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Sarah Bridgen

johnny082

master brummie
Before I start I want to say a big thank you to all who run this site, and indeed for the help I am sure I will get. As I read through the various threads I am always amazed at the information people possess in one form or another and their dedication in research.
I have always intended to research some of my family history but always been too busy in other things. Now at the age of 89 I get too confused with modern methods.
My father came from London so I know it is no good looking for info on his side of the family. However I'm sure my mothers family came from Birmingham. Her name was Elsie Johnson nee Bridgen and was born in Ladywood. She had one brother Leslie and a sister who they called Ollie [may be her name was Olivier I don't know]. Their mother was Sarah Bridgen. There my information stops. Sadly my parents would never talk about things. I believe my grandfather was either Leslie Bridgen or maybe Albert. I know my grandmother was about 83/84 when she died. I think that was 1947/1948 and was buried in Erdington Parish Church grounds, so she was born about 1863. I've no idea what her maiden name was.
Added to this was the fact that whilst I had two brothers, Edward Dennis, and Paul Frank Graham, I am also aware that mom had two other children, a boy and a girl, But again she would never talk about them so what age they were when they died I havn't a clue. When my older brother was born they lived in Newman Road Erdington but may have moved to Chudleigh road before moving to Abbey Road where I was born.
Thanks in advance for any info you are able to get.
Neville Johnson
 
hello neville and thanks for all the info you have..totally understand your difficulty in understanding the new method of research...hopefully some of our members maybe able to help you regarding your moms side of the family..i am also moving this thread to the surname interests of the forum for you

lyn
 
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Hello Neville, a bit of info for you,
Elsie was born in 1887
1891 Vincent street Ladywood.
Albert a Bridgen age 28
Sarah age 30
Olivia age 4
Elsie age 3

Her father Albert married her mother Sarah Johnson in 1885 Birmingham

In 1901 they lived in Albert Road Handsworth and had another child Albert L age 1
he was later known as Leslie.
1911 the family were at 43 Newman road Erdington, Albert senior was a Piano salesman.

Albert Arthur Bridgen was the son of Arthur Bridgen and Sarah nee Jukes
Arthur and Sarah married on 26th July 1960 his father given as Alexander and Sarahs as John jukes.
Alexander Bridgen was born in 1812 he was the son of Samuel and Ann he was a Gun maker lived in summer Lane he was married to Martha Jones in 1829.

The 2 children your mom had were Geoffrey N Johnson born 1921 sadly died in 1931 and Elsie M Johnson birth registered 1928 but no death registered so perhaps stillborn as their deaths are not registered.

Hope this has been of interest to you. Alberta
 
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I've been having a look at your Johnson side and it's possible that Elsie Bridgen and Edward Johnson were cousins.

Also he was possibly born in Birmingham.

On the 1901 census with Albert & Sarah Bridgen as well as their children is a Sarah L Johnson, listed as niece. She seems to be a Sarah Louisa Johnson registered Shoreditch 1876, mmn Griffiths.

There is a baptism for a Sarah Louisa Johnson at St Mark's, Bham 16 Apr 1893, dob 4 Jun 1876, parents Thomas & Emma.

There's an Edward Johnson registered 1888 Bham mmn Griffiths, and on the 1891 & 1901 census there is an Edward Johnson living in Bham, son of Thomas & Emma.

Thomas & Emma are living in London in 1911 with 3 daughters, maybe Edward was with them there at some stage.

Needs a little more checking.
 
The 2 children your mom had were Geoffrey N Johnson born 1921 sadly died in 1931 and Elsie M Johnson birth registered 1928 but no death registered so perhaps stillborn as their deaths are not registered.

Hope this has been of interest to you. Alberta

There is a birth and a death registered of an Elsie M Johnson - both January quarter 1928. also a burial at Witton in February 1928 of an Elsie Johnson.
Also burial of a Geoffrey Johnson at Witton. Is this too much of a coincidence?
 
