Gwendoline Pearl James

[Terri]

A tad confused here. Gwendoline Pearl James - registered Strood, Kent, Mar qtr 1900, mother's maiden name Newington. (Parents Henry James, Annie Louisa Newington).

By 1901, Gwendoline Pearl appears to have morphed into Beatrice Emily James, also born 1900, Strood. I cannot find a birth for Beatrice (or a death for Gwendoline - thinking they might have been twins).

There is no further sign of Gwendoline, but Beatrice goes with her parents to Canada and marries, and dies there in 1968.

So, is it likely that the names on the GRO record could be completely wrong, or, did her parents just decide to change her names after she was registered? What is the most likely scenario?
Couldn't see a baptism on Ancestry for either of them.

[James18]

I'd say so Terri, assuming you're reasonably confident that the census information lines up.

I've certainly had a few cases of someone completely changing their first name(s), although they tend to do it themselves later in life, rather than the parents having done it.

[kiterunner]

Here's Beatrice Emily's baptism:
http://cityark.medway.gov.uk/query/results/?Mode=ShowImg&Img=/cityark/Scans/Ecclesiastical_Rochester_Archdeaconry_Area_Parishe s/P150B_STROOD_ST_NICHOLAS_1565_1980/01_INCUMBENT_Service_of_the_Church_Registers_1565_ 1978/P150B_01_51.html/00000150.jpg

[kiterunner]

She was baptised 22 Apr 1900, so it could be they changed their minds about what to call her between registering the birth and having her baptised.

[Terri]

She was baptised 22 Apr 1900, so it could be they changed their minds about what to call her between registering the birth and having her baptised.

Brilliant! Was that on Ancestry?? I looked everywhere!

I guess they decided to change her name then. Blinkin' nuisance, it mucks up my (trying very hard to be absolutely perfect in every detail) tree :mad:

[kiterunner]

I didn't look on ancestry, as I didn't think they had Kent baptisms.

[James18]

Huh, interesting. Are there any sites with Bristol baptisms?

[kiterunner]

Sadly, no. Only the transcriptions on FamilySearch etc.

[Uncle John]

Just a thought. I had someone who was registered with one set of first names, and was then "kidnapped" and brought up by her grandparents and given completely different first names. Her birth certificate has a note to this effect in Column 10. But I believe these changes have to be notified to the Registrar within 12 months.

[Terri]

I have found another - same family - a cousin of Gwendoline/Beatrice.

Registered (and baptised) as Ann Foster, by the age of 10, she is Harriet Nancy and remains so. Think I will start calling myself Petunia Kylie. That will get future genealogists confused.