Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Morning, well I’m in here obviously to find out more about my family history from the Liverpool region but have run into brick walls everywhere I look.
The man I am chasing is my grandfather Albert Gee and I am trying to ascertain his actual parents and confirm siblings. I only have the following information which becomes a wee bit hairy due to the lack of record keeping skills that our forefathers employed:

- 11 May 1942 Albert dies onboard HMS Lively in the Med (went down with the ship)
- 12 Jan 1932 Albert marries Myer (Meryle) Elizabeth Pine
- 11 Feb 1915 Albert enlists in the RN and starts his Naval career onboard HMS Impregnable.
- 10 July 1897 Albert was born (according to RN Personnel File).
- Albert’s parents appear to be Benjamin Gee and May Gee (although I’ve also found a reference to a Jane Maria Gee – maiden name Bowden born approx 1874) and could have been married 1897 in Cheshire.
- There appear to have been two children born before Albert from a previous marriage to “Mary” possibly in Toxteth Park; siblings were Mable Gee (b.1889 or 1890) and May Gee (b.1891 or 92) who also shows up in the 1911 English Census as a border and employed as a Corset Maker.

- 1891 Census, Benjamin and Household- Household Members
First Last Name Relationship Year Of Birth Age
BENJAMIN GEE HEAD 1863 28
ANNI GEE WIFE 1863 28
MABEL GEE DAUGHTER 1889 2

- The 1901 UK Census Benjamin and kids at different household?
ABRAM GEE HEAD 42 1859 LIVERPOOL (Residential Family)
EMMA GEE WIFE 44 1857 LIVERPOOL
BENJAMIN GEE BROTHER 38 1863 LIVERPOOL (Brother of Abram or Emma??)
MABLE GEE NIECE 11 1890 LIVERPOOL (Same Mabel as 1891 census?)
MAY GEE NIECE 9 1892 LIVERPOOL
ALBERT GEE NEPHEW 3 1898 LIVERPOOL

There was mention of Albert being at the orphanage is similar institution (maybe Church Road, Wavertree, Liverpool) but have had no response from Wavertree as yet. I understand that Wavertree was used as an orphanage style institute for some time during this period – any idea of a reliable email address I could use to forward requests to would be appreciated.

So this is the point where I come stuck and it all gets sticky; I am currently awaiting response from the Commonwealth War Graves commission to see if I can get information on Albert’s parents through their record archives - but these things do sometimes take time.

So can anyone assist with confirmation of any dates/names/timelines etc for Benjamin Gee and May/Anni/Jane Gee and of Mable(Mabel) and May, his sisters?

Appreciated, Pete

Baptism, St Peter, Liverpool
Albert Gee, Bn 10 July, Bap, 16 Aug, 1897
Parents, Benjamin Gee, Painter,
Annie.

Marriage, St Michael, Toxteth, 1887.
Benjamin Gee, Painter,
Annie Tickle

Cheers for that Bert; well that confirms one wife at least and now I will wait to see what other information filters through over the next few days and then continue the quest.
Regards, Pete

Mabel Gee
Baptism
22 May 1889
Toxteth Park, St John the Baptist
Benjamin Gee
Annie Gee

May Gee
Birth
24 Dec 1891
Baptism
7 Feb 1892
Princes Park, St Paul
Beryamin Gee, Painter
Ann Eliza Gee

I think Annie and Ann Eliza is,


Hannah Eliza Tickle
Baptism
1 Jun 1862
Toxteth Park, St John the Baptist
John Tickle, Mariner.
Hannah Tickle

Possible death,

Annie Eliza Gee, 1901
Bn 1863
March Qtr, Toxteth, 8b 137

Ok well if Annie did die in 1901 then that could explain why Benjamin and the three children were recorded as staying with Abram and Emma Gee during the 1901 UK Census.

Perplexing though is the fact that I have memorial documentation from Albert’s death that clearly states that he was the son of Benjamin and May Gee.
Unless of course the RN had the name of his eldest sister May in the next of kin of kin paperwork (which would make perfect sense as the mother was already dead and it was war time) and then when he died during WWII; then it was accidentally transposed in alongside the name of Benjamin (if Benjamin was still alive?).

Thanks for your help thus far Bert, appreciated

I think its likely his sister, for elimination purposes, no marriage took place between 1870 & 1940 in England & Wales, Benjamin Gee and a May ???, that I can see.

