Genealogy Chat

Can’t find any birth records of young Ethel. In the 1911 Census - Ethel is 6 months’ old, living with her mother also named Ethel (b.1885) and brother Bernard H (b.1906). The family are living at 25 St Mary’s Rd, Gillingham, Kent with aunt (mother’s sister), uncle and cousins.

In the 1911 Census father Bernard (1884) is with the 14th Kings Hassars, Bangalore, India. Could young Ethel have been born outside of the UK?

:-)

What does 1911 say is her birthplace?

Have you found her brother’s birth?

In 1921 she is Ethel STEVENS, living with mother, (half) brother and FATHER Peter Stevens

Born Rochester, Kent age 10 yrs 8 monthst

Mother married Peter Stevens in 1920

Bernard's Service Record has the following entry which may be of interest...


Spring, Bernard Joseph (4484)
Birth Place Clapham, Surrey, England

"Pte Spring states that he has been separated from his wife since 1906 and that
he has instigated divorce proceedings against" (rest of page is missing) (19 Jan 1918)

later in the record..

"Trooper Spring stated he was married 19th August 1905. The address of his wife is 10 Roupell Buildings, Christ Church Rd, Brixton, London" (4 Dec 1917)

Not seeing anything in the record regarding children

Looks like Bernard did 12 years with the Hussars left in 1913 with Army reserves until August 1914.
BEF 22 Aug 1914 -22 March 1919 RAVC (Veterinary Corps)

Further ...

Bernard was in India from 05/09/1906 for 6yrs 211 days
Returned Home 03 April 1913

Ethel and brother Bernard both born in Brixton, according to 1911 census transcription
ADDED: - but see ErikaH's post at 09:54 on 24 Feb.

Parents' marriage:

Marriages Sep 1905 (>99%)
Oades Ethel Wandsworth 1d 1324
Spring Bernard Joseph Wandsworth 1d 1324


SPRING, BERNARD HENRY mmn OADES
GRO Reference: 1906 M Quarter in WANDSWORTH Volume 01D Page 729

There is a divorce record on an Ancestry tree which suggest that Ethel was living with Peter Stevens, a stoker with the Royal Fleet Reserve, for about 8 years since 1909.

This would support ErikaH's entry 23 Feb 2026 20:56 that Stevens is Ethel's father.

Decree Nici 18 Oct 1918
Final Decree 5 May 1919

Young Ethel's birth:

STEVENS, ETHEL mmn OADIS
GRO Reference: 1910 D Quarter in MEDWAY Volume 02A Page 678

Ethel and Bernard's divorce paperwork says that Ethel had been living with Peter Stevens since about September 1909 - so young Ethel was Peter's child.

Bernard senior claims he only had one living child with Ethel - young Bernard.
ADDED: " . .living issue . . . . one child . . ."


From Ancestry - the document comprises 16 images:

Ethel Spring
in the England & Wales, Civil Divorce Records, 1858-1918
Name Ethel Spring
Gender Female
Type Husband's Petition For Divorce [Hd]
Petition Date 1917
Spouse
Bernard Joseph Spring
Co-Respondent 1 Peter Stevens
Divorce Court File Number 325
Item Number 325

Just for info……the IMAGE of 1911 has NO record of birthplaces for either of Ethel’s children.

ALSO - The mother says she has had 3 children, one of whom has died

In 1939, the surname is written StePHens………living in Croydon

The daughter is not with her parents and half-brother

Ethel & Bernard's child who died, as indicated by 1911 census info:

Birth:
SPRING, ROBERT mmn OADES
GRO Reference: 1908 J Quarter in LAMBETH Volume 01D Page 485

Death:
SPRING, ROBERT 0
GRO Reference: 1908 S Quarter in ST GEORGE HANOVER SQUARE Volume 01A Page 255

