'm unaware of any.

I think I will have to obtain the marriage or birth certificate for my Nan to get Eliza's maiden name.

I was very close to my Nan but only got into tracing family history after her death in 2005.

[avm228]

Are you absolutely sure it was this Ernest & Eliza SMITH who went on to have Doris in 1913? There were at least 2 other Ernest & Eliza SMITH couples of similar vintage in Warwickshire.  Perhaps you are able to pick this one by reference to the children in the household - do they match known siblings of Doris? (Sorry - I now see that you're unaware of any siblings )

[Tati]

Hi both all,

Sorry it I'm making things even more confusing.

I see your family are in the Aston district of Birmingham in 1911, therefore I wondered whether you had ruled out this birth:

Doris M Smith mother's maiden name Guise
Jun 1913 Aston 6d 745

If her birth day was in March then she could well have been registered in the quarter covering April=> June

I'm mentioning this because there's a birth
Eliza Helen Guise, Jun 1871, Stratford Upon Avon 6d 545

She appears as Ellen E Guise on the 1881 census (daughter of Joseph and Jane, I believe. The enumerator got himself in a mess)  

Long shot, really, because I then completely lose her  
(There's a possible marriage in Stratford in Dec 1891 for an Ellen Guise, to either Thomas Alfred Court or Thomas Timms. Unfortunately I can't find out which she married, or find her in 1901, or find a marriage to Ernest Smith)    

[avm228]

That must be her birth, Tati.

I believe this is her first marriage:

Marriage Jun qtr 1891 
   
GAY Charles     
GUISE Ellen Elizabeth     

Pancras 1b 238

This couple appear to have had a daughter, Elsie Lillian GAY, in London abt 1895 who appears with the SMITHs later on.

[Tati]

Well done, Anna! I completely ruled out a marriage out of Warwickshire! 

[avm228]

Perhaps (being a minor) she was a runaway bride

[avm228]

The newlyweds:

1891 census: RG12/131/86/15

160 St Paul's Road, St Pancras

Charles GAY Head M 22 American Organ Tuner Warwick Birmingham
Elizabeth do Wife M 21 Warwick Stratford on Avon