Genealogy Chat

several months ago I had some help off a lovely lady on here regarding one of my ancestors Edward Lee.My problem was that I think Edward was born as Edwin and although I know Edwards fathers name I dont know how to prove I have got the right Edward when I send for his birth certificate.Is it best to send for the birth certificate of a couple of Edwards born around the right time to eliminate them or do I send for the certificate of an Edwin born around the right time who I know has the same fathers name but does not actually prove it is him?
Sorry if this is hard to understand but I dont know how to confirm I have the right person as I have no siblings names to go on other than those that come up on this Edwins census records.The only link I have is where they were born and the names of siblings that seem to be similar to those of other family members.

apologies if I seem thick but I just dont know how to confirm or eliminate anyone!

thanks
AB

Could you post a sighting of someone that you know is definitely your man...regardless of spelling.?
Perhaps we can track him then.

Gwyn

Have you got "your" Edward Lee on any of the census records where you are sure he is "yours"?

If so can you tell us which census?

Kath. x

Hi Gwynneth and Kathleen,thanks for responding!
Kathleen you were the lovely lady who helped me back in April and you sent me copies of census records for edwin/edward thankyou! I know for definite he is my Edward in the 1881 census living with his sister in law Elizabeth.I know he is mine because he was a boiler makers labourer and my mum already had this information for me. I know his father is Matthew Lee and Edward was born around 1859 which ties in with his (edwards) marriage cert. This age would also fit with the Edwin I have found aswell.The Matthew I have found was born in or around 1812 which would make him about 47 when Edward was born-my problem is as I said I dont know how to "prove" I have the right person short of sending for several birth certificates to eliminate them.Is this what I will have to do-sorry not very skilled at research yet!
Angie x

Sorry Angie, I didn't remember the look-up (bad memory and the fact that I'm on here a lot doing lots of look-ups).

I'll have another look at the census and see if I can work backwards from the 1881 census and come up with anything, although he may not have been registered at all if the birth was before 1875 when registration was made compulsory.

Edward and Edwin were quite often interchanged in those days.

Where was he in 1881 please?

Kath. x

He was in Hull East Yorkshire living with his sister in law Elizabeth according to the census...its daft because he called his own son Edward and I'm wondering if his name was origianlly mistranscribed when it was first put on the census?
Angie x

Hi,

I've checked the census again and I cant find an Edward Lee born in Hull around that time on any census before 1881. However there is an Edwin Lee on both the 1861 and 1871 with parents called Matthew and Sarah.

If you have his father's name as Matthew from his marriage certificate, then I think he was probably Edwin when he was born and this is probably his birth reference (on the 1861 census his birth year is given as about 1857 and on the 1871 census it is given as about 1858):-

Name: Edwin Lee
Year of Registration: 1856
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
District: Hull (1854 Onw)
County: Yorkshire - East Riding, Humberside
Volume: 9d
Page: 209

You could stipulate Matthew for his father's name as a reference checking point, but I suppose if he was known as Edward in later life it is going to be almost impossible to prove that he was born Edward without being able to find a birth in that name.

Are any of the witnesses on Edward's marriage certificate relatives (i.e. named Lee so we could look for them)?

Kath. x

Thankyou Kath ,I think I will have to go down that route as if this Matthew is his father and maybe along the way I will be able to find something via children etc that may link them,thankyou so much for your help again-I appreciate it!

the witnesses are not related by the looks of it mary anne Tulloch and Ellen Johnson so dont think that will help me!
AB xx

How was Elizabeth Lee (1881 ) related as a sister in law?
Could you find her spouse back through the census, find his registration....or baptism entry.. then make sure that your Edward / Edwin had the same parents ( same mother's maiden name).

Gwyn

Have checked the birth index again and with the same birth reference as above is a Jane Lee (which looks like Jane and Edwin are twins). On the 1861 census there is also a Jane aged 4 years, so I'd say that at least the birth for Edwin that I gave you is definitely the Edwin from the 1861 and 1871 census, but not sure how you can tie this in with the Edward on the 1881 census.

Have you any idea where the Elizabeth who is his sister in law in 1881 ties in with the family? That is, who was she married to?

Have to leave the computer just now, but I'll be back on later today.

UPDATE - I've just looked at the 1891 census for Edward Lee - he was married to Georgiana. Is this definitely the Edward you are looking for? If so I'm pretty sure that he is the Edwin we found as he has also called two of his children Charles and Lewis - these are the names of two of Edwin's brother's on the earlier census.

Edward and his family in the 1891 census are also in the same area of Hull (Myton) as Edwin is in the earlier census records. It all seems to add up to Edwin and Edward being the same person.

Kath. x

Hi Gwyneth-I have been trying to search for Elizabeth as she could be a strong link couldnt she?
If my Edward is the same as Edwin then he had a brother called William who was a fisherman,I'm sure that this was Elizabeths husband and this would tie in with her being on her own as the Head in 1881 as Wiliam was away on the ships alot of the time.
Kath yes this is my Edward-I have the marriage cert.of Edward and Georgina and my Grandfathers birth cert.showing them as his parents.
AB xx

I've just found Edward and wife on the 1901 census and he has also called two more of his children William and John - again these are names of Edwin's brothers from the 1861 census.

I know it's not definite proof, and it's not my money, but if it was me I would be buying the birth certificate for Edwin (reference above) as I'm 99% certain it is the same person as your Edward.

I think he has probably knocked a couple of years off his age because his wife is several years younger than himself.

Kath. x

thanks Kath think I will go ahead and do that,they did seem to choose alot of family names and also some of georginas siblings had the same names as the ones they chose for their own children-john,alfred and Charles..
thanks for your time and help
AB xx