Tracing Romany roots Sussex/Kent

[martyn747]

Hello all,

I'm hoping that somebody here can help me. I have been tracing my roots and I've hit a bit of a wall with available records.

My family have inhabited Sussex and Kent for many generations. I am tracing my paternal great-grandmother. I have found records of her marriage and newspaper articles confirming that her maiden name was GRAIMES. I have found a birth record of her brother in 1870 but cannot find a birth record for her. I have tried all different variations of the spelling.

I spoke to some older family members and they helped to confirm something which I had been wondering for a long time - whether I have Romany ancestry. Myself and my siblings are all dark featured, and the older family members described the women in my great-grandmothers family as dark-skinned and wearing Romany-style dresses. The men had jobs such as clog-maker, and some had unusual names.

I've read that if the subject isn't alive then I won't be breaching any forum rules by naming them. My great-grandmother I believe was named Ada Graimes (married Burchett).

My family are all over Sussex, concentrated around Lewes, Uckfield, Hailsham.

My paternal family are also Beeneys. I have read on other Romany sites that Beeney/Beaney is an old travelling surname. I also have Westerns and Bowdens on my mother's side.

I hope that somebody here will have heard of those names and can point me in the right direction. Has anybody come across a Graimes family in their research? Also is it a common stumbling-block to not find a birth record of an ancestor?

Thanks kindly for your help

[rosie99]

Hi

Welcome to rootschat

Do you have Ada on any census.  When & where was she born, who did she marry & when.

Rosie

[martyn747]

Thanks for the quick response 

She married Frederick Burchett. I found a wedding record for him registered in Brighton 1903. On another record I found it in March 1902. There was no record for a Ada Graimes.

Her brother I believe is Alfred Graimes born June 1897 in Brighton.

I have found 2 possible death records for her. The most promising is Sep 1916 Hastings, aged 31.

She had a child (my grandfather) named Alfred Cyril Burchett, born 1906 in Lewes.

I found a marriage record for Ada Funnell in 1903, the only Ada to marry the same year as Frederick. I have done some more digging and found this thread:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=395204.msg2660313#msg2660313

Funnell and Graimes mentioned in the same thread.

My head is hurting from trying to track all of these names and dates but I am starting to work on a theory that she re-married or that even my grandfather was born out of wedlock? Are these common scenarios in the 1890's/1900's?

Thanks,

Martyn

Update: I have found her on the 1911 census. She lists her birth year as 1888, born in Brighton. Married in 1904 to Frederick Burchett who is a groom. Still cannot find an original record for her birth or marriage with her maiden name.

[rosie99]

Are these common scenarios in the 1890's/1900's?

Yes     

This is probably Ada's birth registration
Births Jun 1887   
Ada Funnell
Brighton    2b   256

and probably Ada's mothers marriage
March qtr 1899   
Funnell    Mercy Fanny       
Graimes    William Henry       
Lewes    2b   250

[rosie99]

We can't do 1911 lookups but for Ada's mother you need to be looking for Mercy Hanna Graimes

1909 Kellys directory has her as a shopkeeper in Hamsey.

This could be her death
Mercy A Graimes
Death Registration March 1927
Age at Death 68
Lewes RD 2b 297

Fanny / Annie / Ann / Hannah are all variations of one name

[rosie99]

1901 - Hamsey, Sussex   RG13 / 914 f136 p3
William H   Graines   44   General Dealer    bn Brighton, Sussex
Mercy   Graines   42    bn Lewes, Sussex
Ada   Graines   Dtr 13 bn Brighton
Alfred Graines   Son   4 bn Brighton
Montague   Chatfield   Boarder 23 bn Lewes, Sussex
Ernest   Chatfield   Boarder 22 Clerk To Timber Merchant bn    Lewes, Sussex

[rosie99]

It is possible that Mercy is the daughter of William & Mary Funnell 
1861 - RG9/577 f161 p15 age 1 born Fletching, Sussex
1871 -  RG10/1055 f65 p1 age 11 bn Danehill, Sussex

Ignore that, looks like she married Benjamin Newnham

[martyn747]

Thanks Rosie, you've been invaluable!

So from what you've posted, the other thread, and other sources, I've linked the following together:

Mercy Hannah Turner born Dec 1857 Lewes: 2b 141

Marriage: June quarter 1881
Mercy Annie TURNER
George FUNNELL
Brighton 2b 448a

Births Jun 1887   
Ada Funnell
Brighton    2b   256

Birth Dec qtr 1893   
Flora FUNNELL     
Brighton  2b 214  (from the other thread which I linked.)

March qtr 1899   
Funnell    Mercy Fanny       
Graimes    William Henry       
Lewes    2b   250

Does this look pretty solid to you?

It explains why my family remember Ada's surname as being Graimes. She was actually born of a previous marriage to George Funnell and is also a Turner by maternal blood.

I'll look into the 'Graines' spelling variation next! In your experience are the spelling variations more likely due to the poor literacy/record keeping of the time, or a deliberate attempt to 'start a new life' so to speak due to the stigma of divorce/wedlock?

[rosie99]

1891 RG12/805 f59 p28 - Sussex Terrace, Brighton
William Graham 33 General Dealer   bn Brighton
Mercy (Funnell) Mother In Law    - Widow   44   bn Lewes
William H   Graham   Son   11 bn Brighton
Louie   Funnell   Sister In Law   Single 14   bn Brighton
Ada F   Graham   Daughter   3 bn Brighton
Jimmie   Graham   Son   3 months bn Brighton

Descriptions such as mother in law can mean anything, they clearly did not know how to describe her