Have I added two and two and made five?

[chris_49]

I may have solved this one but I'd like Rootschatters feedback, there are so many variables. Bear with me please - I give full info so people don't do unneeded searches.

My relative George Thomas Cox was registered in Warwick district in the first quarter of 1889 and baptised 3rd February at St Mary's Warwick. His mother Mary Lewthwaite was from Middlesex, his parents married in Woolwich where his elder sister was born, his father Thomas died in 1890, his mother remarried to James Mackonachie (spelling varies) in 1892 in Greenwich, and in 1901 he is with them in Greenwich as a Mackonachie, though on Ancestry someone has helpfully added a correction that he is a Cox. In 1911 he is in the Army in India (Rifle Brigade) born Salford Warwickshire which might mean Salford Priors but which I think is a mistake for the Saltisford area of Warwick town (His brother Thomas Albert gave his address as Saltford, Warwick when joining up later).

Thomas Albert didn't survive the war, but I know George did because I found an "attestation" for him from the Rifle Brigade dated 1919 which, stupidly, I didn't save and now can't find. And that was the last of I saw of him - no death except in Thanet 1934 which would be a year out in age - except that I saw a George T Cox  in Wandsworth on the 1939 married with an Elizabeth E born 1899 and a Daphne G b 1919 presumably a daughter - and this George's biirth date of 7/1/1899 was very close to my George's baptism. However I could find no marriage of a George T to an Elizabeth E in the time period, neither could I find a birth record for Daphne G Cox, so I put the matter aside.

Then I got access to the 1921 census at FindMyPast. I know that requests for this are prohibited, but surely I'm allowed to give a brief outline of what I found? George Thomas Cox 32 and Elizabeth Ellen 22 are boarding in Southend. He's born Salford Warwick, which makes me confident he is my George. He has the same profession as one of those he gave in 1939.

But who is Elizabeth Ellen born Bardfield, Essex? FreeBMD (searching without surname) finds plenty of those born in Essex around 1899, but none found in Braintree district where Great Bardfield is. I next tried Daphne G, missing in 1921, and the best birth record I could find was Daphne Georgina Gilbey, illegitimate, registered Dunmow district in the right quarter.

I trawled for Elizabeth on censuses and found that she may well be Elizabeth Ellen Gilbey born and living in Little Sampford, Essex, a daughter of Charles Gilbey - and this fits a birth record in July quarter 1899 in Saffron Walden district which is where Little Sampford was - and also fits the birth date she gave in 1939 as a Cox. Moreover, by 1921 Charles and family, though given as living in Great Bardfield, were in fact at an address in Little Bardfield, which was in Dunmow district.

So I think this is my George and his never-married partner. Do you agree?

There's a further problem with Daphne Georgina Gilbey, later Cox. I can't find her in 1921 - she's not with either grandmother - and I'm not allowed to ask you to look for her. (Daphne Georgine Rice in Colchester and Daphne Coe in Dunmow are not her.) The 1939 gives her future married names Pound and Moore,but I can find no marriage for her to a Pound as either a Gilbey or a Cox, though I found her 1973 marriage to a Moore as Pound.

More seriously, is she George's daughter? She was born 10/7/1919 exactly 9 months after the Armistice, but I think I've read that it took a long time to get all the soldiers home, and "regulars" like George would not be demobbed. Although he could have been on leave at the right time. He could have just taken up with a young woman with a baby - but why was she given the unusual middle name Georgina?

If anyone's had the patience to read through all of the above, I'd appreciate your thoughts. Thanks, Chris

[QueenoftheWest]

To start this off:

Daphne G Cox married Norman J Pound in 1941 in Lambeth, London.

Queenie 

[QueenoftheWest]

I found Daphne's baptism record:

First name(s): Daphne Georgina
Last name: Cox
Baptism date: 14 Sep 1919
Place: Elsworth, Cambridgeshire
Father's first name(s): George Thomas
Father occupation: motor mechanic
Mother's first name(s): Elizabeth Ellen

I think the father had to be present at the baptism (if I recall correctly) so it looks like he is the father.

Queenie 

[chris_49]

Wow, that's brilliant! Thanks a lot Queenie. Proves she was my George's daughter - registered correctly as Gilbey, baptised as Cox - who was to know any different? Is this why the (late-ish) baptism was some way from Bardfield.

Father's occupation tallies too. Thanks again.

[QueenoftheWest]

Glad I could help 

I'm just wondering whether George was already married when he started his relationship with Elizabeth and that's why they were unable to wed. I've seen it a few times in my family.

What was the occupation of Thomas, George's father? I'm just looking through marriages to see if I can find any possibles.

Queenie 

[chris_49]

He might have done. Single in 1911, he'd have been a soldier that whole time but would have had leaves, of course - but none of the marriages look suitable - none near Greenwich whether his mother lived.  Or  he coulld have married abroad.

His father Thomas was an Ag Lab when he was at home aged 18 in Saltisford, the only census that finds him as an adult, but I have that in 1890 Thomas "died in an accident on the railways". I don't know where that info came from, and of course that doesn't mean he was a railwayman. If a father is deceased at a wedding, you often don't get his occupation anyway. Elizabeth's dad was a farm carter.

I missed that Pound wedding because she was given as "Daophne". 

I don't know whether the Cox-Gilbey birth in 1927 in Luton is their daughter too - they do seem to have moved about, and no other marriage fits. She was not found dead or with them in 1939, or at all that year - probably redacted.

[Tickettyboo]

It would seem that your George Thomas Cox was indeed in the Rifle Brigade but am puzzled about this "attestation" you have seen that was dated 1919.

Bit of a long road round but the Pension index card for his brother Thomas Albert shows that his mother had another son who was still serving when Thomas was killed. He was no 2653 Sgt G T Cox of the Rifle Brigade.

As you seem to have access to FindMyPast, then there are two records in the Military records for this man, one dated 1906  and one dated 1908. The later one is a pension application as he was discharged in July 1916 as being no longer physically fit for war service. The pages are in no particular order and would need a fair bit of sorting through the info but they do confirm his n.o.k. as being the people you have mentioned.

Boo

[QueenoftheWest]

I was just going to mention the military record for George, but Tickettyboo got there first!

He was discharged in 1916, with his next of kin being Mary, his mother, his brother Thomas and his sister Elsie.

This could be completely wrong, but there is a marriage that interests me:

George Thomas Cox, born c.1889, son of Thomas Cox, soldier, married Minnie Mitchell in Romford, Essex in October 1916.

The reason it interests me is that they had a child, Samuel George Thomas Cox, born in late 1917, but baptised in late 1918. The child died soon after it was baptised. After that, the trail goes cold.

Maybe I am completely wrong, but I thought I would put this forward as a possible candidate.

Queenie 

[chris_49]

Thanks again Queenie and Boo. Always useful to find the military records.

I can't find this attestation again either. It may not have been in 1919.

The Romford one looks interesting. In 1911 sister Elsie Bayfield was in Blackheath with her family and her twice-widowed mother, but by 1921 they were all in Romford so this is a definite possibility for a marriage for George. I'd need to send for the certificate to be certain though - which I might since there are none worthwhile to send for, for George and Elizabeth.