I've wiped out a whole line of my Ancestry tree.

[coombs]

I found Edith M Cocks aged 4 months on the 1891 census in Stoke Damerel living with James Cocks, aged 50 born Camelford, Cornwall. An Annie Coomber is listed as daughter of James Cocks, Annie is 27. Born Camelford. Then we have Jethro Coomber aged 32 born Sussex, married, a Royal Navy Seaman. However listed inbetween Annie Coomber and Jethro Coomber is a James W Cocks, aged 12, listed as grandson.

[Ashtone]

1881 census - 58, James Street, Devonport

Jethro [Comber] is lodging with the Cocks family. No sign of any children except for James H Cocks (age 2) who is listed as the son of James & Jane Cocks. James H Cocks is always recorded as their son on future census records. (Not to be confused with James W Coomber, the grandson).

Did Jethro and Annie ever marry?  I note he's living elsewhere in the 1901 census.

[antiquesam]

I have a fairly complete history of the Cocks family thank you. In answer to your question Coombs Jethro married Elizabeth Ann Cocks in Stoke Dameral in Oct q 1882. By 1901 he was lodging in his hometown and died on 27/10/1918 in Cuckfield Work House.

[Ashtone]

...with the father as Charles Cocks and mother as " Elizabeth Anne Cocks formerly Coomber".

What is the occupation of the father (Charles Cocks) on Edith's birth cert?

It's confusing that the mother named another man as Edith's father, whilst husband Jethro is still residing with the Cocks family in 1891.    Did the mother have an affair?

[antiquesam]

I'm afraid I can't tell you whether she had an affair and, presumably, no one else can.  Charles was a dockyard labourer and Jethro was a matelot. It would be quite a coincidence if she had an affair with someone with the same surname. She did marry Joseph Edward Russell in 1900 when Jethro was still alive and a divorce would be unlikely with the working class in those days.

[coombs]

I would say Jethro must have been away at sea a lot so Elizabeth Anne must have had an affair when Jethro was away, and Jethro knew hence why she is not described as his daughter on the 1891 census but as Edith M Cocks. Only DNA testing will/could tell who was the blood father out of Charles Cocks or Jethro Coomber. I doubt Jethro was the blood father though as the records seem to go against this.

[antiquesam]

I must thank everyone for researching the Cocks family but I've been doing it for fifteen years and really have most of the facts except who my grandfather was.

[antiquesam]

I'm sorry Coombs but I don't see what records put Jethro as Edith's father. Her birth certificate names Charles Cock. Edith did call herself Coomber and by 1901she was living with her grandmother and brother William, but I suspect this was for appearances.

[rosie99]

I've always shown Jethro Coomber as my paternal g/grandfather despite knowing that my grandmother's birth certificate showing her as Edith Mary Cocks( her mother's maiden name) with the father as Charles Cocks and mother as " Elizabeth Anne Cocks formerly Coomber".

Do you mean it says Edith Mary Cocks in section 2 of the birth certificate or does it just say Edith Mary