Robert Percival born Gateshead around 1888

[bman]

Hi,
I wonder if anyone can help me trace Robert Percival's birth records. I have a copy of his marriage certificate to my great aunt Alice Boardman (nee Parkinson) in Bolton dated 27/12/1952 when they were 65 and 69 respectively.
His address at the time was 17 Brick Yard, Shafton, Nr Barnsley and Alice had always lived in Bolton.
 I have managed to trace him on the West Yorks Electoral Rolls from 1918 to 1965 when he died, but prior to this he is a bit elusive.
On the 1911 Census he is living at 62 John St, Blaydon with his younger sister Rebecca and older sister Edith Holliday (nee Percival). On the 1901 Census there is no trace of Robert or Rebecca, but Edith is living with her father Joseph in Gateshead. Robert's father is a Joseph on his marriage certificate.
 On the 1891 census Joseph, a widow, and daughter Edith are living in Grosvenor St, Gateshead with a servant Dorothy May and her son Robert May (b. 1888) this could possibly be the Robert I am looking for. There is no register of birth for either Robert Percival or Rebecca Percival and Dorothy was married with her two daughters living with her parents on 1891 census. Her parents are called Robert & Rebecca Armitage!
Would anyone be kind enough to point me in the right direction to trace the births.
Thank you.
bman

[Millmoor]

Hi

It looks to me that Joseph Percival was married to Ann(e) Brownlee. (Marriage in Gateshead 1878).There is a birth for a Joseph Henry Percival (mmn Brownlee) Gateshead 1879 - died 1880.

1881 census has Joseph, Ann and a niece called Dorothy Brownlees living in Gateshead. There is a birth   in the groindexes for Edith Percival in 1881 (Apr- Jun) mmn Brownless - very close to Brownlee or Brownlees. There is a death for an Anne Percival of the correct age in Gateshead in 1884.

Indeed it looks like Dorothy May was married to a John J May and that her maiden name was Armitage.

I suspect that the births in Gateshead for Robert Joseph Armitage in 1888 and Rebecca Armitage in 1892 might be the ones you are looking for - on the gro indexes Rebecca's mmn is given as Percival! For Robert Joseph no mmn is given.

William

[Annette7]

Think I've found the 2 missing births but it's somewhat confusing.

Dorothy May - shown as married in 1891 - was Dorothy Armitage who married a John Joseph May 22/9/1879 Newcastle upon Tyne (shown as dau. of Robert, which ties in with what you say).

Think that Robert Percival's birth is:

Robert Joseph Armitage - no mmn - birth Mar.1888 Gateshead (so registered with Dorothy's maiden name, and his second Christian name is that of his father).

Rebecca Armitage  - birth Mar.qtr.1892 Gateshead - mmn Percival??

So, whilst she could have registered the 2 children under her legal surname of May at least she registered them under her maiden name of Armitage.   However, quite why she gave her maiden name as Percival on Rebecca's birth I have no idea.

Edith was actually a half sibling to Robert and Rebecca being born from father Joseph Percival's marriage to Ann Brownlee/s in 1878.    Edith's birth entry shown mmn as Brownlees. 

Quite where Robert, Rebecca, not to mention mother Dorothy, were in 1901 I have no idea.

Clearly Joseph Percival and Dorothy May, nee Armitage, never married although their 2 children together took their fathers surname as adults and maintained a relationship with older half sister Edith.

Annette

PS I see that Millmoor has come to the same conclusions.

[Millmoor]

There is a baptism showing on Familysearch for Robert Joseph Armitage - 4 Jan 1888 in Gateshead. Birth date is given as 27 Dec 1887. Parents are named as Robert and Dorothy Armitage. It is not clear as to what the precise source of this record is  given that the location just says Gateshead- I think in this case,  if possible,  I would wish to track the original record.

Am I correct in saying that your Robert lived and died in Hemsworth, West Yorkshire? If so I would suggest that you locate him in the 1939 Register and come to a judgement regarding his date of birth.

William

[JenB]

There is a baptism showing on Familysearch for Robert Joseph Armitage - 4 Jan 1888 in Gateshead. Birth date is given as 27 Dec 1887. Parents are named as Robert and Dorothy Armitage. It is not clear as to what the precise source of this record is  given that the location just says Gateshead- I think in this case,  if possible,  I would wish to track the original record.

The film number on the record is 252785 which is Gateshead Parish Church (St Mary) https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/37304?availability=Family%20History%20Library

[bman]

Hi,
Thank you all so much for your quick replies. I did suspect that Joseph Percival and Dorothy May were the parents of Robert & Rebecca, but could not prove it, but now hopefully I will. I did not want to send for a birth certificate when I wasn't sure which Robert he was.
I have checked the 1939 Register and Robert was living in Helsworth, as a boarder, with his dob as 27th Dec 1888. which means he got married on his birthday. Although this is a year out I have other family members like this.
Thanks again for your speedy and informative replies they are much appreciated. I will now be able to solve this bit of the puzzle.
Although, I still wonder how they met as Alice always lived in Bolton and that side of the family had no connnection to Yorkshire!
Bman

[River Tyne Lass]

http://www.marriage-locator.co.uk/cgi-bin/ML_search.cgi?year=1879&qtr=3&vol=10b&page=77&search=search

Marriage Locator indicates Dorothy married at St Andrew, Newcastle upon Tyne.