On PC now - therefore able to C&P
1921 Census Of England & Wales
3, Ronpell Buildings, Garden Lane, Wandsworth Borough, London & Surrey, England
Peter Stevens Head Male 1888 32 Liverpool, Lancashire, England Gas Stoker South Met Gas C/o
Ethel Stevens Wife Female 1885 35 Brixton, London, England Home Duties -
Bernard Spring Step-son Male 1906 15 Balham, London, England Errand Boy Franks Chemist
Ethel Stevens Daughter Female 1910 10 Rochester, Kent, England - -
Elizabeth Oades Sister-in-law Female 1901 20 Brixton, London, England Tailoress Kaufmans


1939 Register
9 Northborough Road, Croydon, Croydon C.B., Surrey, England
Peter Stephens 01 Sep 1888 Male Gas Stoker (Heavy Worker) Married 6 1
Ethel Stephens 20 Jul 1885 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 6 2
Bernard Spring 21 Jan 1906 Male Driving Car Attendant Single 6 3

Name Bernard Spring
Electoral Date 1930
Street Address 3 Roupell Buildings
Ward or Division/Constituency Putney, Streatham and Central
County or Borough Wandsworth, England

With his mother and stepfather. Half-sister not eligible to vote

Deaths 1987 (>99%)
SPRING BERNARD HENRY 21JA1906 CROYDON 11 1334

??????

Marriages Jun 1930 (>99%)
RAVENSWOOD Evelyn C Stevens Wandsworth 1d 1438
Stevens Ethel Ravenswood Wandsworth 1d 1438

1939 Register
11 Northborough Road, Croydon, Croydon C.B., Surrey, England
First name(s) Last name(s) Birth date Sex Occupation Marital status Schedule Schedule sub number
Evelyn C Rowenswood 12 Oct 1899 Male Transport Inspector Lptb Married 7 1
Ethel Ketskemety (Rowenswood) 04 Oct 1910 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married 7 2
The record for this person is officially closed. (birth on freebmd)

Marriages Jun 1961 (>99%)
KETSKEMETY Alfred L RAVENSWOOD Croydon 5g 150
RAVENSWOOD Ethel KETSKEMETY Croydon 5g 150

Deaths Mar 1981 (>99%)
KETSKEMETY ETHEL 4OC1910 CROYDON 11 2213

Deaths 1986 (>99%)
KETSKEMETY ALFRED LEONARD R 4JY1901 CROYDON 11 1908

_________________________________________________

Births Mar 1900 (>99%)
Ravenswood Evelyn Cecil Croydon 2a 225

Marriages Jun 1954 (>99%)
Ravenswood Evelyn C Row Croydon 5g 166
Row Margaret D Ravenswood Croydon 5g 166

Deaths Jun 1975 (>99%)
Ravenswood Evelyn Cecil 12oc1899 Croydon 11 2033

Marriages Mar 1940 (>99%)
Hatcher Doreen W Spring Midhurst 2b 1477
Spring Bernard H Hatcher Midhurst & Petworth 2b 1477

First name(s) Doreen W
County Sussex
Last name(s) Spring (Hatcher)
Country England
Birth date 19 Apr 1914
E. D. letter code ENHY
Birth day 19
Birth month 4
Birth year 1914
Archive reference RG101/2631F/002/29
Sex Female
Piece number 2631F
Institutional role Officer
Item number 2
Marital status Single
Line number 29
Occupation Assistant Nurse
Record set 1939 Register
Address Midhurst Institution West Sussex County Council West Sussex, Casbourne, Midhurst, Eastbourne
Category Census, land & surveys
Place Midhurst R.D.
Subcategory Census
Borough / district Midhurst R.D.

Deaths Dec 1972 (>99%)
SPRING DOREEN WINNIE 19AP1914 MIDHURST 5H 1986

Once again thank you everyone for all your help and the info now made available to me. Was proving to be so frustrating but now crystal clear, as Ethel father turns out to be Peter Stevens not Bernard Spring. :-)