Help in finding my paternal grandmother

[antiquesam]

Hi Brigidmac. I'm afraid I know nothing about John Donoghue other than he said he was 22  and his father was also called John and was deceased and ex Royal Navy.
I don't have any cousins that know anything about this that are still alive.
FreeBMD, Ancestry and FindMyPast haven't come up with anything.

[Ladyhawk]

Her children were Margaret Elizabeth Mary Ethel Jane Coomber, Charles Frederick James Coomber (my father) and Thomas William Henry Coomber.
 I hold the birth and marriage certificates for both Margaret and Charles but nothing but the birth certificate for Thomas. None have a father on the birth certificate

I agree that the father's names are all fictitious (as is her birth date on the marriage certificate)
The past history is well covered but after 1920 I can't trace her or her husband John Donaghue.
Both of her children also used relations names for the father when getting married.

Have you looked at the 1921 census Devonport at Margaret E M J Coomber b1915 Devonport - notes mother dead    but for Frederick C J Coomber both alive 

[antiquesam]

Hi Ladyhawk
Yes I found them. I have found (and spoken to
a couple of Margaret's children before they died) them living with the Edwards,. That's how I confirmed the marriage as he was a witness. I can't find Edith or John anywhere.

[Kay99]

That's interesting Kay. He was a stoker but he said he was 22 when he married, and John Donaghue seems to be a popular name in Ireland and the Armed Forces. I'd be interested in following it up though if you could give me your source.

I found him on F M P and his surname is transcribed as Dongahus but the same transcription is on Anc  Just noticed the image has his birthplace as Youghal, Cork, Ireland

Kay

[antiquesam]

Hi Kay. Thanks for the information. I see he is shown as having one child. Needless to say I can't find the birth unfortunately as that would have confirmed that this was my man.

[ChrissieL]

Hi Kay. Thanks for the information. I see he is shown as having one child. Needless to say I can't find the birth unfortunately as that would have confirmed that this was my man.

Note that the form asks for number of children OR Step children

Chrissie

[antiquesam]

I did think that Edith's third child, Thomas William Henry Coomber, was only five when she married and hadn't been left with the Edward's, as the other two were, but I can't find him in the 1921 census either. It sweet that it's harder to come forward than it is to go back in time.

[LizzieL]

Her mother Elizabeth Ann Coomber (nee Cocks) was estranged from her husband Jethro Coomber when Edith was born.

Have you seen the family on the 1891 census?

James Cocks  50   Head
Jane Cocks  58   Wife
Annie Coomber  27   Daughter (transcribed as Cocks on Ancestry but Coomer on image)
James H Cocks  12   Son
Jethro Coomber  32   Son-in-law
James W Coomber   7   Grandson
Annie J Coomber  5   Granddaughter
John J Coomber  2   Grandson
Edith M Cocks  4/12   Granddaughter


Elizabeth Ann (as Annie) and Jethro are together at least until daughter Edith is 4 months old

added
Just realised Edith has surname Cocks while other children are Coomber.

[antiquesam]

Thanks for your response Lizziel. Yes I have seen that. I'm pretty well complete with the time before the marriage in 1920. I'm trying to find out what happened to my paternal grandmother after her marriage to John Donohue and my uncle Thomas William Henry Coomber who was only five years old when she married.