Before I start I want to say a big thank you to all who run this site, and indeed for the help I am sure I will get. As I read through the various threads I am always amazed at the information people possess in one form or another and their dedication in research.
I have always intended to research some of my family history but always been too busy in other things. Now at the age of 89 I get too confused with modern methods.
My father came from London so I know it is no good looking for info on his side of the family. However I'm sure my mothers family came from Birmingham. Her name was Elsie Johnson nee Bridgen and was born in Ladywood. She had one brother Leslie and a sister who they called Ollie [may be her name was Olivier I don't know]. Their mother was Sarah Bridgen. There my information stops. Sadly my parents would never talk about things. I believe my grandfather was either Leslie Bridgen or maybe Albert. I know my grandmother was about 83/84 when she died. I think that was 1947/1948 and was buried in Erdington Parish Church grounds, so she was born about 1863. I've no idea what her maiden name was.
Added to this was the fact that whilst I had two brothers, Edward Dennis, and Paul Frank Graham, I am also aware that mom had two other children, a boy and a girl, But again she would never talk about them so what age they were when they died I havn't a clue. When my older brother was born they lived in Newman Road Erdington but may have moved to Chudleigh road before moving to Abbey Road where I was born.
Thanks in advance for any info you are able to get.
Neville Johnson
Neville, enjoy working on your family tree. a marriage certificate holds a lot of information where the couple were living on that day, the names of male parents the two persons who witness are often close to the couple. The work the couple at the time.
But be careful I've noticed that in my family tree ages are not always correct age of concent was 21 ( not sure when that changed) so be aware.

Regards
Nick S Phillip.
 
Wow!! How good are you all. Never imagined I would get so much info in such a short time. Thank you all so much. As far as my own family is concerned the reference to burial of Geoffrey in Witton could very well be my brother, and the Elsie M. could well be my sister, as said, possibly still born. Now I know why she was never talked about. I don't think my mother and father were cousins as Dad was born in London, running away from home I think when he was about 14 to live with an uncle in Birmingham. Having said that I havn't a clue how mom and dad met, or where. I still have Dad's Bible issued to him whilst serving in the King's Royal Rifle Corps, with an entry based in India in 1909. I believe they were married on 3rd September 1918 at Erdington Parish Church.
As far as my grandfather being a piano salesman that rings a bell. However, I always thought he was a silversmith as my parents had several silver items which I was sure they said were made by my grandfather.
I wish now I had looked into my family history more when I was much younger and questioned my parents more.
Thanks again everyone
 
The Edward Johnson I mentioned born in Bham, who seems to be the son of Thomas and Emma, appears to be in Chakrata, Uttar Pradesh, India on the 1911 census. Regiment(s) listed - 4th Battalion Kings Royal Rifle Corps, 1st Royal Dragoons, 1st Kings Own Lancaster Regiment.

Possible service number 241319.
 
always happy to help...could you just confirm your dads full name and date of birth as his war records may still exist on ancestry...happy to do a search for you

lyn
 
Yes the right DOB 17.9.88. His full name was Edward Johnson, no middle names. What confuses me is the fact he was born in Birmingham unless for some reason his parents moved down to London. Somewhere I have a card of his mothers burial in a cemetery in London and I know after the war we had a trip down to London and met some aunts and uncles. He came from a large family. At one stage I had 32 cousins in London.
The other issue is that whilst the entry in the Bible I have says Chakrata India, but his service No was 8836. This was also the service No. in his pay book which I also have somewhere and annoyingly can't find it at moment
 
Thomas and Emma (his possible parents) and 3 of their daughters are living in London (Willesden) on the 1911 census.

And as mentioned a possible elder sister, Sarah Louisa, was born in London so there would be a connection. She appears to have married an Alfred Shaw.

