Birth Date of John 'Jack' Field

Question

I just seek a little guidance from the experts among us.   I have a conflict in birth dates for a great uncle John 'Jack' Field, born and raised in Canterbury, Kent.  This discrepancy on birth dates exists between the date of registration of the birth and the 1939 Register, a matter of two years. Even on the marriage certificate (copy in possession), to first wife, the birth date is inconsistent with either registered dates, falling in between. Yet the earlier date, 1886 (per 1939 Register - and quite clearly 1886) conflicts with the birth of a sibling, Frederick b. 18 May 1886.  To the best of my knowledge they were not twins - the months are different.   Census DOBs are consistent with 1889 - the 1891 Census being perhaps more telling of the truth in my opinion.  Some of the information to hand is gleaned from oral and written accounts of family.  I am struggling to find his death references...  we have the assumption he died in Banstead, Surrey, where he was a postman for many years.  We never assume, but any suggestions concerning the death of this man would be appreciated.  What are your views?

Andrew

Comments

Since there seems to be a birth registration in 2nd qtr 1888, there seems no reason not to go with 1888.

Late registrations were possible.  They couldn't be inserted in the proper place, but they would be cross-referenced in ther proper place in the registers and the indexes, or there'd be no chance of finding them.

The only way you get an early registration is if a baby dies, and the parents decide to give the next one the same name and use the birth cert they already have instead of getting a new one.  (This is perhaps more likely if they don't register the death)

I don't suppose the ages in the 1939 register are any more reliable than the ages on censuses and marriage certs.

---

At marriage to 2nd wife  at St Marks, St Johns Wood 3 Nov 1928,.Westminster his age is recorded as 40 (widower , postman Violet Hill Abercorn Hill, NW8 Father George William, Baker retired)
(London Metropolitan Archives p89 MRK/2 St Marks marriage reg. Image on ancestry)

From info on Profile this seems to be him confirms he was in India
1911 census  (military return RG 14 34987 p 7 enumeration district India )age 23, single  private 1st Batt Northumberland.Fusiliers  b Westgate Kent
 supports 1888  birth  prior to beg of April and registered in.the 2nd q (census date 2 April)

---

Thanks Horace...

---

Greetings Helen,

Definitely 'our' John Field, with little doubt...  the marriage fits and the Northumberland Fusiliers comes from the written and oral narratives of family.  Now I need to get smart and navigate to those documents.   It is rather convincing then that he was born in 1988 it would seem.

Thank you so much...

Answer 1

As per the GRO Index

John FIELD  : Mother's Maiden Surname: FURNER

GRO Reference: 1888  J Quarter in BRIDGE  Volume 02A  Page 795

I have found numerous discrepancies in birth dates/years on the Census & 1939 Register entries.

Comments

Thanks, yes... Agnes Furner is my great grandmother.

Answer 2

Two possibilities:

GRO death registration of John Field, age 67
died 4th quarter 1952, Surrey Mid Eastern registration district, Volume 5G, Page 286

Surrey Mid Eastern registration district covers Banstead

OR

GRO death registration of John Field, age 70
died 1st quarter 1959, Surrey Mid Eastern registration district, Volume 5G, Page 468

Surrey Mid Eastern registration district covers Banstead