Which middle name is correct - I have conflicting certificates?

Question

My Gt (X3) Grandfather has conflicting middle names on his daughter's birth and marriage certificate. My Gt (X2) Grandmother is Eliza Louise Gardner (born London) and as far as I can see is the only person of that name in any of the records so I am certain that both the birth and marrige certs for her are the correct ones. On her birth certificate (1889) her father is down as James Charles Gardner. On her marriage cert (1909) he is down as James William Gardner (deceased). His wife's maiden name was Williams so I did wonder if this may have caused some confusion but as they don't detail the mother on wedding certs I wasn't sure.

Any ideas?

Any suggestions appriciated!!

Answer 1

Well it does seem like James Charles Gardner was the correct name. Because it was on her birth certificate, which means that he had to tell them his name. Her marriage certificate must he her error because he was already deceased. So she must have gave the wrong name.

Answer 2

When there's conflict, look for the third record to measure against. In this case, either find his own birth, marriage or death record (or all three) and see what was listed. Using his name from someone else's record makes it dicey. You might legitimately have two young women with the same name and who have a father with similar names. There's nothing exceptionally unique in Edwardian England about either name. Find the church where she was christened and work backwards and forwards from there to see if there are marriage and death records on him. Then look for the civil records to match. It's impossible to have too many records about someone.

Answer 3

Records are only as good as the person reporting it.

I'd go with the birth certificate as that was first person, most likely.

The marriage information was reported by someone other than your gt(x3) grandfather because he was deceased.

Answer 4

I would say that the first is the correct name and as you suggest it sounds like the mothers maiden name may have been a factor in the error, but there might also be other explanations for it, among them, that he was deceased at the time of the daughters wedding and so there were errors made there due to the bride, who gives the information, having been mistaken.

I agree with Linda. (who incidentally is from Lancaster and so HAS to be right..L*).

Additionally, can you find a way to access HIS legal birth certificate, in consideration of the fact that you have so much informatin about him, getting hands on a record of his birth would clarify what his name was then..

Have you considered also that he may have changed his name and if so there will be legal copies of the required filings for that also , which would be helpful to you in finding a clue.

Good luck with your digging.

Answer 5

****Go with the birth certificate.  One of the parents had to furnish the information.

The marriage information was probably furnished by the bride who was guessing what her father's middle name was.  Depending on how old she was when he died, she may have forgotten it over the years.

Hope this helps!