Gweneth Lydia Fordham birth

[majm]

Hi Kim,

Welcome from me too.

Do you know Arthur's trade or profession?   That information can be helpful, as it can be noted on electoral rolls and also on the BDM certs of his children. 

I can see a possible birth for Lena A BAKER.   NSW BDM online index (a free to search index, readily available for everyone, not just for Ancestry subscribers) has a Lena A BAKER's birth registered in the Waratah District of NSW in 1892.  Waratah and Mayfield are both in the Hunter Region of NSW.    The given names of her parents are shown on that index as John and Mary A.   The NSW BDM reference is 36699. 

Here is the live link to the NSW BDM online index : http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/Pages/family-history/family-history.aspx

If you are considering obtaining that birth cert, may I please suggest you obtain the official transcription rather than the ceremonial certificate.  Same information, but the transcription is a cheaper option.  The official transcribers are licenced by the NSW BDM and the NSW BDM provides contact addresses for them.  Each have excellent reputations, so which one to choose is simply up to you.    http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/Pages/family-history/family-history.aspx#transcription
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,300394.0.html

Cheers,  JM

[kdsoph]

Oh my Gosh Thank you all! It has taken me a little bit to figure out how to reply! Thank you so much. Yes to all of the above except to the question of who the man is with nanna and Syl as tots. My mother told me that he was Arthur and she wrote on the back of the photo. I will investigate
Thank you all once again I am in awe so you are all awesome

[kdsoph]

Hi all
I still haven't mastered a reply to separate messages so will itemise here
JM:
1.  Arthur George Fordham Birth: ? 1893 was a joiner by trade as per 1930 electoral roll.
2. Thank you for Lena Agnes Baker's Birth details. Her parents were John Baker and Mary Anne Blanch. As an aside the family 'story' is that Mary Anne ran off with the milkman and so her face was scratched out of all the photos. I found one suspect who was also a 'Baker' (Archie C.!). lots of smallgoods lol
3. I will try the links you sent me tonight
Thank you again
Kim

[kdsoph]

Hi Ros,
Thank you for both of the probate links. I am having trouble with them and will investigate further tonight. As it stands in the wee small hours of the morning I don't know which is which. I had Arthur's death as 18th Aug 1959 and recorded a link that now seems to fail for me
http://search.records.nsw.gov.au/items/1008308 NSW DEATH: #2083/1959.
Thank you again
Kim

[kdsoph]

Hi There!
II have an awesome photo of them sitting on their father's knee as toddlers. He is resplendent in his WWI uniform yet I am unable to find his war records! Thank you
Kim

Just a thought here....

How do you know that the man in this photo is their father, Arthur George?

Is it because you have other photos of him with his wife and children and so can positively identify him?

Who told you- or who wrote on the photo - that the man is their father, Arthur George?

I ask because it is possible the photo was taken of the children with another family relative who was an enlisted man.

Sue

Hi Sue,

This may not be Arthur. My mother wrote on the back of the photo and she was not really a reliable source lol. My grandmother (Gwen) told tall tales for fun sometimes and it is highly likely that this has happened.
For years everyone thought he was Albert because Nanna said so, but she was teasing my mother and finally when the timing suited her she said, "no I just said that because he looks like an Albert". So my quest is not made easy ...bless her little cotton socks. 

Lena had 3 bothers

• John James Baker who served in Egypt WWI
  Arthur Samuel Baker 1891 - 1951
  George Frank Baker 1893 - 1983

Arthur George Fordham on the other hand had 2 surviving brothers

• Ernest John Fordham 1884 -1931
  Herbert William 1886 - 1945

I can't find Military service for them

I don't have any other photos of the family until after Arthur died (or he was taking it) so the only candidate I have is Lena's brother John James Baker.

Perhaps I'll never know the reality but its still an awesome photo 
Thank you again
Kim

[sparrett]

 

 
 
Hi Sue,

This may not be Arthur. My mother wrote on the back of the photo and she was not really a reliable source lol. My grandmother (Gwen) told tall tales for fun sometimes and it is highly likely that this has happened.
For years everyone thought he was Albert because Nanna said so, but she was teasing my mother and finally when the timing suited her she said, "no I just said that because he looks like an Albert". So my quest is not made easy ...bless her little cotton socks. 

Lena had 3 bothers

• John James Baker who served in Egypt WWI
   
   

 Kim

I have had a look at the service history of John James BAKER

The physical description fits the man in the photo (but it is vague)

The age of John James, 26 to 28 years actually suits the man in the photo . I think the  chap looked a little old to be Arthur.( b. 1893)

However I do not see an entry of LEAVE  on the record which would provide the opportunity for the photo to be taken.

Perhaps others will read it better than me.

If it is a studio portrait, some arrangements would have been made in advance.

The twins are not yet 2 years in the photo I believe.

I am not able to assist with their exact birth date. Are you at all able to help with the month of Gran's birthday?.

It may help if you can find it.

Is there any studio identification on the back of the photo?

Sue

PS
Glad you got the hang of reply

[majm]

Hi Sue,

That new feature that NSW BDM provided recently has come in handy !   Gweneth L FORDHAM date of birth is either 9th June 1915 or 10th June 1915.    So, as today is 11th June 1915, the NSW BDM online index has only just in the past day, released the information (under the 100 years rule). (Add, Sue's post with the births for the Fordham couple was uploaded 8th June, so just a couple of days before the 100 years had expired before Gweneth's bc reference was listed)

Gweneth L, daughter of Arthur G and Lena A FORDHAM, registered Waratah District with ref no. #46255.     (I have not found her twin    and I tried to find the births online on the 10th June (ie yesterday as I write this up) but not there, so perhaps Gweneth was born 10th June.

I also tried using "Waratah" as the district, and the dates to search 9 June 1915 to 10 June 1915, and the wild card for the surname.   So, perhaps Gweneth was the elder of the twins, born on different days.

Cheers,  JM

[ASkinner71]

Re Birth registration of Twins in NSW
It could possibly be that the 2nd twin may have not been registered for some reason.
I have similar issue in my husband's line.  1 Twin registered, the other is not [& no the other twin
did not die, instead married and had children & was personally known by various still living family]
I even searched several entry numbers either side of the registered twin in case possible transcription error, but no still not found.
I'm suspecting that the 2nd twin's names might have been included with the 1st twin's registration
but without ordering the certificate won't know.

Good luck

[majm]

Re Birth registration of Twins in NSW
It could possibly be that the 2nd twin may have not been registered for some reason.

May I gently mention that both were registered as per Sue's post.  (notice the consecutive numbering)  It is simply that I have not yet found the online listing.   There are many flaws in the online index.      

Hi Kim,
Births in NSW are only available online (including the Ancestry collection) to 1914.
However, because I have other resources, I am able to give you these three births to your couple up to 1918.

FORDHAM, Sylvia L.
Father Arthur G.
Mother Lena A.
Waratah. 1915
Reg. 216254.

FORDAHM, Gweneth
Father Arthur G.
Mother Lena A.
Waratah. 1915
Reg. 216255

FORDHAM, William J.
Father Arthur G.
Mother Lena A.
Waratah. 1918
Reg. 32176.

The couple are on the NSW Electoral Roll from 1930 in NSW.
I can type up these addresses etc if of interest to you.

Sue

PS. The photo is gorgeous!
He is wearing an Australian uniform

   

Cheers,  JM