Answers

 BEAMENT, Croxley Green 19th century

June 2001

Susan Giddins (suegiddins @t hotmail.com) of Ancaster, Lincs, says: I am confused with the various spellings of my family name. My Grandfather was christened Horace Beament at Croxley Green in 1887. His father was William Beament, mother Frances as recorded on the VRI. Many other records from Rickmansworth and Watford on the VRI, IGI and 1881 census are spelt differently. The majority being Beaumont and some as Beaument. I realise that there are spelling mistakes on the records but very few are spelt Beament.

I am afraid I can't help directly about your great grandfather - except to say that when you check the microfilm of the register it will at least give you his father's occupation, and the birth certificate from HALS will give his mother's maiden name and an address. if you chase back in the GRO index for the marriage you will get more information about them, and their fathers - and you will also find out whether they signed their names on the marriage register or merely made their marks.

Because the question of spelling names is of general interest I have written a new web page discussing the subject called Spelling Personal and Place Names.

May 2004

Glenn Kinnear (gtkinnea @t bellsouth.net) of the USA writes:  I noticed the information you have listed for the surname "Beaumont" or "Beamont" in Croxley Green. I was interested in Horace Beaumont who was my Grandfather, and resided in Croxley Green all of his life. I saw a name I wasn't familiar with on you site as his descendant, he had only one child by his marriage with Beryl it was Jean (my Mother). I would be interested in more of Horace's and Beryl's family history if I could find it. I can only add that Beryl had a sister Eileen Foster, I correspond with her son "Micheal" during Holidays. 

Investigating families in the 20th century can be difficult - in part because some key records, such as census returns, are confidential for 100 years, while the UK Data Protection laws are restrictive if one is dealing with relationships which affect people who may still be living. This limits the researching I am able to do on this web site.

Sue (suegiddins @t hotmail.com)'s comment is that "Either we are not talking about the same Horace or my Grandfather had a secret. !!!!!!"

A check of the 1901 census index (I leave it to others to pay to see the full entries) lists the following:

Horace Beaumont, 2, born Rickmansworth, living at Rickmansworth.

Horace Beaumont, 14, born Croxley Green, living at Rickmansworth.

I suspect that the 2 year old Horace is Glen's ancestor while the 14 year old Horace is Sue's. It would be interesting to know if the two Horace's are cousins. 

This case shows why one must never forget the examples in Right Name, Wrong Body

Page relocated April 2005