• 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

Harry And Leah Langley

  • Thread starter Thread starter Giveup
  • Start date Start date
G

Giveup

Guest
I wonder if anyone is able to find Harry Langley and his wife Leah Miranda Langley for me please! They were married at Birmingham Registry office on 15 October 1902 when he, a cable car conductor was 21 and she was 20 (maiden name Smith, born 3 June 1883). At the time of marriage he was living at Handsworth and she at Hunters Vale Birmingham. I cannot find them anywhere since then - I've tried 1911 census unsuccessfully. I don't think they emigrated. I am waiting for a Leah Miranda Langley's death certificate which I believe to be the right person, who died in 1966 in Birmingham - but between 1902 and 1966 no trace! Would be very grateful if any could come up with some news for me!

I think I may have posted this in the wrong place - however the enquiry is still the same - looking for this couple for the same period in Kellys, please!
 
from 1920 - 1955 listed at 118 hockley hill . up to 1939 harry and leah miranda together but after that date just leah miranda.
 
Thank you, thank you so very very much. I have only recently found this site and this is my first look - up I have requested and I can't believe I got a reply by return, as I have being trying to trace this couple for a couple of years!!!! Thank you! Now I must try and trace my other missing relatives in Birmingham!

Just checked my files as the address sounded familiar and found that my grandfather, Edwin Smith, Leah's brother, was living at that address when he got married in 1911! So he may well have been living with them for some time? Do the records show how long he was with them please?

I haven't been able to tie him down since 1891 census as their father died in 1894 and the family was split up (their mother had already died), my grandfather was only 7 years old (born March 1887), and I only had his marriage certificate after the 1891 census - a gap of 20 years.

Thank you so much once again!
 
my pleasure. just found harry langley on the 1918 absent voters list.

residence 118 hockley hill. 37869 Q.M. Sgt., 38 F.A., R.A.M.C.
 
there arent any children listed but these would have to be above 21 yrs to be on electoral rolls and they may have left home by the age of 21.
 
can you tell me who are edwins parents. on the 1891 leah m smith 9 yrs old is the daughter of henry and sarah smith, but there is no edwin listed??
 
Edwin's parents were Edwin and Elizabeth (nee Radnall) Smith. They were married in 1882 at Tipton Staffs. He was born in January 1856 at Tipton Staffs. Elizabeth Smith died in 1889 at age of 27 when they were living at 60 Belham Road Smethwick. In 1891 Edwin Smith (Snr.) aged 36 (altho' the census details I read said he was 26), he was a moulder, born at Tipton. He and his children Leah Smith (aged 7), Beatrice Smith (aged 6), Lizzie Smith (aged 5) and Edwin Smith (aged 4) were all boarders living at 52 Grove Lane Handsworth. Edwin Snr. then died in May 1894, aged 39. (His brother was the informant - Edward Smith of 11 Dingle Street Rounds Green Oldbury).
 
its taken me a while to find this one but think this may be your edwin in 1901. in 1891 he is boarding with william and annie evans. well in 1901 there is this one lichfield rd. aston manor

william evans 40 labourer in gas works b. dudley staffs
hannah evans 33
lily evans 6
edwin smith (adopted son) 14 tacker in the wire mattress trade b. smethwick
 
Last edited:
Yeees, could be. I had seen this before but dismissed it as I had never heard that he was adopted. But, I believe at that time it would probably have been an informal adoption so probably wouldn't be able to confirm it. I had another look at his marriage cert. to see if William or Hannah were witnesses - unfortunately not. His birth certificate actually gives Handsworth West Bromwich as birth place, as does the 1891 census, is Smethwick the same area? I've just realised I haven't looked for him in 1911 census yet - I will do so and also see if I can find out any more on William and Hannah Evans. Many thanks once again!
 
the reason i think its the right one is that in 1891 he appears to be with the same couple only in 1891 its william and "annie" in 1901 william and hannah which are probably the same person. ages are correct as well
 
Just re-read your last message - I had down that he was a boarder but hadn't got details of householder and you are telling me that he is still living with the same couple in 1901! So it MUST be him. How brilliant of you and how silly of me not to have taken all the details from the 1891 census. Thank you, again!:redface:
 
in 1911 edwin smith was boarding at 62 whitmore st. bham. he is listed as 24yrs single . cable car conductor b. smethwick

so this was just before his marriage.
 
So, as his marriage certificate, dated 12 August 1911, says he was living at 118 Hockley Drive he may have just stayed there for the wedding but, more likely, he and his new wife (Louisa Jane (nee Mitchell) may have moved in after their marriage either with or without the Langleys. I know he volunteered in December 1915 (from the National Roll) and his address then was 17 Eden Terracce Handsworth. Just to make it more complicated I have a photo post card from his other sister Beatrice (married name also Smith), sent to him at 12 North Western Terrace Newton Place Handsworth, and sent, judging by the photo of the two sisters, about that time!
 
in 1920 edwin smith and louisa jane smith and henry smith were living 17 eden terrace, hunters rd.
in 1925 edwin smith and louisa jane smith at above address
in 1939 there is an edwin smith, louisa jane smith and charles clifford smith living 252 holly lane.
 
in 1918 absent voters list edwin smith is listed at 17 eden terrace, hunters rd. 95754 pte. 36 lab. C. Lab. Cp
 
i dont know if this would be your harry and leah miranda langley in 1911 but its the nearest i can find. maybe you will recognise childrens names?

living 8 florence buildings, cooksey rd. small heath.
henry langley 30 caster in boot warehouse b. bham, wife "minnie" langley 27 screw worker b. bham.
charles 9, james edward 7, elizabeth grace 6, harry 1. all b. bham
they had been married 8 yrs. (which would have been correct if its yours) and had had 6 children but only 4 surviving.

cant find anything else which would fit this family.
 
