Hi Lyn.
Yes, something is not quite right here. I have been looking for FJC's death date for about 20 years now and thought I might be able to find out who owned the plot in the Witton Cemetery. I think FJC was a bit of a scoundrel and I have conjured up so many different scenarios that it is not funny!
attached are FJC's Death, Marriage & birth certificates. My Grandfather Fred Osmond Carter was the eldest of FJC's children and my Mother said that his Father died when Fred Osmond Carter was 12 years old and so he had to look after his siblings. My Grandfather FOC was born in 1884 so if he was 12 years old when his father died then that would make the year of death 1896.
FJC's wife said that she was "Married" on the 1901 Census, but then on the 1911 Census she was a "widow. Maybe on the 1901 Census, Elizabeth still considered herself to be "Married," even though she was a widow.
I have 10 related newspaper articles about FJC as he was Bankrupt and he always had an excuse for not showing up to the Court. I could never find what the outcome of the Court proceedings was. I enquired at Birmingham City Library and they could not help because they lost a lot of the records in the fire. These Court proceedings were between Dec 1894 and late 1895. I have all of FJC's children's marriage certificates and they all say that there Father was deceased at the time of their marriage.
I have attached a copy of My Grandparents wedding photo and as you can see they looked very well off. Where did all the money come from?
FJC's wife Elizabeth doesn't look very happy that her husband is not there for their oldest son's wedding!!
Elizabeth died in 1919 (widow) and is buried at Brandwood End Cemetery with one of her daughters and the daughters husband. The daughter and husband were killed in the Birmingham Air Raids in 1944.
Question is - Why wasn't Elizabeth buried with her husband FJC?? Perhaps FJC was buried with his parents....
I am grateful for your interest in helping me.
Thank you, Julie