Re: Changing names

JohnB wrote:
There's a story in our family about an Uncle Edwin that emigrated to
Canada and the next thing they know,"he" is Aunty Edwina. This would
have been maybe 1930s. Did they do the "operation" then or would this
be just a behavioural change?

Annoyingly, I can't find an Edwin in the family tree so I can't be
sure what his/her surname was - and those that might have remembered
are no longer there to ask. I can find a Walter Edwin Mouncey (b
1871) who would seem a little old to do something so drastic in the
30s but it at least proves that the name Edwin was used in the family.

Anyway, all this leads me on to another point. I don't know if Edwin
ever changed his name officially but many people do and have done. Is
there any on line resource for name change (by deed poll, by adoption,
any other means?) and indeed has it always been a legal procedure?

Free BMD throws up these two birth registrations
Births Mar 1912 (>99%)
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Mouncey Edwin L Cross Wandsworth 1d 1402

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Births Dec 1919 (>99%)
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Mouncey Edwin Thorndyke Glanford B. 7a 1326



Also, I'd consider the possibility of Mouncey being transcribed as Muncy, which yields these 4 entries in 1901 Census



Edwin Muncey Laura abt 1887 Dulwich, London, England Son Camberwell, London
View Record

Edwin Muncey Emma abt 1855 Marylebone, London, England Head Paddington, London
View Record

Edwin Muncey W,
M abt 1895 Willesden, London, England Son Paddington, London
View Record

Edwin W Muncey abt 1875 Paddington, London, England Boarder St Margaret At Cliffe, Kent
.