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The Miles Family

Steve R

Steve R

master brummie
I am searching for descendants of Walter and Evelyn Miles. The family 0riginate from Gloucester in the 1860's and eventually resided in Birmingham. They adopted a son, George Radway-Miles and a daughter Winifred. Walter was a Police Sergeant in the Birmingham City Police and Evelyn has the honours of being one of the first ever police women in Birmingham being recruited in 1917. I have found them on the 1911 census but then the trial goes cold. I am struggling to find anything further on George (his death certificate may be helpful) and of course Winfred may have changed her name. There is/was clearly some family member who was interested in the family tree in 2005 as they have put an entry onto Curious Fox. I have attempted to answer their appeal for information but without success. I guess the email address may have changed by now etc. Has somebody boasted to you that there grandmother was the first female Birmingham Police officer, certainly a talking point.

Steve R
 
It appears that George was the illegitimate son of Evelyn, registered as George Canter Radway, Mar qtr 1881 in Cirecenster.

Also Walter appears to be the illegitimate son of Ellen Robertson. Walter is listed as Robertson on the marriage to Evelyn Mary Radway, Jun qtr 1885 Cirencester.

And Evelyn appears to be illegitimate, the daughter of Eliza Radway.
 
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Evelyn and Winifred are at 269 Yardley Road on the 1939 eve of WW2 register -

1939 REGISTER TRANSCRIPTION

Miles Household (2 People)269 Yardley Road , Birmingham C.B., Warwickshire, England

FIRST NAME(S) LAST NAME(S) DOB SEX OCCUPATION MARITAL STATUS SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER
Evelyn M Miles 27 Sep 1864 Female, B'ham Police Woman Widowed 256 1
Winifred A Miles 13 May 1899 Female, Estate Visitor, City Police Single 256 2
 
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George married Caroline Johnson, marriage registered Sep qtr 1902, Cardiff.

In 1911, they are living in Penarth with 3 sons and Caroline is listed in Penarth in 1939 with a daughter in law, I think she's listed as married but George isn't listed.

Her death is registered in 1973, East Glamorgan.
 
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Can't see any death for a Winfred Miles with the above birth date and as no other name is listed in 1939 it seems she didn't marry.

However, there is a death registered for a Winifred Miles in Oct 1991, Solihull South with only a birth year given, which could imply it was registered by a non family member.
 
In regards Evelyn Mary Radway. On the Gloucestershire BMD site, she is listed as both Radway and Ruck on her marriage.

And in 1861 Eliza is listed as a house servant of Edward Nanston Ruck.

(don't know if you know all this already)
 
No luck finding a death for George Miles, there are only 2 listed in the Cardiff district (which includes Penarth) but neither seems likely.
 
Of George and Caroline's 3 sons - Percy Reginald, Charles Walter & Lionel John - there's a daughter for Percy listed - Diana J, 1938 E Glamorgan - and a son for Lionel - John, 1939, Islington.

There's deaths registered for Percy & Lionel.

Diana J Radway-Miles married a William A Price, registered 1963 E Glamorgan and had 2 sons, and then re-married a Terence F Flowers (I think) and had a daughter.
 
Well I must say you guys have been really busy and achieved more than I could have done. I have over the last month found some of the earlier stuff but past 1911 census have struggled. Post 11 onwards has lots of new information.
George and Caroline's 3 sons - Percy Reginald & Lionel John have recorded deaths but I wander if Charles by any chance is still with us?

Then there is Diana J, 1938 E Glamorgan and - John, 1939, they would only be in their late 70's now so I can try to trace them.

Diana J Radway-Miles & William A Price. Do you have the names of the two sons recorded? having said that trying to trace the daughter (if there is one may be easier if she had the rarer surname of Flowers, is there a name for the daughter? I have co-written a book on Evelyn Miles and have a lot of information I could give them. somebody in thei family has put a request on Curious Fox asking for info but that was 11 years ago.

Thank you for the good work.

Steve R
 
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I have been on several forums over the years but BHF is the friendliest and most helpful yet.

Steve R
 
Bewdley
In post 3 you mention Winifred as Estates visitor City Police. I am not sure what that means exactly. Are we saying she was a Police officer? or stayed in Police premises.

Is there a document you could email to me?

Steve R
 
Andrew Sean Price, registered Carmarthen Sep qtr 1966

Rhodri James Price, registered Carmarthen Mar qtr 1968

Diana Frances Flower, registered Carmarthen Sep qtr 1971
 
MWS - Time for me to hit the voters register and see if I can find them. Thank you very much for your help.

Steve R
 
Steve R said:
Bewdley
In post 3 you mention Winifred as Estates visitor City Police. I am not sure what that means exactly. Are we saying she was a Police officer? or stayed in Police premises.

Is there a document you could email to me?

Steve R
Click to expand...


Just putting my grandson to bed, will do it as soon as he settles
 
Here it is, the file is too large to post the whole page - hence just Winifred, her mother and a couple of their neighbours - I notice this time she was an ARP volunteer.
 

Attachments

  • winifred miles 1939 a.jpg
    winifred miles 1939 a.jpg
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Bewdley

I have it now and have worked it out, it Evelyn who is a Police Women in the city Police but whoever recorded it put it on the line below. I have never seen this record before can I ask where it is?
You have been very helpful throughout this thread thank you.

Steve R
 
ah yes, light bulb moment; it's the 1939 eve of war register , which is part of my Find My Past membership.

There is more info about the register here - https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/1939-register/

or google 1939 register.

Two sets of card index registers had been compiled from the 1939 National Register. In most of the UK, one set of the 'working' register (consisting of 7,000 transcript books holding details of some 40 million registrations), together with an accompanying index, was used to create the National Health Service register in 1948. If a women has married or remarried the surname is crossed out and the married name overwritten.

Should you have Northern Ireland ancestors https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/1939-national-register.html as long as you have the address there is no charge, or there wasn't for me.

Glad to be of help to you Steve
 
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Steve R said:
Bewdley
In post 3 you mention Winifred as Estates visitor City Police. I am not sure what that means exactly. Are we saying she was a Police officer? or stayed in Police premises.
Click to expand...

I think in this context the term 'Estate Visitor' could either be what we now refer to as a Housing Visitor or, it could equally be someone employed in the civilian role of the Management/Allocation of Police accomodation, together with responsibility for any maintenance issues or re-decorating.

AFAIK, back then Police Officers were not permitted to own their own housing and had to reside where allocated.
 
MWS said:
Of George and Caroline's 3 sons - Percy Reginald, Charles Walter & Lionel John - there's a daughter for Percy listed - Diana J, 1938 E Glamorgan - and a son for Lionel - John, 1939, Islington.

There's deaths registered for Percy & Lionel.

Diana J Radway-Miles married a William A Price, registered 1963 E Glamorgan and had 2 sons, and then re-married a Terence F Flowers (I think) and had a daughter.
Click to expand...


Bit late to the Party but stumbled across this thread researching my Tree

Diana J R MILES is my 1st cousin once removed. Our Common Ancestor is George WHITE. who was a Police Constable in the Met, His son Fred (my grandfather ) was a Police Constable in the Rhondda.

Georges brother John was a Police Constable in the Somerset Constabulary

Lionel was married to my Grandfathers sister Dorothy more commonly known as Madge and for some odd reason was known to me as "Uncle Mike" which is the name my dad always called him. My Dad also remembers "Uncle Percy"

Lionel remarried a second time after Madges death

In the more recent records the name has become hyphenated as Radway-Miles

Capture.JPG
 
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