Unfindable couple / Male was in Navy

[BushInn1746]

I agree, M.E.Brooks, widow of deceased.

BUT what does the bit on the right say!?
It looks as though it must be a statutory declaration of some sort

I agree but what does the Margin note say? I can only see

for Bro...
Ha[?]...
Widow o ...
Correcte...
June
R E
Regis...
on prod...
Statutor...
made by ...

R E might be the initials of the Registrar? So it looks to be relevant?

Ha looks to read Harme_

The r is just not quite visible

I'm jumping the gun, but feel it may say words to the effect

for Brooks substitute / change to Harmer
 -------------------
The Navy Index Card shows Joseph Brooks and his Wife Martha Brooks [previously identified as nee Hall] at separate addresses.

1921
Joseph Brooks, Royal Navy "Invalid" was still "Married" and Mary Elizabeth Harmer, Widow, was his Domestic Servant and Joseph Brooks had Borders, to generate additional income.

Mark

[bradwaterss]

I have emailed GRO and ordered the paper certificate to hopefully solve this issue- fingers crossed

[heywood]

Thanks Neale - re read the relevant post so all seems well there.

[Sc00p]

Been interesting following this one....

If the naval record for https://www.ancestry.co.uk/discoveryui-content/view/598822:60522 is the correct Joseph, then I believe he would have been shore based (Pembroke II) from 02 Aug 1914 through 18 Sep 1916.  I don't think 'M.E.' would have been on her own for the birth as has been suggested.   

Seems to me that Joseph may have always known her as Mabel, she has used that name on the Birth reg and on the 1921 Census it looks to me like Joseph completed the form with her named just as 'Mabel Harmer'.  It looks to have been amended to 'Mary Elizabeth Harmer' sometime later.

I'd expect the marginal note on the Death cert will confirm that M E Brooks and M E Harmer are the same person.

[Neale1961]

Thanks for that information, Sc00p. I knew that Pembroke II was the training facility, but it did not occur to me it was purely shore based. That’s good to clarify.

[Sc00p]

From https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/224916665/edith-may-harmer

James Carl HARMER lived until 1973 and died in Nottingham

James is also in Chatham Maidstone Road Cemetery https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/224925879/james-carl-harmer

It would appear that Joseph is too https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/224925556/joseph-brooks

[heywood]

Great finds there.
It looks as though we have gone all round the houses but hopefully reached a conclusion.
 

[bradwaterss]

Hi Guys,

apologies if i am wrong -

Are you concluding Joseph Thomas Brooks born 1875 who was married with 2 previous children (one of which being another Joseph Thomas Brooks) had a child with another married woman (Mary Elizabeth Harmer) know as Mabel Ethel on Joseph Jn's birth certificate? HE died in 1922 and is buried in Chatham cemetry

I appreciate all the information behind this, childrens names and navy records but to strip it right back and explain it to my grandmother, does the above sound right?

Brad

[Sc00p]

Hi Guys,

apologies if i am wrong -

Are you concluding Joseph Thomas Brooks born 1875 who was married with 2 4 known previous children (one of which being another Joseph Thomas Brooks) had a child with another married widowed woman (Mary Elizabeth Harmer) know as Mabel Ethel on Joseph Jn's birth certificate? HE died in 1922 and is buried in Chatham cemetry as is Mary Elizabeth Harmer nee Sayles

I appreciate all the information behind this, childrens names and navy records but to strip it right back and explain it to my grandmother, does the above sound right?

Brad

That's what it looks like to me subject to that mariginal note on the Death Cert.