Looking for a birth possibly 1905

[softly softly]

I guessed it was him in 1990 as his wife W died same area in 1988. Did the informant on Cyrils death cert know him quiet well, as the date of birth is given as 17 Feb 1907.

John

[Gibbs]

That date is incorrect. In 1945 Cyril needed his birth certificate so his wife wrote to Somerset house for one. The obviously couldn't find one so sent him the nearest 'fit' which was Cyril Lewis born 17th Feb 1907 to John and Alice Lewis of Middlesbrough. Cyril knew this wasn't his but couldn't prove it so was left holding it for the rest of his life waiting an extra 2 years for his pension and the wrong details on his death certificate.

The Middlesbrough Cyril unfortunately died in 1914 aged 7 and I have both the birth and death certificates to rule it out. After 7 years I am at my wits end and poor Norman, Cyrils son, just wants to know the truth before ...well you know before!

[hepburn]

Cyril Lewis estimated year of birth 1907 in Wandsworth 1911 census...This is on family Search.There's no parents on there..I don't know what that means.

[Alexander.]

I'm guessing you've already checked to see if there are any records of children admitted to the Watford Children's home. These records if they exist would probably be at the local archives. Not sure if it's the correct home, but looking at Hertfordshire Archives catalogue, they have some records for Ashby Road Children's Home, 1903-1955 (HSS8/16).

The birth date might have been 'invented' by the home, if nobody knew when he was born.

As Cyril Lewis might not even have been his birth name, I think DNA may be key here to narrow this down. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like any of the matches are that closely related.

You could look into Cyril's son doing a Y-DNA test. Y-DNA is passed only father-to-son, so this could help to narrow down whether he is related to other Lewises or should you be looking into other surnames. FamilyTreeDNA has the largest Y-DNA database, so testing with them is best. A 37 marker test is usually sufficient to screen for possible matches, you can always upgrade to higher level testing if needed. But it is very much luck of the draw whether there are any useful matches or not.

If there are any close male matches on Ancestry it might be worth trying to convince them to take a Y-DNA test as well, to work out if you are related on the paternal line.

Alexander

[Gibbs]

This was from the archives…….

In the volume reference HSS8/16/1 (an indexed admissions register to children cared for by the Watford Union Children’s Homes)
 
Admitted: 11 March 1915, Cyril Lewis (date of birth 16/2/1905)
Status: orphan
Left on 14 May 1919, “To Mr N Maddison, North Kilworth Mill near Rugby”
 
No other information about Cyril was seen in this register. As a child in the care of the Watford Union Board of Guardians, he could have been in any children’s home in the area which was administered by the Union. Remarks against other children show that they were sometimes sent to foster homes ( “boarded out”), to other charities (eg, Dr Barnado’s, from where they were often sent abroad as farm labourers),and girls were sent into domestic service as maids. Some children were sent far away, and there is no evidence surviving to show what governed the different destinations of these young people.

[Mvann]

There is a Cyril rowland Lewis born Lambeth march qtr 1905 on GRO index. Mothers maiden name white

[heywood]

Yes Positive 'sightings' from 1915 in the Watford Children's home until 1919 then 1921 census and baptism in North Kilworth, these are 100% correct.
Baptism record says "From Children's homes in Watford parents Dead!" 1921 census says Born London which I can't verify and also both parents dead

When he was baptised in North Kilworth was there a reference to a parent/parents in the register or were the Maddisons his sponsors/carers?

[fiddlerslass]

There's a Cyril Frederick Lewis age 6 boarding in Herts 1911 birth place unknown. If the elderly person he was boarding with died that may explain the Children's home admission. Abbots Langley is close to Watford.

[Dundee]

Emma KIFF didn't die until 1924 but by 1915 she was getting on in years.  I was wondering if he had come to her from Watford originally and if she was unable to continue caring for him he was returned there.

Debra