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[MargP]

Jsut to clarify it the GRO has his death in both names, but with the same number, so there is no doubt it is the same man.

Alfred May
Age 76
Dec quarter 1967
I.O.W. Hampshire
6B 997

Matthew W Hedges
Age 76
Dec quarter 1967
I.O.W. Hampshire
6B 997

Jan do you think that all the information would be on one certificate

[groom]

As I understand it, he enlisted aged 17½ in 1906 under the name of Matthew Hedges, but was in the 1911 census and married that year under the name of Alfred Mays, so the name change came between then.

Two theories:

1. Something happened in the army causing him to leave one regiment and rejoin another under a different name.

2. He changed his name in order to inherit money when he reached 21. I have a relative who did this, but only added a surname,  
    he didn't change his first name as well.

The fact that he kept his given names as middle names make me think that he didn't do anything illegal.

I dont know, Margp as I've never come across it before. As you order certificates by the number I wonder what they would send you?

[Nick29]

How about this scenario.....

Matthew Hedges marries Ellen Chatterton, they have a son Christened Alfred.

Alfred joins the army under the name Hedges.

Later on, Ellen is widowed, marries again to a May, and her husband adopts Alfred, and he takes on his adopted father's name by tacking May on the end of his name.

When he dies, birth  death certificates are issued for both names for insurance/pension purposes.

[MargP]

How about this scenario.....

Matthew Hedges marries Ellen Chatterton, they have a son Christened Alfred.

Alfred joins the army under the name Hedges.

Later on, Ellen is widowed, marries again to a May, and her husband adopts Alfred, and he takes on his adopted father's name by tacking May on the end of his name.

When he dies, birth  death certificates are issued for both names for insurance/pension purposes.

Hi Nick we have already covered this in previous post and it came to nothing

[MargP]

Hi Topas

Did Alfred and Minnie have any children while he was still in the army, if he did his regiment number may be on there birth certificates.

Marg

[groom]

How about this scenario.....

Matthew Hedges marries Ellen Chatterton, they have a son Christened Alfred.

Alfred joins the army under the name Hedges.

Later on, Ellen is widowed, marries again to a May, and her husband adopts Alfred, and he takes on his adopted father's name by tacking May on the end of his name.

When he dies, birth  death certificates are issued for both names for insurance/pension purposes.

The trouble with that is that he was baptised Matthew William Hedges and changed both his first and surname.

[groom]

There appear to have been 3 children from the marriage:

Doris E H   born Hartley Whitney  1912
Ellen A H   born Halifax  1914
Grace P H born Farnham 1916

Interesting that they all have a name starting with H - could that be the continuation of the Hedges?

[MargP]

There appear to have been 3 children from the marriage:

Doris E H   born Hartley Whitney  1912
Ellen A H   born Halifax  1914
Grace P H born Farnham 1916

Interesting that they all have a name starting with H - could that be the continuation of the Hedges?

I would say you are right there Jan, its a good job there were no boys they would have been named May but descendants of Hedges

[MargP]

On findmy past there is an entry for Alfred May it is for a civil service Evidence of age
details given date of birth 25 June 1889
Bromley, Poplar
Middlesex
Type of record Birth
also known as Hedges M W
ref Z 86669 194


Regards panda

Hi Topas you can order this on the following link
http://www.findmypast.co.uk/csEvidenceOfAgeSearchResult.action?earfnbr=39552

It might be interesting to know the date on this record and why,it was probably when he joined the Prison Service?