Thomas was in the gun trade. Daughters with him in 1911 are Kate, Gertrude and Emily Clara.
 
neville i am going to see if i can find your dad on the census years and im sure other members will be happy to help as well..

lyn
 
MWS do you have edward on the 1891 at whittall st his dad thomas is a gun worker as we know whittall st is in the gun trade area...edward has 8 siblings all born birm

lyn
 
neville providing i have got this correct on the 1901 census your grandad and family had moved to anderton square which was off whittall st in the gun quarter...i have these photos of whittall st leading to anderton square and as you can see they also show gun factories so there is a very good chance your grandad worked at one of them i am also posting the 1901 census for you..you will see that your dad was 12 and a school boy

lyn...

No.7 Whittall Street, Entry to Andertons Square. Parker-Hale Arms & Accessories (Workshops bui...jpgNo.7 Whittall Street, Entry to Andertons Square. Parker-Hale Arms & Accessories (Workshops bui...jpgWhittall Street, Entry to Andertons Square. Parker-Hale Arms & Accessories (Workshops built c....jpgWhittall Street - Andertons Square.jpgWARRG13_2845_2846-0227.jpg
 
MWS do you have edward on the 1891 at whittall st his dad thomas is a gun worker as we know whittall st is in the gun trade area...edward has 8 siblings all born birm

lyn

Yes Lyn, that's the Edward who I think is a possible. Louisa I think is the Sarah Louisa I've mentioned who was born London.

Still need to confirm for certain if he's the right Edward. If the names match what Neville might know - father/profession on marriage, mother on burial, aunts' names - then it must be.

On the 1911 census for Thomas and Emma, they have listed the streets where they were born, which is always a bonus. Two daughters are listed as Whittal St.
 
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Yes Lyn, that's the Edward who I think is a possible. Louisa I think is the Sarah Louisa I've mentioned who was born London.

Still need to confirm for certain if he's the right Edward. If the names match what Neville might know - father/profession on marriage, mother on burial, aunts' names - then it must be.

On the 1911 census for Thomas and Emma, they have listed the streets where they were born, which is always a bonus. Two daughters are listed as Whittal St.

thanks MWS i agree the streets born listed on the 1911 is a bonus and living in london...13 children born 2 died......i think we are on the right track but will await nevilles thoughts....

lyn
 
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Absolutely amazing. I don't know how to thank you all enough. So much clearer now. Yes, as I said before dad had large family and a number of names ring a bell. They were all in the gun trade and I remember Dad telling us once that his mom, when in London was a Gun Barrel browner and used to work on the kitchen table finishing them off after having put them in all the acids/ etc. used for it. I found it interesting also about Alfred Shaw being married to one of my aunties. When we we little we used to have an Alf Shaw visit us. I never knew who he was, but remember he used to scare me. When he came he looked the most miserable of men. He always wore a bowler hat and carried a large walking stick. He used to sit in the chair with his stick between his legs and the bowler hat perched on top. I could tell from the way he looked at us he didn't like kids. His son used to have a woodworking shop on the main road between Aston Cross and town. Alf always spoke negatively about everything and mom was always glad when he had gone.
Samuel was my Dad's favourite brother, he was always talking about him. He had a son called Samuel who eventually ended up in Bridgewater owning a gun shop. Tried to find him once without success.
Dad was also in gun trade for many years working at Webley Scott and B.S.A. Our shed was full of chemicals he used for experimenting with coatings for Gun browning. {Why call it browning when most finished up black ?]
I also remember Auntie Gertie as we called her. In fact we stayed with her overnight after we were married on our way for honeymoon in Isle of Wight. Must stop rabbiting on now before struck off from site
 
thats great neville hope you enjoyed the photos i posted for you and please keep on rabbiting this forum thrives on it..now you have mentioned aunt gerty here she is on the 1911 census with 2 sisters and your grandparents..they lived at no 58 st margarets road london and the house is still there...i am attaching the 1911 census which your grandad signed himself..also click on the google maps link below to take you to a street view showing number 58..its the house with the for sale notice up...a lovely victorian house..hope this has helped in some way..if you need to know anthing more or want to go back a bit further with this side of your family just let us know

lyn


rg14_07009_0645_03 (1).jpg
 
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