Genealogy Chat

Tips please, Because of the various spellings of my name, 4 to date but all pronounced the same, I am having difficulties obtaining info that is my route to go down. Even since my fathers birth registration, an extra 'e' has been added to the spelling of my surname. I try all the spellings but am concerned that I am wasteing a lot of time and energy and still not sure which one is correct/ Asprin Annie

Kathlyn What exactly are you trying to find out/do? nell

There's no such thing as 'correct'. Who could ever say? How could anybody know? Maud(e)sley comes from a placename, but placenames used to be spelt inconsistently. Many of them weren't officially fixed until after the County Councils and District Councils were created in the 1880s. What may have happened in your family is that somebody came across an old record and decided the spelling he was using must be wrong and the old record was right. But if he'd found more old records, he'd have had a choice. This is partly how spellings like Greene and Smythe became popular -- people found the name spelt like that in ye olde Tudor times and decided to revert. Never rely on spelling to decide whether a record belongs to your tree or not.

English is a language like no other. It is based on dozens of different languages, some of which were never written down, such as Old English, and words taken into common usage from any stranger in the area. The only languages which have had consistent spelling over many centuries are Greek, Latin and Norman French. All other words which came into common usage from Norse, Celtic, Old English etc had no fixed spelling and the clerk just wrote them phonetically. Spelling was not an issue until the 1875 Education Act, when an attempt was made to standardise spellings. This did not of course include surnames! As people became more educated, they would decide on a standard spelling of the name and stick with it. One of my ancestors was a Parish Clerk for eight years and obviously could read and write - he spelled his name five different ways in that eight years. When I am searching, I think of the sound, not the spelling. And I also try to think of how the name might have been pronounced by someone with a speech impediment or a strong local accent - and how a stranger to the area might have heard that name and written it down. Your Maudesley name, I would imagine, has been written as Mawsley, Morsely, Mawdsley, Maudsley and so on. Add to that the possible further mistranscription of the name and it could be Hawsley! I would point out also, that even today, my own, four-letter surname, is spelled wrongly more times than it is right. Sorry if this fills you with gloom, but there are no absolutes in Family History Research! Olde Crone

maybe if you take a Panadol and then let us know your first PROBLEM.............!! Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day, and getting going with the start of your family history CAN be the most difficult part (to get back to 1901 and the census records), yet you are forced to do this bit whilst you are suffering from a lack of experience........! Even if you have done the first part, if you think there is something that might be wrong or is bothering you....write about it on here and a load of old busybodies will soon give you their opinions!!! (Yes, me as well!!) Merry

Its funny talking about name changing Kathlyn, i was looking up my surname of Foy and found a story of a girl surnamed Foiw she was so named because her great grandfather and his family emigrated to USA in the 1800s and just after arriving he fell into the river and drowned, unfortunately he had all the official documents on him and the wife couldn't read or write so she identified his body and spelt his name the way she thought ....FOIW and it has stuck ever since... mad isn't it...MOE!

Kathlyn sent me this message, but I can't do anything with it because there are no dates or places mentioned.......I am sending her a PM to ask her to give some more data, if she can, and also to reply direct to the thread...... ''Hi there, Thank you for your reply. I have made great inroads to my paternal grandmothers family, but when i get to granddad, the story becomes very frustrating. I have copies of granddads marriage and death certificates but obtaining his birth certificate is the one causing me a headache. A friend of a cousin is into genealogy and with info given to him he obtained a birth cert. The place of birth and the date are spot on, but when I try to go further I find that there are many John Maudsley`s in the right area, and some within the date range. I do not know my great grandparents names or occupations, and the frustrating thing is I have a beautiful photo of g.grandma Maudsley with her 2nd husband. If only she could talk to me!!!!! We were always led to believe that granddad had one sister, called Mary Ellen, but on following the birth certificate trail I find several siblings, with a sister called Ellen. Oh if only I had asked questions when they were alive. Any paths you could direct me to would be very much appreciated. Kathlyn '' Merry

I have had a second reply from Kathlyn I have asked her again to post on the thread and to give us some dates and places: ''Granddads marriage certificate has his step fathers name on it . The birth cert i have was 'found' by a 'genealogist' friend of a cousin of mine, and as neither of us knew our great grandparents christian names, I are not too sure if this cert is 100%.'' Merry

The LDS Familysearch site and Freebmd both have a soundex function (automatically on in LDS) and they will provide a range of alternative spellings if you enter the name and search.

Merry I've had a similar message from Kathlyn. I advised her to post details of names, rough ages - she also said she knew where the people should be in 1901 so I suggested she give us an address. I wonder if she knows how to add to a thread? nell

Nell, I sent her step-by-step instructions, after she asked me, a few mins ago...... Waiting patiently now......................................... .................................................. ................................................. Merry

Many thanks to Merry and Nell for getting me to this stage. I am unable to find grandparents in the 1901 census. I have tried various spellings of the name but still no luck. Anyone who could help would be a star in my book. There details are as follows... John Maudsley born in Parr, Lancashire in 1874 and Kate Clara his wife, born in Canning Town, in 1880. They were living in West Ham, Essex at the time of the census possibly at 25 Sutton Road. They may have had one child who was born in 1901, but the birth may have been after the census. The childs name was also John. Any pointers would be very much appreciated. and I hope I have got these instructions right, crossed fingers. kathyn

1901 22 Bradfield road Head ships Fireman? John Mauderley abt 1873 West Ham; Plaistow Head West Ham Essex View Record Kate Mauderley abt 1881 West Ham; Plaistow Wife West Ham Essex it very clearly says Maudesley

What was the name of the step-father on the marriage cert? Merry

How certain are you about the son John born 1901ish?? These are the John Maudsl* born 1900-1902 inc: Maudsley, John 1900 December Births Salford Greater Manchester Lancashire Maudsley, John 1902 September Births Blackburn Lancashire Maudsley, John Eric 1900 September Births Toxteth Park Lancashire As you see, there are none in West Ham or anywhere Londonish.... Merry

Kathlyn SUCCESS! You posted a reply!!!!! Hope your head isn't aching so much now. nell

there are these ones on ancestry Maudesley, John George 1899 December Births West Ham Essex Greater London View Record MAUDESLEY, John 1907 December Births West Ham Essex Greater London View Record Maudesley, John George J 1900 September Deaths West Ham Essex Greater London age 0

oops Jim, I forgot to try the extra ''E''!! Merrry

I know some Mawdesley people from the midlands

Kathlyn, What is your evidence for your John Maudsley being born in Parr, Lancs?? (given in 1901 the place of birth is recorded the same as his wife.....) Merry