• 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

Portlock

Vixen

Vixen

master brummie
I'm trying to find information on Leah Portlock who was born 1867, daughter of William Portlock and Mary Ann West. Leah married Charles William Davis in 1887 but Charles died 1893. Leah is next seen on the 1901 and 1911 census with George Cameron, who was previously married. However I can't find any marriage certificate for leah and George's marriage. Nor can I find a death record for Leah, nor a birth registration for violet Cameron born 1898 Birmingham. I can however find a birth registration for the rest of the davies/Cameron children.
Leah Portlock
Registration Year1867
Registration QuarterJan-Feb-Mar
Registration district Birmingham Inferred County Warwickshire Volume6dPage23

Any help on solving the missing pieces gratefully received. Any info on this portlock family also welcome
 
well i can certainly find the marr cert for leahs marriage to charles davies (looks like davies with an i to me) who as you know was a tailor...i have not looked yet for a second marriage for leah to george cameron but must consider that maybe they did not actually marry which is so often the case

lyn
 
Last edited:
well the 1911 states leah and george had been married for 14 years but i cant find a marriage at the min...regarding a death reg for leah...if it transpires that she and george did not marry her death could be under the name of davis/davies

lyn
 
Ken_R said:
There is a Birth for Violet Davies, 1898 Aston, 6D, 343, MMN Portlock.
Click to expand...
Yep I stumbled across this earlier because I wondered as Leah may not have married George whether Violet was registered under the name of Davies and sure enough she was Thanks tho
 
Astoness said:
well the 1911 states leah and george had been married for 14 years but i cant find a marriage at the min...regarding a death reg for leah...if it transpires that she and george did not marry her death could be under the name of davis/davies

lyn
Click to expand...
I have thought this too. There are a few Leah Davies but hard to tell right now which is her.
 
Vixen said:
Yep I stumbled across this earlier because I wondered as Leah may not have married George whether Violet was registered under the name of Davies and sure enough she was Thanks tho
Click to expand...

you say leahs first hubby charles william davies/davis died in 1893 violet was 12 on the 1911 and down as violet cameron daughter of george cameron so was born in 1899 so not possible she could have been charles daughter because had died 6 years before her birth ..are you sure you have the correct birth reg for violet you probably have as i cant find a birth for violet cameron

if that the birth reg you have found is for violet davis/davies then the only thing i can think of is if leah was still officially a davis/davies and did not marry george cameron violet was reg under leahs first hubbys name..their other daughter frances born 1902 was reg a cameron...oh do you know if violet married?

lyn
 
Last edited:
There is death for a Leah Davies of the right age registered Aston, Mar qtr 1915.

Violet appears to marry Harold Whitehouse as a Cameron, dob given at death is 1 Jul 1898 which fits in with the birth registration found by Ken.
 
yes i found those as well mws...so pleased that violet married under her proper name of cameron...had it have been davies it could end up with rellies researching the wrong names and family... :rolleyes: having said that i think we all run the risk of that anyway as i would imagine many little white lies were told back in the day
 
MWS said:
There is death for a Leah Davies of the right age registered Aston, Mar qtr 1915.

Violet appears to marry Harold Whitehouse as a Cameron, dob given at death is 1 Jul 1898 which fits in with the birth registration found by Ken.
Click to expand...

George Cameron and Violet lived at no 33 in the 1920s, along with William Davies, who I think was Leah's son from her marriage to Charles. Harold and Violet Whitehouse stayed there when George Cameron died (I think in 1935) and were still at no 33 when he died in 1956. They must all have seen lots of change. Does anyone know when the house was demolished?
 
debs which house are you talking about re when it was demolished no 33 but where.?...on the 1939 eve of war register violet and harold whitehouse were living at no 1 wigmore close kingstanding...all told there were 6 living in the house including a dorothy whitehouse born 1922 who married and became a skinner...this house would have only been a few years old and on a new estate so it must have seemed like a little palace and of course they were...the house is still standing...

lyn
 
Astoness said:
you say leahs first hubby charles william davies/davis died in 1893 violet was 12 on the 1911 and down as violet cameron daughter of george cameron so was born in 1899 so not possible she could have been charles daughter because had died 6 years before her birth ..are you sure you have the correct birth reg for violet you probably have as i cant find a birth for violet cameron

if that the birth reg you have found is for violet davis/davies then the only thing i can think of is if leah was still officially a davis/davies and did not marry george cameron violet was reg under leahs first hubbys name..their other daughter frances born 1902 was reg a cameron...oh do you know if violet married?

lyn
Click to expand...
Hi Lyn, thats the summary I reached. We cant find any marriage record of Leah marrying George Cameron so I assume when Violet was born, Leah registered her under the name of Davies/Davis rather than Cameron, perhaps she hadnt been with George that long. I found Violet did marry Harold Whitehouse and she was also living with George cameron on one of the electoral registers. I have found someone with a copy of her marriage certificate and the details fit also with George being listed as her dad, and his occupation
 
MWS said:
There is death for a Leah Davies of the right age registered Aston, Mar qtr 1915.

