Reidirected to here for a family tree question

[stevie m]

Hi,

I have been pointed in this direction to ask a question. As yet I haven't subscribed to a genealogy site and have started to research my grandmothers paternal side.

Her father Arthur Whiteford(whittford), Studdard(Stoddard) Tom Thatcher, (b~1877- d 1960 in Worthing), comes up on "Family Search"

https://familysearch....2Bsurname%3Athatcher~

And all tallies well including wife and bretheren. But thats it I can get no further. My understanding is his father may have been a doctor possibly in Lambourn,Berks. but I can't get a birth certificate as I haven't really got enough relevant info. Can someone help if even by pointing me in the right direction please

[craft1948]

Is this the guy who was a Steeple Chase Jockey?

[stevie m]

Hi Craft,

Yes thats him,

[craft1948]

So is this him and his family in 1911 at Sleegill, Richmond in 1911

THATCHER, Arthur Head Married M 34 1877 Steeple Chase Jocky London
THATCHER, Mary Wife Married 10 years F 34 1877 Scotland
THATCHER, Wilfred Son M 9 1902 School Ayr; Scotland
THATCHER, Lousie Daughter F 8 1903 School Darlington; England
THATCHER, Doras Daughter F 7 1904 School Darlington; England
THATCHER, Stewart Son M 5 1906 School Darlington; England
THATCHER, Herbert Son M 3 1908 Richmond; Yorks
THATCHER, Harry Son M 0 (11 MONTH) 1911 Richmond;

[craft1948]

I know I'm going to struggle here as you have him 1877-1960 but the Arthur T Thatcher who died in Worthing in 1960 was born about 1879 not 1877, and I can find a birth for an Arthur Tom Thatcher in Dec 1878 in Stockbridge, Hampshire.

[craft1948]

Right this should help. I have found the marriage of Arthur Tom Thatcher (Jockey) aged 26 and Mary Williamson Stewart (Dressmaker) aged 25 which took place on the 23 January 1901 in Ayr.
The groom's father was shown as Walter Thatcher (Doctor of Medicine) and his mother as Louisa nee Elliot.
The bride's father was Matthew Stewart (Gamekeeper) and Mary nee Kerry, I'm not sure of the Kerry as the writing is bad.

[squirrelsmum]

Have you tried looking on FreeBMD. It will give you the references you require for ordering a certificate.

[craft1948]

No, I'm no better off. I can't find a Walter and Louisa Thatcher as a married couple in any census, or an Arthur with a parent with either name, and I can't find a marriage between Walter and Louisa Elliot............where's Dotty?

[dotty.]

the parents walter and louise may well have had quite a transient married life if he was a doctor, they may have been with the army, possibly in ireland?

[dotty.]

their son arthur was born in London, but he is up in ayr when he married, if the family were in london on the 1881 you'd have found them craft, have you tried a wild card search for a son arthur born 1877 and parents walter and louise?

[stevie m]

Thank you Craft & Dotty for your efforts, as you can see its a confusing trail.

You are right he was married in ayrshire to a Mary Willaimson Stewart as stated by your posts probably met during his possible time at Ayr Racecourse due to his proffesion. We know he moved to Darlington, then to Richmond, Yorkshire. From there to Lewes, Sussex and finally Findon near Worthing all have strong links with the racing fraternity. He fell out with his parents over his choice of work and never spoke of them. So apart from being a doctor I have no information to impart.

[stevie m]

By the way his mother-in-laws surname was "Merry"

[dotty.]

did he have any siblings that you are aware of as they may give a lead into his parents, as yet they are just not showing up anywhere, also, where did the added names stoddard and whiteford come from? i am guessing his grandparents but it's not as yet helped

[craft1948]

I'm stuffed as well Dotty................unless the parents went abroad. I can't find them in any censuses yet the scottish marriage shows them as both being alive in 1901.

[dotty.]

not necessarily if the son was estranged, but i was just wondering if in fact there is a real error and they are somewhere as hatcher maybe, but even then with the search combinations i have used something should have shown up, hopefully arthur had a brother or sister?

[stevie m]

The problem I have is that because he never talked of hi family in any shape or form, no one seems to know of any siblings or near relatives

[stevie m]

The whiteford,Stoddard bit came as a big surprise as he only ever called himself "Tom Thatcher" His tombstone reads Arthur Tom Thatcher but the record in Richmond all works out plus his older is named child Wilfred Arthur Whiteford thatcher, so there is some connection somewhere with the unusual middle name

[dotty.]

have you found a will for walter? as a doctor i would think he left one. there is a joanna louisa thatcher in stirling in 1910 with a relative charles thatcher who was a FRCSE.?

[craft1948]

I've looked for a will without success..................

[stevie m]

Dotty, Not exactly being 100% sure of his father being a doctor also not having a name to pursue I haven't looked at Wills yet but now I'll go down that path, thanks

[craft1948]

I've checked scottish deaths from 1900 to 1950 for Walter and can't find anything..................