Q I am searching for my great grandfather, Alfred Bates, prior to 1901. According to the 1921 census, he was born in August 1880 in Hillingdon, Middlesex, but I have been unable to find him on census or birth records prior to 1901 when he appears aged 20. I believe his father was Fred Bates and mother possibly Mary/Mary Ann. She died when Alfred was a baby and he lived with an aunt, but I am unable to find any records before 1901. Rebecca Bishop
A When having difficulty in tracing a birth registration, the 1939 Register can be a useful source for confirming a date of birth; Alfred, however, died several years before the register was compiled. The best indication of his birthdate comes from the 1921 census, because this includes an individual’s age in years and months, and shows that Alfred was born at Hillingdon in July/August 1880. Since parents had six weeks in which to register a birth, Alfred’s could have been registered in the third or fourth quarter of 1880. Eight Alfred Bates births were registered in these two quarters but none at Uxbridge, although there are registrations of possible interest in neighbouring districts: Alfred Edwin at Hendon and an unnamed male Bates child at Brentford. I suggest obtaining these certificates to establish the fathers’ names. As errors can occur in the indexes, consider contacting the Uxbridge registrar to see whether Alfred’s birth appears among the original records held by the registrar.
Search for Alfred’s baptism not just among those of the Church of England but nonconformist baptisms too, many of which are Local newspapers digitised on the British Newspaper Archive (britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk), also available to ‘Pro’ subscribers of Findmypast (findmypast.co.uk), can be invaluable when searching for a hard-to-find ancestor. The report of a wedding might include the names of the couple’s parents or of a sibling who acted as bridesmaid or best man. Similarly, funeral reports often include the names and relationships of mourners. Sadly, I could find no report of Alfred’s marriage or funeral.
Finally, consider whether Alfred might not have been born at Hillingdon, but moved there as a young child, and expand your search criteria. For example, can an Alfred Bates, born elsewhere, be found in the 1881/1891 censuses living with an aunt?
QUICK TIP
Write names on the backs of old photographs
Even if you have a properly labelled digital copy of a photo, it is still worth writing names of the people who are depicted on the back of the original with a soft pencil. If you aren’t certain, make sure to add a question mark to your suggestion.