Stumped - can you help me find more about Charles pre name change?

[Annie65115]

I've been trying and failing to find a birth reg for Charles L Braid, who married Elsie Coxon in Leicester in 1959. I've now got the marriage certificate and new info has come to light thus!

1959 - Charles Laughton Braid (name changed by deed poll), age 54, master builder, divorced, father John GREEN (also a master builder). 

I didn't know of the name change so that's why I couldn't find him!

Anyway, still not a lot to go on. I think the age will be right. I believe he had a brother who was also a builder. I thought he was originally from London/South East but I could be wrong on that.

He had a child registered with surname Braid in 1938, and his first marriage had clearly broken down before then. He appears in newspapers (sometimes with middle name LAWTON) in the Coventry and Leicester areas from 1939 - 1963. He's not with his wife and their child in the 1939 register. He was living with the bride in Oadby, Leicestershire, at the time of the 1959 marriage. He was certainly around in the late 1960s or early 70s, because I met him! - but disappears after that. He was wealthy and I could imagine him leaving the UK after retirement but that is pure supposition.

I don't need any info on his second wife Elsie, or on his child (who may well still be alive). But can anyone help me find out more about Charles before his name change? I've looked in the London Gazette but can't see a deed poll announcement there.

[LizzieL]

I've found a newspaper report from 1937 with the name Charles Lawton Braid. (One of his employees stole from him), So we can go back one more year.  If he had a child with Elsie in 1938 but didn't marry until 1959, it sounds like he might have had to wait a long time to get his divorce.

[rosie99]

He died in the Isle of Man in 1990 - death was registered Douglas

[aghadowey]

Have you tried tracing the father John Green to see if Charles would appear in early records at home?

[Annie65115]

Have you tried tracing the father John Green to see if Charles would appear in early records at home?

That would be fine if I had any idea where the family came fron, or what Charles's name might have been before the deed poll change ---

[Annie65115]

He died in the Isle of Man in 1990 - death was registered Douglas

Tax exile! That doesn't surprise me.

[martin hooper]

I have a feeling that names changes might have been published in the Gazette.

Martin

[Annie65115]

I've found a newspaper report from 1937 with the name Charles Lawton Braid. (One of his employees stole from him), So we can go back one more year.  If he had a child with Elsie in 1938 but didn't marry until 1959, it sounds like he might have had to wait a long time to get his divorce.

Yes, I thought that too! Initially I thought that maybe they'd simply waited until wife no.1 had died, but the marriage cert  does say "previous marriage dissolved".

I've found name changes in the Gazette before now, but can't see Charles in there - but it's not a resource I'm very familiar with so perhaps I'm not performing the search properly?

[rosie99]

He was living at 96 Lower Ford Street, Coventry in September 1939 - he was accused of assault.

He appears in the newspapers quite a bit