PEARCE / BURTON

[Sendagunboat]

Has anyone come across the following person or family in their researches, or does anyone have any ideas how I can proceed with this?

I am looking for Lilian Pearce (or possibly Burton).

When I started researching years ago, my mother said her grandmother was Lilian Burton. When I got my great grandfather's marriage cert. however, she gave her name as Lilian Pearce, but the witnesses were both named Burton !!!!!


Marriage – 28th Sept 1907 at Winchester – Lilian Pearce aged 23 spinster. Father was William Pearce a soldier, deceased.

Witnesses were George and Fanny Burton

It is possible she was a local Winchester girl, but it is also possible that she was from my great grandfather's home town of New Bilton, Warwicks and travelled to Winchester to marry him. He was a soldier in the Rifle Brigade and on the marriage cert they both gave their address as the vicarage. So, possibly she was not local.


Death – 28th February 1938 Lilian Goode aged 53

As per marriage cert she was born 29th Sept 1883 to 28th Sept 1884
As per death she was born 1st March 1884 to 28th Feb 1885

This gives likely range of 1st March 1884 to 28th Sept 1884.

I can find no record of her in any census (including the 1911 census) - see my GOODE missing family post, and therefore have no idea at all of her birthplace.

Was she really Lilian Pearce, or did she just invent it? Why did my mother always think she was Lilian Burton? Did the Burton's adopt her and if so, how can I find out?

HELP !

I have also posted this under Warwickshire

[TomRees]

Does she use PEARCE or BURTON as her Maiden name on any children's Birth Certificates?

Regarding the Witnesses: there is a George & Fanny Burton at 42, Mayfield Rd, Alverstoke Hants in the 1901 census.

RG13/Piece 1009 Folio 41 Page 28 Alverstoke Parish, Hants,

Interestingly, Fanny was born in Warks, Leamington - her previous name was BOXALL (she married George in Portsea District in 1899) - not finding her in earlier census related to Leamington, so she may have been previously married.  BOXALL does seem to be a Sussex / Hants southern focussed name ....

[Sendagunboat]

Wow Tom, that was quick!

I had found those two myself but could see no concrete connection to Lilian, only coincidental. It is possible that Fanny Boxall was Lilian's mother, and that her father really was William Pearce but they were not married. Fanny later marrying Burton.

But why then did Lilian not use Burton on her marriage cert or the birth cert of my grandmother? If she took her father's family name of Pearce then how did my mother ever think her name was Burton not Pearce?

Best match so far is Lilian Pearce born Jun Qtr 1884 at Warwick Vol 6d Pg 604
NB Leamington comes under Warwick

But why no Lilian Pearce or Burton in the 1901 census for Hants or Warwicks?

I guess it's my best shot though - i think I'll just have to order that birth cert. and hope for the best.

Thanks for your help

[TomRees]

Might be worth a punt at the Burton's marriage Cert too - hopefully might reveal her fathers name as Pearce (ie if she was a Widow'ed BOXALL when she married G. Burton, but didnt say so, then a Father's name being NOT Boxall would help...)

It would also be good to find Fanny in 1891 ....

So Lilian uses Pearce on kids Certs too .... hmmmm

[Sendagunboat]

Yes she did.

I was so excited when the 1911 census came out,as I knew it would show me her birthplace finally, but as you can see from my other posts, I cannot find the Goode family in the 1911 census.

She is so elusive

[dee-jay]

Marriage – 28th Sept 1907 at Winchester – Lilian Pearce aged 23 spinster. Father was William Pearce a soldier, deceased.

He [Francis William or Wm F GOODE] was a soldier in the Rifle Brigade and on the marriage cert they both gave their address as the vicarage. So, possibly she was not local.

Witnesses were George and Fanny Burton

Can you please give the name of the parish in Winchester Reg'n District in which they were married and/or the name of the Officiating Minister?

There was a 'W. PEARCE' of 1 KRRC listed in deaths in the Boer War 1899-1902 that might be worthy of pursuit?  The 1st Battalion were in Ireland in 1884.

[dee-jay]

Hope I'm not firing shots across the bow, but that 1899 marriage has 'Postems' on FreeBMD showing links with groom Thomas Ernest MOREY.  For George S BURTON and wife Bertha LE see RG13 piece 988 folio 8 page 7.

There are quite a few BURTON clusters in Winchester and one in particular in the 1881 Census showing a George BURTON born c1877 with his family in Barracks.  The west end of the City also had a number of residents in subsequent census years eking out their existence by providing bed and board to Army or Militia couples in St Thomas Parish and the Greenhill Road & Avenue district leading to Weeke.  I'd be more inclined to focus attention on those areas initially for BURTON marriage witnesses with military connections.