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Beatrice Florence Ray GOATHAM
1918 - 1998 (80 years)
Has 4 ancestors and 8 descendants in this family tree.
Set As Default Person 
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Name Beatrice Florence Ray GOATHAM Relationship 
with Teresa Ann GOATHAM Born 1 Feb 1918 237, Commercial Road, Camberwell, London, England 
- GRO ref: Goatham, Beatrice F R q1 1918 mother's maiden name: Fowler, Camberwell RD 1d 1167; GRO online index shows middle names as Florence Ray
Actual dob from death registration index and birth registration (GRO register entry)
The mother's maiden name indicates she was a daughter of Rosina, but it seems she was not a child of Rosina's husband. Not only was Beatrice born during the war, when her mother's husband was overseas in the forces, but she was born well away from Sittingbourne; presumably Rosina was hiding the fact she was having a baby. However, Rosina did not pretend that Beatrice was her husband's child and no father is named on her birth registration. Rosina's sister Amelia was present at the registration, and was the informant for the birth.
Beatrice did grow up in the Sittingbourne area, but with one Nora Coveney rather than with Rosina and family: she was with Nora amd Nora's children at the time of the 1921 census, and Beatrice and her husband were with Nora in 1939. Her middle name 'Ray' is a surname found locally - especially in Teynham, probably a clue to her father.
Birth registration of Beatrice Florence Ray GOATHAM
GRO register entryGender Female Adopted - Beatrice appears to have been a baby born, presumably due to the disruption of WW1, to her mother but not fathered by her mother's husband. She was then fostered or informally adopted by an Irish woman living in Borden, Nora Coveney (née Connell). Nora had had 6 children of her own, so Beatrice would have grown up with some 'brothers' and 'sisters', although the youngest was 6 years older than her, and the oldest 19 years older. The latter may never have lived at home while Beatrice was growing up - of course a siblng having left home before a younger was born was not unusual at that time, even when they shared two biological parents.
What she does seem to have lacked is a father. Not only is her biological father unknown (to me, descendants may be able to work out from DNA), but Nora's husband had left the family by 1921, so it seems he would hardly or never been a father figure for Beatrice.
Beatrice married before the 1939 register, but at that time she and her husband were living with her foster mother, so presumably the relationship had worked out well.
Since she kept her birth surname of Goatham she must have known she was not Nora's biological child, but whether she knew who her biological mother was, or had any contact with her, I don't know. Since they lived near each other Rosina may well have learnt of her marriage and children, but given that most Goathams lived in the Sittingbourne area it is unlikely Nora would not have been able to work out who her mother was unless she was told.
Middle name relationship Ray: probably the surname of her biological father Residence 1921 1, Acacia Terrace, Borden, Kent, England Residence 1939 1, Cryalls Lane, Sittingbourne, Kent, England - Beatrice and her husband were followed by one other, entry closed (25 Jan 2017), presumably their first born. Listed before them in the household was Nora Coveney, Beatrice's foster mother.
(Ref: RG101/1790K/009/23 Letter Code: DIUZ)
Child Status Adopted child Died Sep 1998 Medway Reg Dist, Kent, England - GRO ref: Menday, Beatrice Florence reg Sep 1998 dob 1 2 1918 Medway RD register B31A, district / sub-d 561 1B, entry 201
Half-siblings4 half brothers and 2 half sisters (family of Albert George GOATHAM and Rosina FOWLER) Person ID I3834 All | England: Kent Group (in Go(a)tham One-Name Study), England: Kent Group - subjects of Go(a)tham One-Name Study, All in the Goatham / Gotham One-Name Study , All subjects of the Goatham / Gotham One-Name Study Last Modified 24 Jun 2024
Father [ - ? - ] RAY, d. Yes, date unknown Mother Rosina FOWLER, b. 16 Apr 1887, Leeds, Kent, England , d. 11 Mar 1973, Sittingbourne Reg Dist, Kent, England (Age 85 years)
Other Partners: Albert George GOATHAM m. 16 Oct 1905Married 1917 Married? Not married or evidence to suggest they didn't marry Family ID F2575 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Mother Nora CONNELL, b. 5 Apr 1872, Ireland , d. Dec Q 1950, Sittingbourne Reg Dist, Kent, England (Age 77 years)
Other Partners: Albert Edward COVENEY m. Dec Q 1896Family ID F2590 Family Group Page | Family Chart
Family Frederick John MENDAY, b. 12 Apr 1918, Milton Reg Dist, Kent, England , d. 22 Jul 2000, Canterbury Reg Dist, Kent, England (Age 82 years) Married Jun Q 1938 Register Office, Milton next Sittingbourne, Kent, England - GRO ref: Goatham, Beatrice F to Menday, Frederick J q2 1938 Milton RD 2a 3515
Children3 children Last Modified 18 Dec 2019 Family ID F3577 Family Group Page | Family Chart
- GRO ref: Goatham, Beatrice F R q1 1918 mother's maiden name: Fowler, Camberwell RD 1d 1167; GRO online index shows middle names as Florence Ray
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Event Map Click to hide 
Residence - 1921 - 1, Acacia Terrace, Borden, Kent, England 
Residence - 1939 - 1, Cryalls Lane, Sittingbourne, Kent, England 
Died - Sep 1998 - Medway Reg Dist, Kent, England = Link to Google Earth (if installed; see link below to install) Pin Legend 