Violet appears to marry Harold Whitehouse as a Cameron, dob given at death is 1 Jul 1898 which fits in with the birth registration found by Ken.
Click to expand...
Yes she did marry Harold Whitehouse. There is also a Harry Whitehouse in the same area, similar birth so it does get a little confusing. However, someone has given me details from their marriage certificate which is as follows:
Birmingham register office 8th October 1932 - Harold Whitehouse aged 30, bachelor, railway engine fireman, 204, Highfield Road, Washwood Heath, father Joseph James Whitehouse, Retired Engine driver and Violet Cameron aged 32, spinster, paper sorter, 13 Cuckoo Road, Nechells, father George Cameron, Railway carriage works store-keeper. Marriage witnesses M Fallon and F Morley. Edith Florence Davies, Leah's daughter married Fred Morley.

And like you I also stumbled across this England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 DEATH, BURIAL, CEMETERY & OBITUARIES View Image Record information. Name Leah Davies Birth abt 1869 Death 01/1915 Aston Warwickshire. The only thing that threw me slightly regarding Leah's death, was around 1940 there is a Mrs Leah Cameron on an electoral register in the birmingham area living alone. However, I think the death details of around 1915, given when she was born, seems more a match. I just wish there was something definitive to match for sure.
 
Debs2 said:
George Cameron and Violet lived at no 33 in the 1920s, along with William Davies, who I think was Leah's son from her marriage to Charles. Harold and Violet Whitehouse stayed there when George Cameron died (I think in 1935) and were still at no 33 when he died in 1956. They must all have seen lots of change. Does anyone know when the house was demolished?
Click to expand...
William Davies 1894 is from Leah's first marriage also Charles Frederick Davies 1891, Edith Florence Davies 1889, Georgina Cameron 1900-1901 apparently died falling over.Frances Cameron 1902-1924
 
Astoness said:
yes i found those as well mws...so pleased that violet married under her proper name of cameron...had it have been davies it could end up with rellies researching the wrong names and family... :rolleyes: having said that i think we all run the risk of that anyway as i would imagine many little white lies were told back in the day
Click to expand...
Oh so true, the hadley family, cummings and portlocks were economical with the truth. I had a nightmare with Emily Portlock, who lied to get married, changed her name from Emily to Emma and back again, but with the help of people here we finally solved it. I found doing the Jones side of the family so much easier and Im still hitting brick walls with the hadley, portlock and cummings clan.
 
Astoness said:
debs which house are you talking about re when it was demolished no 33 but where.?...on the 1939 eve of war register violet and harold whitehouse were living at no 1 wigmore close kingstanding...all told there were 6 living in the house including a dorothy whitehouse born 1922 who married and became a skinner...this house would have only been a few years old and on a new estate so it must have seemed like a little palace and of course they were...the house is still standing...

lyn
Click to expand...
I'm a bit puzzled by this. Apologies if I mistyped the house number on my original post. I have the Whitehouses at 13 Cuckoo Road in 1939 (not 33). Reference RG101/5548J/004/40 Letter Code: QBBX. Harold is a locomotive fireman and Violet Unpaid Domestic Duties. She took 2 years off her age! It was given in the register as 1 July 1900, but in fact she was born on that date in 1898! . Harold's address when he died in 1956, as given in the National Probate Calendar is Cuckoo Road, so I presume they lived there all their married lives.
I cant find Wigmore Close in 1939.
 
debs maybe i have the picked up the wrong whitehouse family then although it does say that violet was born in 1898...here is the 1939 eve of war register for the family i found...apologies if its the wrong one:rolleyes:

lyn

tna_r39_5636_5636g_006.jpg
 
Lyn, seems like everyone told a few porkies on census entries
Violet Newman, in Wigmore Close was born on 24th August 1897.
 
oh dont we know that alberta lol...but what i am confused about is debs says she has violet and harold on the 39 register in cookoo road...they cant be on 2 registers so is the one i found the wrong family?

lyn
 
Yes Lyn , just a coincedence although Harry in Wigmore Close was never Harold he was registered Harry, married Violet Newman in 1914.
 
Astoness said:
oh dont we know that alberta lol...but what i am confused about is debs says she has violet and harold on the 39 register in cookoo road...they cant be on 2 registers so is the one i found the wrong family?

lyn
Click to expand...
Cuckoo road sounds right as other family members lived at 13 cuckoo road
 
Debs2 said:
I'm a bit puzzled by this. Apologies if I mistyped the house number on my original post. I have the Whitehouses at 13 Cuckoo Road in 1939 (not 33). Reference RG101/5548J/004/40 Letter Code: QBBX. Harold is a locomotive fireman and Violet Unpaid Domestic Duties. She took 2 years off her age! It was given in the register as 1 July 1900, but in fact she was born on that date in 1898! . Harold's address when he died in 1956, as given in the National Probate Calendar is Cuckoo Road, so I presume they lived there all their married lives.
I cant find Wigmore Close in 1939.
Click to expand...
I think the other issue were census'S were done on doorsteps, you had a lot of noise and accents and were hand done so many errors. Also people lied to avoid serving in the war or vice versa etc
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top