"Lost" children in 1911

[brentor boy]

The 1911 census gives the total number of children born to a couple, and the number still alive and those predeceased in 1911. As children frequently died in their early years and, most inconsiderately, between censuses, does anyone have any tips for tracing these "lost" children?

I have assumed a gap of more than three years between known children could indicate a premature death. If, helpfully, all other children were registered at the same location, I have looked for the death of a child of tender years in that area before the next following census. In one instance I was fortunate enough to find only one potential candidate but in another I found a multitude of possibilities. The forenames of the children gave no clue.

Any suggestion how I might further reduce the list before making contact with the Register Office?

 

[Tim]

Hi Brentor Boy!

I tend to use FreeBMD, Family Search and Ancestry when trying to locate missing children.

Depending on which one I'm using, you can search by either surnames or surnames and first names of the parents.

In FreeBMD for example, you can select Births and Deaths, restrict the year range and restrict the area down to a very narrow area. Now you can see names that were born and died very close together. Obviously if you have a very common surname then as you mention, you could still get a large number or results.

What area are you searching? The local OPC's are also a good source if they are available for your area.

 

[Liberty]

The 1911 census gives the total number of children born to a couple, and the number still alive and those predeceased in 1911. As children frequently died in their early years and, most inconsiderately, between censuses, does anyone have any tips for tracing these "lost" children?

I have assumed a gap of more than three years between known children could indicate a premature death. If, helpfully, all other children were registered at the same location, I have looked for the death of a child of tender years in that area before the next following census. In one instance I was fortunate enough to find only one potential candidate but in another I found a multitude of possibilities. The forenames of the children gave no clue.

Any suggestion how I might further reduce the list before making contact with the Register Office?

My sympathies!
Only when I looked at the 1911 image dd I find my GGM had 4 children who died. Complete news to all of us. I did what you did, but it is depressing how many Campbells died in South Shields at age 0 in the likely time span. I identified one great aunt because of a Christian name (and then found her baptism record), but the other 3 are still a mystery. And if they died before they were christened, there seems no other route but to get the certificates.

 

[brentor boy]

Thanks, Tim and Liberty.

My area of interest is Wales, which is poorly represented on Family Search and I have exhausted the potential of Free BMD and Ancestry. The OPC network is effectively non-existent in the Rhondda and with no idea in which of the many chapels the children may have been baptised, that route is a no go. It looks like a personal visit in the hope of finding a helpful Registrar. Certainly in distance dealing with local Register Offices, I have had nothing but kindness. I was just hoping that there might have been a short cut of which I was unaware.

 

[SuzanneD]

Find My Past has good coverage of Welsh parishes in that part of the country, although not non-conformist chapels - but see their notes on coverage. You may be able to at least narrow your search without paying for a subscription/credits.