Genealogy Chat

Could the name on the birth cert be a short one, perhaps? Clutching desperately at straws!!! 1881 Name: Fanny May Age: 18 Estimated birth year: abt 1863 Relation: Servant Gender: Female Where born: Farnham, Surrey, England Civil Parish: St Mary Islington County/Island: London Country: England Street address: Sunnyside Rd Hornsey Rise 'Alexandra Orphanage' Education: Employment status: View image Occupation: Domestic Servant Registration district: Islington Sub-registration district: Islington East ED, institution, or vessel: Alexandra Orphanage Neighbors: View others on page Reg

Sorry Reg but the name doesn't look like May either.

Miriam's birth was registered in Hendon at the end of 1877. Marriages of John Garretts in London in 1887 and 1876 are in 1887 Kensington Q4, Wandsworth Q3, Islington Q2 1886 Stepney and Bethnal Green Q3 1885 none 1884 John David Garrett in Poplar Q4 1883 John Lewis Garrett Q2

Having viewed it I can understand why you requested assistance. Any other takers, PLEASE!!! Pete

Well Pete thanks for looking at it. Can't even make out what first letter is for sure.

I'll have a look if you like. I'll send you my e-mail address. Janice

Thanks Janice

Maisy, If all else fails, did John and Fanny have any other children? If so, it might be worth getting the birth certificate for one of them, as the mother's maiden name might be clearer on that. Chris

Have you found Miriam on the 1901 census? Is this her with a widowed grandmother Sarah May? Name: Sarah May Age: 61 Estimated birth year: abt 1840 Relation: Head Gender: Female Where born: Crondall, Hampshire, England Civil Parish: Islington Ecclesiastical parish: St Stephen County/Island: London Country: England Registration district: Islington Sub-registration district: Upper Holloway ED, institution, or vessel: 32 Household schedule number: 373 Household Members: Name Age Edgar O Bassett 21 Walter S Bassett 22 Emily Burge 28 >>>>Mariam Garrett 13 Sarah May 61 If so, track Sarah back to 1871 and you'll see a daughter Fanny MAY, aged 8 year in 1871. Name: Fanny May Age: 8 Estimated birth year: abt 1863 Relation: Daughter Father's name: John Mother's name: Sarah Gender: Female Where born: Crundale, Hampshire, England Civil Parish: St John The Evangelist Ecclesiastical parish: St Matthew County/Island: London Country: England Registration district: St George Hanover Square Sub-registration district: St John Westminster ED, institution, or vessel: 9 Household schedule number: 85 Household Members: Name Age Fanny May 8 John May 28 Sarah May 30 But it really does not look like MAY as her former surname on the certificate. Hmmmm.

A big thank you to everybody who has looked at this for me. As you said Pete the name on the birth certificate is NOTHING like May but it seems as though you've found the right one. I'll now have to try and find their marriage but I'll try and get on with that by myself. Thanks again to all of you. Maisy

Imagine a situation where the mother is registering the birth of her daughter. 'Childs name' say the registrar. 'Miriam' she replied Mother's name? 'Fanny Garrett' she said. 'Mother's maiden name' asks the registrar. IVIL she replied. and if you check back you see that Sarah IVIL is Fanny's mother's maiden name. Sarah Ivil married John May c 1867. See IGI or FreeBMD

Pete You are brilliant for finding that out! Unbelieveable. So her 'maiden name' on cert. reads Ivile. But it really should be May I'll take a look myself now but thanks again for all your help and solving a BIG mystery. Maisy

Pete, that's amazing!! It certainly looks like Ivile on the cert. Never heard of it before but there are a lot of Ivil entries on FreeBMD. Well done!

If Sarah IVIL married John MAY in 1867 wouldn't that make Fanny an illegitimate birth. Making her real birth name Fanny IVIL although she may well have assumed the surname from John MAY after her mother married.

That's made it more confusing. At least I now have 2 names to go on or even 3 if she was married before marrying John Garrett! They certainly didn't make it easy for us did they? Hopefully I'll be able to find something if not I may well be back for more help!!! Maisy

Think this is her birth then: Fanny Ivill Hartley W (which is Hampshire and covers Crondall) 2c 141 4th quarter 1862

Stop Press! Q2 m1887 Marriage IVILE Fanny Islington 1b 351 There is a corresponding entry for John GARRETT

And Fanny's christening 1st Nov 1862 is on IGI daughter of sarah Ivil, Crondall, Hampshire.

1861 Name: Sarah Ivil Age: 21 Estimated birth year: abt 1840 Relation: Daughter Father's name: Jesse Mother's name: Lucy Gender: Female Where born: Crondall, Hampshire, England Registration district: Hartley Wintney Household Members: Name Age Ann Ivil 9 Charles Ivil 3 David Ivil 6 Ellen Ivil 13 Henry Ivil 2 Jesse Ivil 44 Lucy Ivil 40 Sarah Ivil 21 Over to you Maisy!! They have been indexed as Tuel(Ivel) on the 41 and Tril on the 51!!

Maisy, Someone called Leslie has Sarah Ivil born 1839 Crondall on his GR tree. Might be worthwhile contacting him. Janice