Brilliant - 252 Holly Lane also sounds familiar - my father, Leslie Edwin Smith, spoke of his parents living there (Edwin and Louisa Jane). My father got married in 1938. Charles Clifford was his brother. Henry Smith is an unknown quantity - it may have been his uncle who was born about 1845 or he may have had a cousin by that name - of course with the name of Smith it could have been no relation at all, perhaps a lodger.
 
i dont know if these are yours, but just in case

1920 13 sampson rd. sparkbrook edwin smith, laura smith and leslie edwin smith
1935 same address edwin smith, edwin leslie smith and ida spencer
1939 same address edwin smith, edwin leslie smith and ida spencer
 
That does sound like my Harry Langley . I hadn't been able to trace them at all on 1911 census, even tho' I tried all sorts of variations - not Minnie tho'! Don't know if Leah Miranda could have a 'pet' name of Minnie? You have put the name in inverted commas - is that how it is written or because you are querying the name? Unfortunately I don't know of any of the children's names as I hadn't been able to trace the couple since their marriage - you have found out more about them than I actually knew! What I will do now is trace the birth of one of the children and order a certificate to confirm that the parents are, in deed, Harry and Leah.
 
good idea to always check with certificates. when you order you can ask for it only to be sent if its the parents you want. they will not send or charge for the cert. if its the wrong one.

yes i did put the inverted commas round minnie as i thought maybe it was a nickname she used. just a long shot really.
 
I didn't realse that I could ask about checking the parents - I have seen the note about checking - so will do that when I place the order. I think, once I hopfully get the right birth certificate, that has sorted out all my possible Smiths, all thanks to you! The only other one I have is Lizzie Smith (as her birth cert of 8 Dec. 1886) born in Wattville Street West Bromwich - only trouble is I think Lizzie Smith was as common as John Smith as there seem to be hundreds of them in Birmingham alone!!! The only record I have of her is the 1891 census, as above. Altho' I do know she was around early 1900s as the postcard I mentioned earlier (from Beatrice) refers to Lizzie saying that Edwin had written four letters to Beatrice but they had not been received! No!!! - I'm not asking if you could follow that up too, you have done more than enough for me and I am very grateful.
 
think i will take your forum name and "giveup" on the lizzie smith. there are so many as you say and in 1901 she would be 15 so probably a servant or something.

the 1911 census i gave you for henry and minnie langley is probably wrong though.:rolleyes: i was only clutching at straws for that one although one or two facts do add up. you never know, might be lucky :)
 
Yes - I feel hopeful about Minnie because - as you say - other things add up - I will get one of the childrens' birth certificates. Yes I think at the moment Lizzie is a step too far, I am rather intrigued by the fact that her sisters had quite elaborate names, Leah Miranda and Beatrice Eugenie and poor Lizzie was - just Lizzie, not even Elizabeth! But their brother also had only the one name of Edwin and I know all four of them are correct as I have their birth certificates. I think I have Lizzie in 1901 a domestic servant, aged 15, living at 64 - 65 Wheeleys (Lane?) Birmingham, but I don't think I will get any further than that.
 
she would probably have got married before 1911 so you dont even know if you are right looking for lizzie smith then. and there are many marriages for lizzie smith.
 
Yes - I am going to gamble and pick one though - just a feeling - to a John T Bryant in West Bromwich in 1914. I have traced a John T Bryant in Aston in 1911 census, aged 26 and Lizzie would have been 25, so ages compatible! I know it is a wild guess but worth £7.00! Had a further thought about Minnie - I believe the 1911 census was completed by the householder and he is more likely to have put down the name by which he called his wife - maybe she was tiny and he called her Minnie (mouse)! Yes - I am clutching at straws!
 
Just checked again about the possibility of William Evans and Annie/Hannah Evans 'adopting' my grandfather Edwin Smith. Looking through marriages on freebmd there are marriages for both William Evans to Annie/Anne and to Hannah at about the right time. I don't expect they legally adopted Edwin, so I doubt if it is possible to check anyway now. But I am going to keep the details on my file as a distinct possibility!
 
as to the adoption. my mother was adopted soon after birth in 1924 and was just handed over with no paperwork at all and grew up with the surname of her adoptive parents and even married in that name. the only correct details were on her birth certificate. i think it was the following year of 1925 before children were legally adopted.
 
In situations like that it must make it impossible to trace back the family unless you are aware of the adoption; any further back you probably would not have known. - Luckily my Grandfather (if indeed he was adopted) did keep his surname.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top