Like a mystery? ... Compton/Benfield

[Tiff]

Hi guys.
So I thought I'd be a clever Tiff, ,and climb the family tree as it were.
During my family research, I was contacted through t'internet, by a cousin of a cousin of a grandfather etc. who was living in New Zealand. Through our knowledge, we were able to track my dad's mother and all her ancestors all the way back to early 18*@!

Her main family names were Fisher and Watts and they seemed to be based soundly around the Leamington Spa/ Shipton/Bilton areas. Very much a Warwickshire match - a lot of agricultural labourers as you may expect. Mission accomplished!

I was trying to trace my father's paternal line back.
The paternal line is easier because the surnames don't change - the maternal line is harder because they marry and change their names.

NOT!!!!!

My Dad was youngest-but-one of 10.
Sadly, Dad died suddenly over a year ago aged 66 - I so wanted to be able to tell him more.
Nobody knew where my g'father was born. They said he used to joke about coming from Battersea Dogs Home. Only clue I had. Somehow, I managed to trace my g'father's bc. & he was indeed born in the district of Battersea in Wandsworth, London.

His name was George Lawrence COMPTON, born 1898.
His mother registered the birth and her name was Lilian Compton (nee Benfield).
She listed his father as William Robert Compton who was a ''Musician (violin)''. It struck me as being an unusual profession. I do know he taught his older sons how to play.
I tried to find a marriage cert with no luck. So I eagerly awaited the release of the 1901 census - I'd find him then!

No. Nothing. Nada.

So I searched the 1901 through my grandfather George Lawrence Compton, who would only have been about 2 or 3

Success! If you can call it that.
Whole family of children there.
Except that now they were in Aston, Brum.
Not only that, but Lilian was now Elizabeth.
And a widow!
Her occupation was down as Proprietoress of a Fish Shop. So a fish and chippie owner - all the way back in 1901!

She also had a niece living there that census night, surname Compton, and a lodger who she married later on in 1901! Foul play?

So my gt g'father William Robert Compton & his violin died sometime between conceiving my g'father in 1897/98 & the 1901 census.
Awkward beggar! You put a body down for a couple of years and they go and disappear on you!

Not only can I not find his death cert or any cause of death, there doesn't seem to be a marriage cert and I can't even find a record of his birth!!! Complete mystery.
A kind soul or 2 did some look ups in the GRO for me for these but no joy. It's like he never existed.
My uncle and the 7 remaining aunts (all over 69) said that g'father either never knew, or never said, what had happened to his father.

Many apologies for the length of this guys. I'm sure your brains must now be as addled as mine.
This is just a post in the faint hope that someone might have a few ideas.
Wishing you all well in your searches.

[Will]

I wouldn't know where to start to be honest. Have you visited the actual record office for the area you think he came from? It's possible they have records there which haven't been published online yet.

[Tiff]

Hi Will.
That's the problem hun, I don't have any clues as to where William Robert Compton was from.
I couldn't find him in any census.
He may just have been in London for his musical work.
Thanks anyway Will hun. I'll find him somehow - even if it's through Doris Stokes, bless her soul!

[cathidaw]

Try the Warwickshire Family History Society.

[optrex]

Originally Posted by Tiff

During my family research, I was contacted through t'internet, by a cousin of a cousin of a grandfather etc. who was living in New Zealand.

There seems to be a lot of NZ connections on this forum.

[Tiff]

Hi cathidaw!
Thank you for the tip hun - I might give that a try! I also heard that there was someone in Leicester who was doing genealogy purely on the surname but I don't have their details. Have a great weeknd hunnie.

Hi optrex!
I had noticed there was one 'kiwi', but I'm so new, I don't know many people here yet.
I was posting on the Rootsweb London site and he recognized the names I'd mentioned.
Have a good weekend hun.

[Shizara]

I'm the Kiwi! Wonder how many years before you are considered 'a local'.

[Tiff]

Hi Shiraza!
lol!
How long have you been here hun?
Don't worry angel - some of us try hard to avoid being known as a local! This town has changed so much from even when I was a child here - & I'm only 42

Btw - how nice to have the international nickname of 'kiwi'! It could have been a whole lot worse. How many other NZ peeps are there posting here? As with everywhere, there's a great cultural diversity in Warwickshire.

Wrap up peeps - there's a gale blowing outside right
now. And don't forget to put the clocks back an hour either. Take care hunnie.

[Shizara]

Have been on the forum since April last year and in Nuneaton have passed the 5 year mark.

We are wellknown as Kiwis. Am born of English parents and raised with both an English and a Kiwi background. As far as I am aware I wave the Kiwi flag for one.

As for the gale... I missed that catching a few extra zzzzs.

[cathidaw]

Icame to Bedworth from Leamington Spa. I worked for social services for a time . I was told that to become a local it would take 30 years. How true that was. Even though I worked for social services, as a nursery nurse ,home help ( another tale-mostly of woe - especially for someone who hates housework) and have had my own business , it still took that long.