The 1939 Register

At the outbreak of war on the 3rd of September 1939, the British Government declared that September the 29^th would be National Registration Day. Over 41 million people were issued with identity cards on that day and a register was compiled of every household in the UK. This register is now available online and provides extra information for family historians amongst others.

Mabel Alice Rolfe had been married for 20 years by 1939 to Douglas Thomson. Douglas was employed as an Aircraft Panel Beater and the couple were living at 85 Jenkins Grove, Portsmouth.

Extract from 1939 Register for Mabel and Douglas Thomson

A record is officially closed if it is possible for the person to still be living; is it feasible that the two entries underneath Mabel and Douglas are children of the couple?  I have come across a boy and girl born to a Rolfe/Thomson couple within the right time frame. An Eileen D Thomson who married twice, the first time in 1943 to a person called Walter Davies and in 1950 Eileen Davies nee Thomson married Thomas Wheeler. A Raymond J Thomson married Hazel M Slater in 1942. Did Mabel and Douglas have children? If so are these the right offspring? Did they themselves have children? If so where are they, will they contact this blog at some stage to add even more information to the Rolfe family history?

Extract from 1939 Register for William and Elizabeth Rolfe 

10 Back Roker Terrace in Sunderland where William and Elizabeth Rolfe are shown living is, I assume, the cottage behind the Roker Hotel. 

Extract from 1939 Register for Alf and Rose Rolfe

This register entry finally gives the clue needed to track down  the name of Alf's wife. Although known as Rose it appears that her full name was Emily Rose Gubbin and that she married Alf in 1932. With this information it should have been easy enough to find where she was born but no such luck. Her birth date is shown as the 13th of May 1890 but I cannot find a birth registration for her. As she and Alf did not marry until 1932 it is possible that Emily Rose had been married before and that the marriage registration shows her married name. Something to research later.

Extract from 1939 Register for Julia and Alfred Colmer

Julia and Alf Colmer are living at 186A Alexandra Road, Hampstead in London and Alf is working as a carpenter and joiner.

Extract from 1939 Register for Philip Rolfe

Philip appears to be at work as a nurse on the day the register was taken, there is no sign of Harriet.