From GOLDSMITH to HEPBURN. Why?

[Daft Bat]

Bettina Kathleen GOLDSMITH (my Mum's second cousin) was born on 8th September 1922 to Herbert Alfred GOLDSMITH and Fanny Esther née POTTER in Eastbourne, Sussex.

The 1939 Register has Bettina living at Springfield, The Crossways, Hailsham, Sussex, and working as a Nursery Gardener.

The London Gazette of 14th January 1947 ran the following announcement.



Bettina had 3 children registered under the surname of HEPBURN (1942, 1946 and 1948) and showing the maiden name of GOLDSMITH.

A bit of a mystery but...

~ why HEPBURN?
~ why change her name by deed poll?
~ who was the missing father of her children?
~ am I going to have to cough up the dosh to buy a birth certificate for one of the children to find out?

Note: Bettina died on 3rd August 2001.

 

[Archie's Mum]

Did Herbert and Fanny have any other children or was she an only child?
Maybe she was born Hepburn and handed over at birth to the Goldsmiths who duly registered her as a Goldsmith. Perhaps there was a drift with her adopted parents.....that’s all I can think of. It seems rather harsh the way it is stated. She definately states she is a spinster.
I will say though that All the notices have the same wording.

 

[Steve Bumstead]

Could she have been living with a Mr Hepburn (presumably the father of her children) whom she couldn't marry because he was already married?

 

[Daft Bat]

Could she have been living with a Mr Hepburn (presumably the father of her children) whom she couldn't marry because he was already married?

Good thinking.

 

[Daft Bat]

Did Herbert and Fanny have any other children or was she an only child?

They had 3 others:
Irene - 1911
Dorothy - 1914
Gladys - 1916

 

[Archie's Mum]

Did you notice that her new name wasn’t registered until 2001?
Oops. That was her death....

 

[AnnB]

I know it doesn't help with your question, but I thought you might like these - sorry if you've already seen them.

Sussex Agricultural Express 21st November 1958
This is from an article about the Duke of Norfolk attending the Sussex Handicraft Exhibition for the Disabled
After being thanked by the Mayor of Eastbourne (Councillor J.W.G. Howlett) the Duke stepped down from the stage to receive from Miss Dorothy Goldsmith – who is crippled with rheumatoid arthritis and lives at Stone Cross – a toy felt horse decked in racing colours.

This photo is from another local paper and shows Dorothy with the Duke.


Eastbourne Gazette 3rd December 1958
Southdown bus drivers never fail to sound their hooters as they go by the home of 44 year old Miss Dorothy Goldsmith, of Blacknest, Stone Cross. Even at night and in the winter the drivers flash their headlights when they pass to let her know that they are thinking of her. Miss Goldsmith has been incapacitated since she was a young girl and consequently has had to remain in her home, seeing the world through her windows. About eight years ago her younger sister, Muriel, who is now married, used to walk with her in her wheel-chair into Eastbourne, along the promenade, through the town to Polegate and then home again along the Polegate road. At Christmas most of the busmen on the Stone Cross route visit Dorothy and her mother.

 

[Daft Bat]

Thanks, @AnnB I knew that Dorothy had a disability - she was recorded as "Incapacitated" in 1939 but that certainly adds more details to her story.

She died in 1967.

 

[arthurk]

Bettina had 3 children registered under the surname of HEPBURN (1942, 1946 and 1948) and showing the maiden name of GOLDSMITH.

Could she have been living with a Mr Hepburn (presumably the father of her children) whom she couldn't marry because he was already married?

Did you notice that at FreeBMD these three births are indexed under both Goldsmith and Hepburn? The one in 1948 has a comment added: "Entry reads Goldsmith or Hepburn for Mother's maiden surname".

Bettina left a will which was proved on 3 Sep 2001. It might not add much to what's been found, although if Mr H was still alive it may well tell you his full name.

 

[AnnB]

There are some interesting (and weird) facts about why people change their name by deed poll, and the whole deed poll service at

https://www.deedpoll.org.uk/why-do-people-change-their-name/

 

[Daft Bat]

Did you notice that at FreeBMD these three births are indexed under both Goldsmith and Hepburn? The one in 1948 has a comment added: "Entry reads Goldsmith or Hepburn for Mother's maiden surname".

Bettina left a will which was proved on 3 Sep 2001. It might not add much to what's been found, although if Mr H was still alive it may well tell you his full name.

Thanks, @arthurk . Curiosity got the better of me a week or so ago and I now have a copy of the will. No clues, though.

 

[Daft Bat]

There are some interesting (and weird) facts about why people change their name by deed poll, and the whole deed poll service at

https://www.deedpoll.org.uk/why-do-people-change-their-name/

Interesting stuff!

 

[Andromeda]

I suspect that Mr Hepburn may have been George Murray Hepburn born 18/09/1909 (Scotland) & died 1992 Eastbourne. One of the Hepburn children also appears to have the middle name Murray.

Someone by that name married in Canada in 1932

 

[Daft Bat]

I suspect that Mr Hepburn may have been George Murray Hepburn born 18/09/1909 (Scotland) & died 1992 Eastbourne. One of the Hepburn children also appears to have the middle name Murray.

Someone by that name married in Canada in 1932

Ooh! Nice one! Certainly worth further investigation.

 

[Half Hour]

The George Murray Hepburn in Canada married in Montreal in 1932. It names his father as George and mother as deceased. In 1926 a George Hepburn and children from Scotland arrived in Canada. Son George is listed as one of those children.

 

[Daft Bat]

Thanks @Half Hour