Opinions please

[Margaret in Burton]

This isn't a direct line so don't want to fork out for a cert.

I have George Smith born 1880 in Water Orton, Warwickshire.
Parents are Benjamin and Rhoda nee Geary.

He is the only George Smith born 1880 +/- 2 years in Water Orton that shows up in the UK census.

1881 and 1891 George is with his parents

(1881)

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=7572&iid=STSRG11_2764_2768-0510&fn=George&ln=Smith&st=d&ssrc=&pid=19292933

(1891)

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=6598&iid=STSRG12_2205_2208-0131&fn=George&ln=Smith&st=d&ssrc=&pid=25770023

1901 I get George H Smith, the H has never come up before.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=7814&iid=STSRG13_2709_2710-0426&fn=George+H&ln=Smith&st=d&ssrc=&pid=35082435

I have found George H Smith in 1911 too, married and still a Police Constable in Handsworth.

Are they all the same person do you think?

[Durham Lady]

I would think it is, parents may not have used his second name or initials but it looks as if he was either at the Police Station overnight or Police accomodation and whoever gave the information would have used the full names.
Just going on census returns for OH's grandfather who was away at teacher training college on 1 census where all names were given.
Have you a marriage certificate? that would give his occupation as well as fathers name.

[Margaret in Burton]

No I don't Daphne

Like I said it's not a direct line, nephew of OH's great great grandfather. Just trying to fill a few blanks with 1911 census and BMD's. Really shouldn't have started his Smith line should I?

If I'm not sure, I just leave it blank.

[kiterunner]

Tricky with Smiths, isn't it? I don't think you can assume it's him unless you get some more proof.

[Margaret in Burton]

I agree Kate.

I've had to leave a lot of it blank on the lesser shoots of that side of the tree.

[Olde Crone]

Both my grandfather and great grandfather "acquired" a middle name in early adulthood.

My great grandfather took his middle name to distinguish himself from someone else of the same name who worked in the same organisation but on a much lower level, lol.

My grandfather took his middle name (and used it as a first name) because his given names were desperately common and as he became an Opera singer, he wanted something a little less ordinary.

May be there were two or more George Smiths in the police station?

OC

[Margaret in Burton]

Maybe OC

I'm leaving this one alone. There was a George Henry Smith birth registered at the right time in Aston (district for Water Orton at the time). Whether it's him I don't know. If certs were cheaper I might go there but I don't want to know that badly. LOL :D:)