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Hello
I have been given a large Bible which I would like to give back to any living family member.

The book was given as a birthday present in 1912 to Thomas on his 5th Birthday by one of his Grand parents, the name looks like Jemima Smith. The book was given to me by a Church in Teddington UK but could have came from anywhere, as the Church says it may have came from a car boot sale in the first place, then given to the Church a long time ago. I have been sending emails to people who have the above names in their trees, but with no luck. There are still a lot of people to contact. I am not doing a family tree, I only joined for a month to try and find a family member who may want this Bible. I am not sure how to search correctly. I was hoping that sending this message would speed things up. Is anyone able to help me find this family? I do have the middle name and date and month of his birthday but will only give the Bible when someone tells me the correct details. I want the book to go to the right family
Thank you
Gerry

Hi Gerry

You received a reply on the first thread you posted.

I see you have deleted that one now and reposted another one.

Welcome to the boards

BMD's show 21 Thomas Edwards and well over 70 Thomas with middle initial born in 1907. There are 6 showing in Middlesex (Teddington historically in Middx) all with middle initials. But you don't know he was born in Middlesex.

Depending on when in the year he was born his age on census night - 2nd April 1911 will be either 4 or 5. The census people took age from year to give birth year i.e. aged 4 born 1907, aged 5 born 1906, so births spanning the 2 years would need to be looked at. As there is 6 weeks given in which to register a birth, then previous quarter may have to be searched i.e. birth happens mid February 1907, may not be registered until Q2 1907.

There are over 60 Jemima Smith's old enough to be a grandparent in 1912

It's unlikely that anyone will just happen by this thread and even if they do - knowing a middle initial might happen, but a DOB is less likely.

I think unless you give more information, the likelihood of being able to find his descendants is not good.

If your Thomas was alive in 1939 in England or Wales and not in the forces a DOB would help pinpoint him as there wouldn't be so many with the right DOB.

I have sent Gerry a PM for Thomas's exact date of birth.......in the hope that it will help us work back to Jemima Smith.

Prickles.

Hello. Thanks to anyone who can help, I have just sent this to Prickles

The book was given to Thomas on his 5th birthday in November 1912, his middle initial is H. The Bible is in very good condition. The Bible is just over 10 inches wide, 12 and a half inches high and 2 and a half thick. Its weight is just over 4.5Kg, its a big book. I was given 4 of them, two of the others are bigger. One of them was given as a 1st prize in 1888 to a woman for a recital. I have her name but no other details, so I know that book will never get back to the correct family. As I am unemployed, I only joined for a month to try and find the family, I think I was only given 50 credits to search so would be grateful for any help you can give. I hope that the correct family can be found one day so they can have the book.

Gerry

There are 11 births registered for a Thomas H Edwards in 1907.

If you can PM me his exact date of birth, it would help to narrow it down to the quarter

(Assuming his birth was in November...there are 3 births registered for that quarter)

Taking into consideration of course that he might not even have been born in England or Wales..

If his birth was registered with the H rather than was added at baptism for example, these are the Thomas H Edwards born in the right period. If you know the date in November that he was born you might be able to narrow it down to either the December Quarter births or the March Quarter birth

Surname First name(s) District Vol Page
Births Dec 1907 (>99%)
EDWARDS Thomas Henry Prescot 8b 770
EDWARDS Thomas Howell Pontypridd 11a 579
EDWARDS Thomas Hugh Wrexham 11b 244

Births Mar 1908 (>99%)
Edwards Thomas Henry Pontypridd 11a 579

In either instance he should show as aged 3 in 1911 census

It's not the Prescot birth.......parents were....


Marriages Dec 1898 (>99%)
EDWARDS Thomas Henry Prescot 8b 1169
Pickavance Alice Prescot 8b 1169

So I think we can rule that one out.

Unless of course Grandmother was a Pickavance and then remarried a Smith.

Or, Thomas Henry's mother was Jemima and she remarried a Smith.

Think it might be easier to work backwards using exact DOB-

Death
Name: Thomas Henry Edwards
Birth Date: 19 Nov 1907
Date of Registration: Jun 1981
Age at Death: 73
Registration district: Enfield
Inferred County: Greater London
Volume: 12 Page: 0345

The Wrexam birth

Parents marriage....


