Genealogy Chat

I have been recently told that my Grandfathers name was Spurgeon/ Powell, I only Know that he only used the Powell sir name only in his lifetime. My grandfathers full name was Henry Claude Powell, he was born on 31.08.1915.
There is other members of his family four brothers and a sister, but where they were actually born is not to clear to me, it could of been Battersea West London or Wandsworth Southwest London...?
He met my grandmother Laura Sweetser Cove and married her in that area in the 1920s, i know where my grandmothers family came from but not my grandfathers own family. I would like to trace the name of Spurgeon has its unusual name, perhaps thats why i can not trace much at all about my grandfathers family., my grandfather died on the 4th of January 1995.
If anyone can help me to find out more, i will be greatfull for any help recieved..
From Wendy.. :-)

Hello Wendy, your first step is to get a copy of your grandfather's marriage certificate and that should tell you who his father was and perhaps give you some clues.

Have you looked on FreeBMD for his marriage and possible births for him and his siblings?

One avenue to investigate is that his mother was called Spurgeon and he was born before her marriage to Mr Powell, whose surname he then took.

It appears he married a lot later than you thought, and no middle name of Sweetser for Laura:

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Mar 1937
Cove Laura Powell Battersea 1d 734
Powell Henry Cove Battersea 1d 734

From FreeBMD http://www.freebmd.org.uk

England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
about Laura Cove
Name: Laura Cove
Mother's Maiden Name: Sweatser
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1915
Registration district: Wandsworth
Inferred County: London
Volume: 1d
Page: 817

Another spelling here!


Marriages Mar 1894 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cove William Wandsworth 1d 799
Hinxman Rose Wandsworth 1d 799
Morgan William Thomas Wandsworth 1d 799
Sweetzer Elise Wandsworth 1d 799

I thought the names were familiar - this is the previous thread, mainly about the Coves:
http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1310644?page=0

Wendy, on that thread (which you don't appear to have returned to - you must do replies using the "add reply" box below) I had already found that marriage and suggested you get their marriage certificate. I gave you all the info and links to enable you to do that - have you followed this up?

Gins - we've got everything about Laura on the other thread!

Thank Marie

I was just trying to get some background on the pair and didnt realise there was another thread

Regarding the name of Spurgeon, it seems to be mainly from Essex with some Suffolk and Norfolk entries in the early years of FreeBMD.

It is not that unusual as I know some Spurgeons personnally.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon was a famous preacher and there is a lot about him on the Internet.

Spurgeons college is the Baptist ministers college.

Hello everyone that looked up for me on my last post, i found out more about my grandmothers family than my grandfathers family. I did go on the BMD website but found that i needed a lot of infomatoin than i had to find out anything more..?
Thanks for all you'r time today...
From Wendy...