Clara Jane Shipley b.c.1880 - in Dudley?

[CaroleW]

Definitely the 1940 marriage

Ellen McKeown aged 72 - born 5.9.1918 Death reg March 1991 Birmingham Volume   32 Page 1053

Three children born between 1942-1959 - all Birmingham.  Names cannot be given as they are probably all still living

Does the 1939 register give a full date of birth for Clara?

[Jomot]

Working on the theory that Clara may have been illegitimate I looked for a marriage in Dudley of a female with the surname Shipley and came up with this:

Apr-Jun 1887, Dudley, 6c / 94 - Sarah Shipley & Joseph Hill or William Roe

1891 Census - RG12/2279/17/27

George Shipley 66 Head b (?) Staffordshire, Ag Farm Labourer   
Hannah Shipley 64  Wife  b Yoxall, Staffordshire   
George Shipley 15 Son b Oldbury, Farm Labourer   
Sarah Row 37 Daughter Widow  b West Bromwich, Brick Yard Labourer   
Clara Row 5 Grand Daughter  b Oldbury
Flora Row 3 Grand Daughter b Oldbury,
Mary Row 10M  Grand Daughter b Rowley Regis

What do you think? 

There is a birth for a Clara Jane Rowe in the Dec Q 1885 in Burton on Trent but I cant find her on the census - unless this is her above 

William Roe, Labourer, of Newbury Lane, Oldbury, Worcs, died 31 Jan 1890 leaving an estate of £72.  Administration was to his widow, Sarah Roe of Tividale, Rowley Regis, Staffordshire.

Added: In 1901 Clara Ro(w)e is still living in Rowley Regis (Dudley RD) in the home of George P Shipley aged 26.  Clara is listed as his sister in law, aged 18 and a brick maker.

Also added: Just checking my registration districts, Oldbury - Clara Ro(w)e's PoB - came under West Bromwich, which ties in with the birth registration for Clara Jane Shipley.

[Willow 4873]

Unfortunately there is a marriage of a Clara Jane Rowe 1908 Burton upon Trent to either William Francis Durant or Ernest William Hartland

Willow x

[Jomot]

Unfortunately there is a marriage of a Clara Jane Rowe 1908 Burton upon Trent to either William Francis Durant or Ernest William Hartland

Willow x

That's probably the one born 1885 Burton on Trent, which adds weight to the Clara Roe/Row/Rowe in Rowley Regis, Dudley, being Clara Shipley.

Just need to find the Burton on Trent Clara on a census to be sure that they are two different people.

[Jomot]

Don't know why I couldn't find it before

Clara J Rowe in 1901: RG13/2648/25/41 - Winshill, Burton on Trent

[Willow 4873]

She married William Durant and she was born 1886 Burton

Willow x

[pollux83]

Thanks again folks! I've just checked the 1939 Register and it gives Clara's dob as 8 September 1881. I've found no BMD record for a Shipley born in Dudley at that time so I think your suggestions that she assumed the name are good ones. So I think it means a plod through the records to see if a match can be found.

Two births that caught my eye were of Clara Janes in Dudley with surnames Rust and Shake but both were the wrong quarter.

Thanks too for pointing me to Ellen's marriage to Hugh McKeown in 1940. I've identified the three children as: Hugh P, 1942; Mireen M, 1946 and Angela M, 1959. The first two at least married (I've not yet found a marriage for Angela) and there seem to be grandchildren.

[Jomot]

I'm a little confused.  We already know from the differences in the census & her marriage that there is some real uncertainty over her actual year of birth.  I therefore think its highly unlikely that she would suddenly be 100% accurate about it in 1939.  Looking for her death, the nearest I can find is in Birmingham in 1962, recorded as Clare J Hawker aged 78, putting her birth as 1884. 

Therefore, assuming that the date of 8 September is correct then her birth could have been registered in either Sept or Dec quarter, which puts the Clara Jane Shipley from Dec quarter 1884 as a very strong possibility.

I really think you need to invest the £9.25 on the certificate and see if the date matches & whether her mother is Sarah Shipley, single woman, who then went on to marry William Roe.   Certainly from the 1891 census Clara Row was born before Sarah & William were married, and although she was listed as aged 5 when she would actually have been 6, by 1901 she was listed as aged 18.

Added:  Its possible she may not even have known her day/month of birth - did you notice that 8th Sept is also her marriage date?  So whilst its entirely possible that she married on her birthday, its also possible that she just "adopted" this date in the absence of knowing her real one.
 

[pollux83]

Some good logic there! I need to think further...