• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

Courtney Robert Yardley

S

Sue B

Brummie babby
I have come across a death certificate for a Robert Yardley Courtney, which says he died aged 42 in 1948. At the time of his death he was living in Wycome Road, Hall Green, Birmingham. I haven't been able to find any birth registration for Robert Yardley Courtney (it would have been around 1906).

I know that the Yardleys and the Courtneys were both names associated with the Birmingham area - has anybody heard of the 'Yardley Courtney' family or know how or why Robert ended up with this name?

Thanks in advance
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

If this gentleman is in your tree there are few strange possibilities you may like to follow up.

Firstly the death is registered in Oxford in 1948.

Although there is a death for Robert Y Courtney there is no birth or marriage that I can find.

A Robert Yardley Jacobs was born in Wharfdale West Yorkshire in 1906.
Robert Yardley Jacobs married Kathleen Ward in 1928 in Bristol.
I can find no death for Robert Yardley Jacobs
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Hi Alberta

Thanks for responding. I have the death certificate for Robert Yardley Courtney - as you say, he died in Oxford in 1948. The death certificate has lots of info about his death as he fell down some stairs. There was an Inquest etc. I am trying to locate more info about him but as you have found he doesn't seem to have been born or married - just died! I have checked international registers and cannot get a match on those either, nor on immigration / travel records. As the death certificate gives his address at the time as being in Birmingham I am wondering whether the local newspapers might have an obituary for him? I can see this one being an enigma!
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Hi Sue

This is a strange one:) As his address in 1948 was Bham I checked the electoral rolls.
The only mention of a Robert Yardley Courtney is in 1939 at 19 Wycome Road living with a Kathleen Courtney. (So that could fit in with the marriage Alberta found.)
In 1945 (the nearest to the death date of 1948) at that address is Frank J Wadsworth and Frances E Wadsworth. Then from 1950 to 1955 Cyril & Dorothy Hawker are living there.
Is there a person mentioned who registered the death?

Suzanne
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Hi Suzanne

I had hoped the death cert would have given me a next of kin - but unfortunately because there was a post mortem and an inquest, the death was registered by the Oxford Coroner on 20 December 1948. The only extra info on the cert is that Courtney (?Jacobs) was working as a 'Medical Supplies Representative' at the time. The only other info I have re him is what I have been told verbally - that he worked at Bomber Command, High Wycombe in the Spring of 1943 and he was married with up to 3 children.

It seems as though the family of Robert & Kathleen were going by the name of Courtney in 1939 - and he was known in the RAF by that name - but why they took it I really don't know.
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Hi Sue

Oh that's a shame then. The mystery deepens. Good luck, hopefully you may be able to get your hands on a newspaper report?

Suzanne
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Hi Sue

If we follow up on the assumption that Robert Yardley Jacobs is the same man as Robert Yardley Courtney, it can be found that Robert's Grandfather was a Carl Christian Adolph Jacobs B1842 Hanover, Germany (wool merchant) who married a Catherine Dennis Warrington in 1867, Elham, Kent.
One of their children was Ernest James Adolph Jacobs B1870 Yorkshire (wool merchant) who married a Mabel Maud ? sometime in 1903. She was born 1876 Limerick, Ireland.
2 children at least were Charles Ernest L Jacobs B1904 Yorkshire and Robert Yardley Jacobs born 1906 Yorkshire. Interestingly I cannot find mention of his brother, Charles Ernest, after his birth registration so perhaps he changed surname also.

Could it be possible that Robert changed his name by the outbreak of World War II (or possibly before as his father died 1916) because of his German ancestry?
Still a mystery why he chose Courtney, although as I cannot find an entry for his parents marriage, which may have occurred in Ireland?, perhaps her maiden name was Courtney?

Suzanne
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Hi Suzanne

Thanks for all your help with this. I had been wondering the same thing re the possibility of a name change because of German/Jewish ancestry in the volatile times. I have been looking for births of children to Kathleen and Robert. Only 3 children in the whole of the UK were born with the surname Courtney and maiden name Ward between 1925 - 1945 (and I was told there were 3 children). These were Mary b 1930 in Barnet, Josephine b 1933 in Hampstead and Richard b 1938 - in Birmingham!! No births of a child with the surname Jacobs and mother of maiden name Ward. I have also been told that Robert had taken the name 'Yardley' from his wife - but I think this has got confused over time and that the name he took from his wife's family was 'Courtney'. I wonder if he changed his name officially? I have searched under Courtney in The National Archives but will look now under Jacobs

Many thanks for your help

Sue
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Here you go Sue:)
London Gazette 6th June 1930

"NOTICE is hereby given that by a deed dated
the 14th May, 1930, and enrolled in the
Supreme Court of Judicature on the 5th June,
1930, ROBERT YARDLEY COURTNEY, of 20, I
Holders Hill-crescent, Hendon, N.W. 4, abandoned
his former name of Jacobs and adopted the name
of Courtney.​


C. DENTON ROWE, Solicitor for the said​

(178) Robert Yardley Courtney.

Suzanne
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Thank you so much Suzanne!

I have just found Robert's promotion within the RAF announced in the Gazette in 1941 as well.

Sue
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

Brilliant and it just shows that a knowledge of world history comes in very helpful when doing family researc, well done once again.
Col' and I went to see a movie last week called 'Sarah's Key' it too was brilliant. If anyone wants to see it be warned as it takes place in France and the U.S.A the film's language crosses from English to French, but with English sub titles. However even me with my poor eyesight could follow what was going on.
 
Re: Robert Yardley Courtney

My father Cyril Hawker bought 19 Wycome Road from a Courtney in 1948. I will look at the House Deeds in which I know the name Courtney appears. I also recall the Courtney family moving to Smirrells Road, Hall Green following the sale. I believe the Courtneys owned a textile company in Birmingham and I recall seeing it from the A38 in Aston. I once met one of their children who was a Medical person and would now be about 55 years of age.
I will come back with more information in due course.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top