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure that the birth certificate for Albert will be of benefit to you since the baptism Bert found matches the details on his naval documents as to the exact date of birth, and would appear to concur with the marriage also, however, if you wanted to be 100% sure of his mother's maiden name you could order the birth certificate online at www.gro.gov.uk at a cost of £9.25 using the following details

Births Sep 1897
Gee Albert Toxteth Park 8b 188

Can you please give the full details from his marriage certificate and also tell us where the two different references to parents names come from.

KiwiPete wrote: - Albert’s parents appear to be Benjamin Gee and May Gee (although I’ve also found a reference to a Jane Maria Gee – maiden name Bowden born approx 1874) and could have been married 1897 in Cheshire.

Benjamin Gee/Jane Maria Bowden
married 1897, Stockport, 8a 77

1911 census they declare married 13 years and no children, can be discarded.

RG14; Piece: 21316

Yes, they shouldn't come into it at all, good one Bert

Also May Gee, 1911, Corset Maker, born Manchester can also be discarded,

1911, RG14 P23725
1901, RG13; Piece: 3679; Folio: 19; Page: 29

For the crew,

1946,
Ship, Rimutaka,
depart, Liverpool,
Destination, New Zealand.

Couple more of Albert's siblings, same parents details.

Benjamin Gee, Bn 24 July 1899, St Peter
Ethel Gee, Bn 31 March, 1896 St Cleopas,

Addresses at baptisms,

Mabel, 1889, Admiral St, Liverpool.
May, 1891, Beresford Rd,
Ethel, 1896, Beresford Rd
Albert, 1897, Greig St
Benjamin, 1899, Greig St.

1871 Census: 43 Beresford Rd

Piece No: 3801
Folio: 114
Page: 20


Joseph Gee / head / mar / 50 / Porter / ?? Lancashire
Ann Gee / wife / mar / 47 / Ribchester, Lancashire
William Gee / son / unm / 22 / Labourer / Liverpool
Joseph Gee /son / unm / 20 / Labourer / Liverpool
Martha Gee / daur / unm / 15 / Liverpool
Abram Gee / son / 12 / Liverpool
Benjamin Gee / son / 9 / Liverpool
Sarah Gee / daur / 6 / Liverpool

The Annie Eliza Gee who died in 1901 is buried in Toxteth Park Cemetery. Details from the TP website:

GEE Annie Eliza
Age: 38 years
Address: 17 Grieg Street
Buried: 20 January 1901
Folio: 4359
Entry: 86887
Consecrated, Section 13, Grave 549
Folio: 352 CEM 9/1/18

The address ties in with the baptisms of Albert's younger siblings so this does appear to be his mother.

Alison

Alison C wrote:The Annie Eliza Gee who died in 1901 is buried in Toxteth Park Cemetery. Details from the TP website:

GEE Annie Eliza
Age: 38 years
Address: 17 Grieg Street
Buried: 20 January 1901
Folio: 4359
Entry: 86887
Consecrated, Section 13, Grave 549
Folio: 352 CEM 9/1/18


The address ties in with the baptisms of Albert's younger siblings so this does appear to be his mother.

Alison

Young Benjamin and Ethel are also there.

There is also a grave in TP for Benjamin Gee, his parents and brother Joseph

Consecrated, section C Right, grave 338

Surname Forename Age Rank Address Buried Folio Entry C/N Section Grave Class

GEE Ann
Age: 67 years
Rank: Widow
Address: 13 Paulton Street
Buried: 28 March 1891
Folio,Entry: 3471,69403
Class: 352 CEM 9/1/14

GEE Benjamin
Age: 45 years
Rank: Painter
Address: Riversdale Road Liverpool
Buried: 30 May 1908
Folio, Entry: 4993, 99515
Class: 352 CEM 9/1/20

GEE Joseph
Age: 50 years
Rank: Labourer
Address: 13 Paulton Street
Buried: 6 December 1900
Folio, Entry: 4347, 86659
Class: 352 CEM 9/1/18

GEE Joseph
Age: 71 years
Rank: Clerk
Address: 13 Paulton Street
Buried: 31 August 1890
Folio,entry: 3415, 68266
Class: 352 CEM 9/1/14

(The Toxteth Park Cemetery website also shows an Olive Sheldon Brown as being buried in this grave. However, I think this is a typo as the TP inscriptions website shows Olive as being in a different grave with a different family)

Here is the grave for Albert's little brother Benjamin:
GEE Benjamin
Age: 10 months
Rank: Infant
Address: 17 Greig Street
Buried: 30 May 1900
Folio, entry: 4304, 85791
Class: 352 CEM 9/1/17