Genealogy Chat

I'd welcome some help to "think different" please.

Laura Annie Jay was born 1905. She married Clarence Beecham and was still with him in 1939. In 1943 she changed her name to Archer at about the same time as she had a daughter Barbara Jean whose father was William Robert Archer.

I have seen her date of death asserted, but without evidence, as 7 September 1988 in Lincoln and this is credible as she lived with Archer in Lincoln and her daughter was born in Lincoln. However I cannot find a death record for her, nor can I find a will / probate / burial. I'd welcome suggestions where I might find confirmation of the date of death.

Another Laura Annie Archer died in Hull n 1960, I'm sure that is a different Laura Annie.

Just for ref

Beecham Household (4 People)
11 Pyrland Road , Islington, London, England

Laura A Archer (Beecham) 09 Oct 1905 Unpaid Domestic Duties
Clarence C ? Beecham 22 Oct 1900 Boiler Erector Construction Engineer
Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.
Frederick Pormal 20 Feb 1894 Electrician L P T B

Nothing so far, except that on the probate record for Clarence 1959 admin was granted to Laura Annie Beecham

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar#calendar

Tree on ancestry has her plus photo of her having same birthday and death as you
She is pictured with a man but I dont know who that is
It states William Robert Archer 1882 died 1946.
Laura Annie Archer 15/11/1905 died 1994 Stockport Cheshire
This looks more like her

Maryb.

Probate for William 1946 To "Laura Annie Archer married woman"

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=archer&yearOfDeath=1946&page=5#calendar

Interestingly the probate for Clarence leaves his estate to Laura "widow", which technically I suppose she was, they were not divorced as far as I know.

The pictures on Ancestry show her with Archer.

The 1939 register entry was subsequently amended to show her name change. I'd love to know who the closed record is for!

But the Stockport death is a different birth day and month to the 1939. do you have her birth cert to confirm date Keith?

England & Wales births 1837-2006 Transcription

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First name(s) ANNIE LAURA
Last name ARCHER
Birth year 1889
Birth quarter 2
Registration month -
Mother's last name -
District SPALDING
County Lincolnshire
Country England
Volume 7A
Page 404
Record set England & Wales births 1837-2006
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain

were there children to the first marriage? as there are some Beecham /Jay births and no other marriage that I can see to account for them?

edit looks likely as the son also married Lincoln, so assume this is known. I would imagine one of the children was the closed record in 1939 reg?

Laura Annie born 9/11/1905 according to her dads army record and he died 1957 in Lincoln Harvey Capel Jay
Maryb

I don't have her birth certificate. However, her father's military records include reference to her birth date, which matches the 1939 register entry.

The Stockport death is only six days out for DoB which made me wonder.

I agree that the closed record is probably one of the children from her marriage to Clarence.

If Archer died 1946 and Beecham 1959 have you ruled this one out please? DOB matches father's military record.

Laura Annie Moores
Birth Date: 9 Nov 1905
Date of Registration: Nov 1985
Age at Death: 80
Registration district: Waltham Forest
Inferred County: London
Volume: 15
Page: 632


EDIT

Maybe not, that might be this lady

Laura Annie Moores
Gender: Female
Baptism Date: 30 Nov 1905
Baptism Place: Stranton, Durham, England
Father: William
Mother: Laura Annie
FHL Film Number: 1736295
Reference ID: It.3 1177

Will leave for elimination purposes.

Thanks rootgatherer, but it looks unlikely to me. Then again, I've eliminated all the *likely* possibilities!

It seems to me improbable that someone who lived in Lincoln for a long time before her death, the phone book from 1980 has her listed there, should die somewhere else. Of course it's possible, the Stockport record might be her if she was visiting someone for example or on holiday, if one accepts the birth date difference as a typo. Maybe I need to order that death certificate for elimination purposes.

And then you have the assertion of 7 September 1988 in Lincoln which seems far more credible, but there's no record (that I can find) to back it up.

this death for laura annie must be the right one posted by mary i checked other records for archer married to a laura annie there was ne but she was born year5s before your laura also checked for births for laura annie archer there is 4 but again born years before your laura so this death must be her


LAURA ANNIE ARCHER

England & Wales deaths 1837-2007
Collections from
Great Britain
Country
England
County
Cheshire
Year
1994
Birth Year
1905
Event Quarter
3
District
STOCKPORT

Probate for Laura Annie Archer 7th Sep 1994, Hollymead Nursing home , 160 heaton Road ( Stockport, it's still there). Might well account for the informant not knowing correct DOB when registering the death?

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=archer&yearOfDeath=1994&page=6#calendar

Clarence Charles Clarence Beecham, of 11 Pyrland Road, Islington, London, t died 14 November 1957 at the Royal Northern Hospital, Islington. Administration granted London 6 March 1959 to Laura Annie Beecham, widow. Effects £160

That does NOT mean that he left the estate to Laura, but that she was responsible for distributing the estate as he directed in the will.



NB ......... the link given in RR's post did not work for me, due to some problem that they were "working on".

I used the main site, and then looked for Beecham

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar

Similarly ............

William Robert Archer of 152 West Parade, Lincoln, died 22 January 1946. Probate granted Lincoln 3 July 1946 to Laura Annie Archer, married woman. Effects £573 17s

Again, she was responsible for distributing the estate as his will directed.


You would had to buy the wills to find out who actually inherited.

Interesting, Laura's probate record does not state any other name

Probate was granted Leeds 6 December 1994. Estate not exceeding £1250.00


Another one to buy?????????

I am also tempted to accept the Stockport death, but I still have these lingering doubts.

I don't know enough about probate. Laura Annie, long time resident of Lincoln, dies in a nursing home in Stockport, and probate is granted in Leeds. Does that make sense?

Then there's the difference in birth date, might be a misunderstanding / typo / misreading / whatever?

And then there's the coincidence (?) that I've seen the assertion that she died on *7 September* 1988 in Lincoln , and then the probate (for which many thanks, I had not found that) stating she died *7 September* 1994.

Sylvia: why is the lack of other names interesting? Is it normal in probate records to state all previous names?

Keith ..............

the Probate record is just an Index to wills probated, or administration granted, and it usually does state to whom Probate or Administration was granted.

That entry for Laura does not say who was granted Probate, which is why I said it was "interesting".

Although I have not usually looked for ones in such recent times.

And the Record does only show those who have been granted Probate or Administration, ie the Executors ............... so you have to buy the will to see who might be named in there. After all, many people only have lawyers, or other non-related professionals as Executor.

The Executor, whether granted Probate or Administration is responsible for distributing the estate as directed in the will ............. and may not inherit anything at all