Finding William Nobbs

[howdee]

Hello All

I've been strugling to find refs for my late uncle, known as Bill Nobbs, born abt 1908, probably in the Brentford area of Middlesex.

1907, June. An Ernest William Nobbs was born at Brentford. It's not unusual for the family to use different names, his sister Elizabeth was always known as Doll, that was a problem.

1911: Census shows William Nobbs living with his parents and sister in Brentford.

Sometime later the family moved to Linden Rd, Hampton, Middx.

Bill was married and it is believed by my older cousin that his wife's name was Edith, she has no more knowledge. I know that they lived in Hampton Middx, I met him briefly once or twice in the fifty's, he was working in the railway yard at Hampton station, he was covered in coal dust. Bill died fairly young, when I was still a child, I guess in the 1950's Bill had no children.

I cant find possitive records for his birth, marriage or death, some circumstantial stuff as follows.

1932: A William A. Nobbs, married Edith L.G.J. Waddy at Romford Essex

1932: A Ernest W. Nobbs, married Doris E. Smith at Poole Dorset. (Could the E stand for Edith?)

1944: A William C. Nobbs, married Eileen E. Wright at Brentford (Another E.)

1953: A William E. Nobbs, born abt 1908, died in Ealing (Not far from Brentford or Hampton)

I have looked for likely female death records in the area but found nothing that seemed to fit. I'm fairly sure that Bill's wife outlived him.

I've been reluctant to post this on Rootschat as it could be a hiding to nothing but having returned to the issue, I can't see the wood for the trees so here I am.

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks for reading.

Howard

[groom]

Hi

Looking at births I would say that the 1907 one is correct, but the  only way to be sure would be to send for the certificate. If that is correct then the death that you found also looks good as it is in the right area. This might give you his wife's name if she registered the death.

As to marriages, I think you can discount the 1932 one in Poole as that is completely out of the area. I would be inclined to send for the 1932 one to Edith Waddy and hope that the A was really an E and had been transcribed incorrectly. As you have his father's name and occupation from the 1911 this would tell you if it is the correct certificate.

Edith Lilian Grace Julia Waddy was born in West Ham in 1910, so if that is the correct marriage/death she would have only been in her early forties when her husband died and may have remarried.

[Tsu]

Edith Lilian G J Nobbs died in 1992 in Gainsborough, Lincs.  Her dob is given as 4 February 1910, so if this is the right wife, she never remarried.

[Tsu]

They also had two daughters born in 1936 and 1940 in Essex. So if your man was childless, this is the wrong Edith.

[howdee]

Thanks for the replies.

Tsu, your findings are very helpful, that rules out the marriage in Romford to Edith L.G.J. Waddy. I thought that was a possible, I'm now more convinced that William wasn't his first name, it's even more likely that he was Ernest William Nobbs born 1907 Brentford. I have looked for refs to E.W.N but drew blanks there as well, other than the probable death.

[howdee]

I may have a breakthrough.

Regarding the marriage in Poole Dorset.

Doris Evelyn Smith was born in Poole 1907'
As we know, an Ernest William Nobbs and Doris E. Smith, married in Poole 1932. It was common for marriages to take place in the bride's home town and many girls from the provinces moved to London area to go into service or for other employment, my mother included.

Doris Evelyn Nobbs born 1907, died in Brent (possibly Brentford) Middlesex in 1986.

I reckon this is it, the hearsay info from my cousin made it difficult, as did the use of my uncle's middle name. It's amazing how mulling over with others refocusses the mind.

Thanks