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I am having trouble finding my GGF Thomas Daniel Woodgate born 22/5/1870 in Bromley. I have been told he may have been registered as Thomas Peckham Woodgate (by someone on another site) I have a copy of this birth certificate but can find no proof that this is actually my GGFather. He's family are shown on the 1871 census as Woodgate. The surname Peckham has never been mentioned. Any help would be appreciated

Hello Monica, when you say you have no proof that this is your GGF, who is his father on his marriage certificate?

Could you give us some further info about him - wife, children, etc? This helps us establish the correct person.

Did you mean registered as Thomas Daniel Peckham?

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Name: Thomas Daniel Peckham
Registration Year: 1870
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Bromley
Inferred County: Kent
Volume: 2a
Page: 328

What exactly does that certificate say for his parents?

Is this the 1871 you refer to?

1871 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
North Road, Bromley, Kent, England

Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place

Thomas Woodgate Head - Male 35 1836 Railway labourer Pembury, Kent, England
Eliza Woodgate Wife - Female 33 1838 - Tudeley, Kent, England
Jane Woodgate Daughter - Female 9 1862 - Tunbridge, Kent, England
Charlotte Woodgate Daughter - Female 5 1866 - Bromley, Kent, England
Willie Woodgate Son - Male 7 1864 - Bromley, Kent, England
Mary A Woodgate Daughter - Female 3 1868 - Bromley, Kent, England
Thomas D Woodgate Son - Male 10 mos 1871 - Bromley, Kent, England

This is possibly the marriage of Thomas senior's parents - might explain where the Peckham comes from:

England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973

Name: William Woodgate
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 15 Jan 1837
Marriage Place: Wateringbury,Kent,England
Spouse: Elizabeth Peckham <<<
FHL Film Number: 0992538, 0992539

On all census Thomas snr was born c1836. My guess would be that he was Elizabeth Peckham's son from a previous relationship but brought up as a Woodgate. For some reason he's reverted to Peckham on the 1861 census and registered his son thus.

1861 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
10, Primrose Hill, Tonbridge, Tunbridge, Kent, England

Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place

Thomas Packham Head Married Male 25 1836 Agricultural Labourer Kent, England
Eliza Packham Wife Married Female 22 1839 - Kent, England
Elizabeth Packham Daughter - Female 3 1858 - Kent, England

(Name is Peckham on image)

The daughter Elizabeth is in service on the 1871 census

Hello Marie
Thank you so much for taking the time to look at this for me. I have only just started to re visit my research again.
Thomas's marriage certificate it shows Thomas Woodgate (Plate Layer) as being he's Father
Thomas married Mary Duke on the 3rd July 1898 in The Parish Church of Cheam
They had 13 children
Joseph 1898
George 1900
Ivy 1901(my grandmother)
Netta 1903
Ruby 1906
Thomas 1907
Olive 1908
Lillian 1912
Ada 1914
Amy 1914
Rossetta 1916
Margaret 1917
Mercy 1922

All born in Surrey

The birth certificate I hold shows
Born 22/5/187 0 7 Trafalgar Cottages, New Bromley
Father Thomas Peckham Railway Labourer
Mother Eliza Peckham formerl;y Woolger

Yes this is the 1871 census I was referring to

Many Thanks
Monica

Looks like he married using the surname of Peckham which would be correct

Marriages Mar 1857
Peckham Thomas Tunbridge 2a 453
Woolger Eliza Tunbridge 2a 453

Thomas in the 1851 census using surname Woodgate

ame: Thomas Woodgate
Age: 15
Estimated birth year: abt 1836
Relation: Son
Father's name: William Woodgate
Mother's name: Elizabeth Woodgate
Gender: Male
Where born: Tudely, Kent, England
Civil Parish: Tudely
County/Island: Kent
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Disability:

View image
Registration district: Tunbridge
Sub-registration district: Tunbridge
ED, institution, or vessel: 4a
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 11
Piece: 1615
Folio: 327
Page Number: 3
Household Members:
Name Age
William Woodgate 40
Elizabeth Woodgate 37
Thomas Woodgate 15
Sophia Woodgate 13
George Woodgate 11
Stephen Woodgate 4
James Woodgate 1 9 Mo

Although Thomas isn't with the Family this is the same family in 1861 census

Name: William Woodgate
Age: 50
Estimated birth year: 1811
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Woodgate
Gender: Male
Where born: Brenchley, Kent, England
Civil Parish: Tonbridge
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
County/Island: Kent
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

View image
Registration district: Tunbridge
Sub-registration district: Tunbridge
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 3
Piece: 494
Folio: 176
Page Number: 1
Household Members:
Name Age
William Woodgate 50
Elizabeth Woodgate 47
Stephen Woodgate 14
James Woodgate 10
Charlotte Woodgate 9
Roseta Woodgate 7
Elizabeth Peckham 81

There are several Public Family Trees on ancestry that have Thomas Daniel ................


there also seems to have been an older Peckham child .............. Mary Peckham, b.ca 1834, Kent

It looks as though Mary and Thomas Daniel were children of Elizabeth before she married William Woodgate, but were then raised by William.

They probably would have been known by his surname when they were young, then decided later which name to use.


The question is ............. was Elizabeth previously married to a Mr Peckham, or were the 2 children illegitimate

Here is the family in 1841, with Mary

1841 Census

Name: Thomas Woodgate
Age: 5
Estimated birth year: abt 1836
Gender: Male
Where born: Kent, England
Civil Parish: Pembury
Hundred: Washlingstone
County/Island: Kent
Country: England

Registration district: Tonbridge
Sub-registration district: Brenchley

Piece: 461
Book: 12
Folio: 36
Page Number: 5

William Woodgate 30 Ag Lab
Elizabeth Woogate 26
Mary Woodgate 7
Thomas Woodgate 5
Sophia Woodgate 3
George Woodgate 1

Address:- Capel Brook

Thank you so much everyone for your help.
So if I have this right

my GGF Thomas Daniel Woodgate was born a Peckham and was then brought up by William Woodgate when he married my GGGM Eliza Peckham who was formerly a Woolgar?

Nearly right, Monica :-)

Thomas Daniel Peckham b 1870 was the son of Thomas Peckham b 1836 snd Eliza nee Woolger.

It is the Thomas b 1836 were the confusion sets in! He was the son of Elizabeth Peckham who married William Woodgate in 1837. Thomas b 1836 is showing as Thomas Woodgate on the 1841& 1851 cenuses. However, he marries Eliza Woolger as Thomas Peckham, which is correct, and appears on the 1861 census as Thomas Peckham.

It's yet to be established if Thomas b 1836 was illegitimate or his mother Elizabeth was married to a Mr Peckham.

Thank you Londonbelle
Im in the process of updating my tree but still getting confused, but now you have sorted it for me.
Again many thanks for all your help
Regards
Monica