Martha Stapleton

[Beg Clonrode...]

Hello Elan,

It's often the case that the information on a death certificate is only as good as the informant's knowledge. So if Martha had disappeared twenty years earlier there's no guarantee that the informant knew if she was alive or dead. Out of interest, who was the informant in this case.

And did the death certificate mention the ages of the children as well as their gender.

Don't forget that although it says George had four children it doesn't necessarily mean that Martha was the mother of all of them. The fact that BDM NZ mentions only three children to George and Martha is quite strange. Especially as you say the youngest was Stanley b.1910, which means the 100-year privacy rule isn't an issue.

Also out of interest, where is George buried. Is he the George COOKE buried in Ellesmere Cemetery.

Regards
Beg

[Elan]

Will reply re informant when I get home tonight can't remember
George was buried in Geraldine. I do know that his son in law Roy Neutze (Hazels husband) purchased the plot.

[Elan]

Can't see an informant on cert BUT i did only get in the copy.
Issues clearly state males 27,25,22 female 24.

[Beg Clonrode...]

Issues clearly state males 27,25,22 female 24.

Hi again...

The 24 year old female and the 22 year old male work out to be Hazel and Stanley, so that's good.

But BDM NZ gives a date of birth for their older brother George of 13 May 1906. Their father George COOKE, buried at Ellesmere Cemetery, died on 22 July 1932 so the younger George would actually be 26 years and two months. Neither 27 or 25 years old.

Doesn't really help you find Martha or the fourth child. Just adds to the confusion :-)


Regards
Beg

[Elan]

I don't like to differ but all those childrens dates do work out apart from George and thats only give or take a few months. George COOKE snr was buried at Geraldine. I have the cert to prove it and the issues on the cert match.
I have learn't from past errors that the BDM nz is not always the most reliable source, sometimes we just have to do the hard yards through the fiche.

[Elan]

Beg
Sorry, have just reread what I posted and it sounded very rude honestly not meant too at all.
I apologise for my tone. Finding all this really really frustrating and doing it for a very elderly unwell Uncle so just want to know and put his mind at rest. I have really come to a stumbling block with this generation. Sorry again. 

[Beg Clonrode...]

Hello Elan,

I normally try to post helpful advice but I've certainly stuffed up on this thread. For some reason I got stuck on the Ellesmere Cemetery burial when you clearly said Geraldine Cemetery in your earlier reply. Sincere apologies.

And your post didn't sound rude at all. To be honest, if you hadn't mentioned it, it would never have crossed my mind.

All I was trying to say was don't take as gospel everything you read on a BDM NZ certificate (which I guess also means the BDM NZ website and the BDM NZ fiches).

And I guess the same goes for parish registers.

Speaking of which, do you know if the 1904 marriage was in a church. If so, have you checked the baptism registers for the 1904-05 birth.

Pretty straightforward if they were Catholic. Just start a request thread for a look-up of the "Catholic Diocese of Christchurch Baptism Index CD - 1840 to 1908".


I'm off to the library this afternoon so will check the Births fiche for a 1904-05 Christchurch-based male COOKE birth. Hopefully there aren't too many.

EDIT:

Back from the library :-)

The only 1904-05 male COOKE birth which appears on the Births fiche but not on the BDM NZ website is one Harry COOKE 1905/2283

The birth was registered in Christchurch in the second quarter (Apr-Jun) of 1905.

Might be worth looking at BDM NZ Deaths - 1974/32352 COOKE, Harry - d.o.b 9 March 1905 - d.o.d 1 Jan 1974 - buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery, Nelson

Nelson Cemetery database
http://www.nelsoncitycouncil.co.nz/cemeteries-database-2/


1974 Probate for a Harry COOKE (May or may not be relevant)

COOKE Harry - Christchurch - Railway Servant   1974
http://archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=21802245


ANOTHER EDIT:

I've just re-read the thread and have realized that, although you didn't mention it, you seem to already know the identities of the four children.

And you clearly stated in your original post that you wanted info on Martha, not the children, so I've been on a bit of a wild goose chase.

Sorry about that. Will step back for a day or two :-)

Regards
Beg

[Elan]

All good Beg thankyou so much for your help. Didn't know about Harry so that was a good find thanks.
Martha and George married at the Church of the Holy Trinity Avonside.
Would love to know where she went to and what happened to her.
Also having huge trouble finding the marriage for George's parents Henry Cooke (labourer) and Mary Coghlin. Have a BIG BRICK WALL in front of me with that one. Can't find deaths either. I have got in the certs I thought it could of been but all wrong ones.AAHHH

[Lucy2]

Also having huge trouble finding the marriage for George's parents Henry Cooke (labourer) and Mary Coghlin. Have a BIG BRICK WALL in front of me with that one. Can't find deaths either. I have got in the certs I thought it could of been but all wrong ones.AAHHH

Henry COOKE thread >

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,599631.0.html

Hi Elan

Have added the link to your earlier "Henry COOKE search" so that if anyone has information or can assist further, then they will be able to see, the "effort" made to date. [This hopefully will prevent duplication of already published Henry COOKE / Mary COGHLIN info in this thread which might otherwise deflect interest from the Martha STAPLETON (COOKE) search. ]
 

  ~  Lu