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Sue, its a bit of mystery this one and I can go no further back in the help of finding Frank Fowler's mother and why he was adopted into the name of Fowler. I was originally told he was a foundling, but as there is a father's name he couldnt have been one. I have tried Ancestry but not knowing the mother's name and only the fathers and not knowing where the father was born I was hoping there may be something in a newspaper. I am attaching Frank's wedding cert (1912) showing his bride to be Elsie Anie Edwards and his father as Francis Willison (surgeon) and Frank's is shown as fowler otherwise known as adopted Fower. I dont know whether its Williamson or Willison
I found a Williamson on an earlier census showing as a medical student living in London but he had died before Frank was born. All I can read from the marriage cert was he was born Willison/Williamson and was adopted by Fowler. Its just a shame it was before adoptions were made legal as info would have been easier to achieve.
Just out of interest - the address on the marriage cert looks like 7 back of 41 Pope Street. I can't find that address on 1911 census. It jumps from "back of 40" to 41 and then to 42.
There is a marriage in 1885 of a Winifred Atherley to James Fowler and in 1887 there is a birth registered of a Frank Fowler with mmn Atherley. Is this a red herring or coincidence? Also a birth for James Henry (??Harry?) in 1885.
Jackie that has to be the one - is it possible that she had them both out of wedlock/or married before and when she married James she changed their names.
Could be but I still don't see where the Willison comes in. She seems to marry James as an Atherley so wuld be surprised if she was married first. Atherley on the 1891 census. Trying to see if I can find what happens to James. There is a death of a Winifred Fowler in 1954 so need to see if she is on the 1939 reg.
The marriage I found is:
(I know she married James as I found Harry with Florence on a later census.)
You are a star Janice, you have found more this morning than I have in over 1 month, sometimes fresh eyes look at things differently. i will now look to see when she came back
It all stemmed from Pedrocut's "red herring".
If she came back - or did Frank come back on his own? I had a quick look but couldn't see her but she could have married as I have no idea what happened to James.