Marriages Mar 1898 (>99%)
Edwards Samuel Wrexham 11b 320
Roberts Sarah Jane Wrexham 11b 320

There is this one - with grandparents in the Pontypridd RD

1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
Caerlan Farm Penrhiwfer, Llantrisant, Glamorganshire, Wales

First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Occupation Age Birth year Birth place
Thomas Edwards Head Widower Male Farmer 79 1832 Llantrisant Glam
William Edwards Son Married Male Farmer Son Working In Farm 38 1873 Llantrisant Glam
Annie Edwards Daughter In Law Married Female - 38 1873 Penrhiwfer Glam
Thomas H Edwards Grandson - Male - 3 1908 Penrhiwfer Glam
Catherine J Edwards Granddaughter - Female - 2 1909 Penrhiwfer Glam
Edward Roberts Servant Single Male Farm Servant 18 1893 Llatrisant Glam

Archive reference RG14
Registration district Pontypridd
Registration district number 589
Enumeration district 9
District number -
Sub district Llantrisant
Sub district number 3
Census reference RG14PN32301 RG78PN1852 RD589 SD3 ED9 SN26
Piece number 32301
Folio -

William and Annie Edwards have been married 5 years with 2 children born and living

Hello everyone.
His middle name is Henry and he was born on the 12th November

??


Marriages Sep 1895 (>99%)
Edwards William Pontypridd 11a 891
Owen Annie Pontypridd 11a 891

The parents of Alice Pickavance.......


Marriages Sep 1876 (>99%)
Bridge Ann Prescot 8b 985
Pickavance Peter Prescott 8b 985

I don't have access to the FMP 1939 register.

Maybe someone can look to see if they can find a Thomas Henry Edwards born 12th Nov 1907

1939 register - Had a look earlier
There's a
Thomas b 7 Nov in Lancs married to Alice M
Thomas born 29 Nov in West Brom also married to an Alice M
Thomas born 24 Nov in Newport, Mons married to Gwendoline

No Thomas H born 1907
No Thomas/Thomas H born 12 November 1907 +/- 2 years

Could have died, be out of country, or in Forces?

I would not rule out the death AustinQ posted

Death
Name: Thomas Henry Edwards
Birth Date: 19 Nov 1907
Date of Registration: Jun 1981
Age at Death: 73
Registration district: Enfield
Inferred County: Greater London
Volume: 12 Page: 0345

it is not unusual for an older person born not long after the turn of the century to be vague on their birth date ... or for family members to be

and it's at least approaching the area where the bible ended up

unfortunately he doesn't show up in 1939 from what I can tell

I keep looking back on the fact that you have said he was Thomas Henry Edward or Edwards ???

Could he have been Thomas Henry Edward Smith ? - How was it writen in the bible?

I did find this on 1939 although it is 1 year out but the day and month are correct :


Thomas H E Smith on the 1939 Register

1939 Register Transcription

Smith Household (4 People) 59 Gunton Road , Hackney, London, England
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First name(s) Last name(s) DOB Occupation
Thomas H E Smith 12 Nov 1906 Asst Manager Insurance Severity
Thomas J Smith 05 Feb 1875 Shoe Manufacturer, Heavy Worker
Agnes M Smith 15 Feb 1884 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Agnes L (Louisa Sophia) Smith 04 Feb 1908 Secretary Shorthand Typist


?????? - parents' marriage ??
Marriages Jun 1906 (>99%)
Coombs Frederick Charles Hackney 1b 868 Scan available - click to view
DRUMMOND Agnes Mary Hackney 1b 868 Scan available - click to view
Forward Emily Ethel Hackney 1b 868 Scan available - click to view
Smith Thomas Joseph Hackney 1b 868 Scan available - click to view


Father's birth ?
Births Mar 1875 (>99%)
SMITH Thomas Joseph Bethnal Green 1c 260 Scan available - click to view
SMITH Thomas Joseph Wandsworth 1d 566 Scan available - click to view

I can't follow the father back to a Jemima at the moment though ?

Dea x

very clever and possible Dea


but if the bible is clear about it being his 5th birthday in Nov 1912 ... it would not be a match for Thomas H E Smith ...


Births Dec 1906
Smith Thomas Henry E Hackney 1b 527

Name: Thomas Henry E Smith
Birth Date: 12 Nov 1906
Date of Registration: May 1988
Age at Death: 81
Registration district: Croydon
Inferred County: London, Surrey
Volume: 11
Page: 1513

I know I am clutching at straws Joonie but I just wondered 'exactly' what was written in that bible to be sure that this wasn't him.............

Dea x