Discussion
The 1921 census has been a bit of a puzzle for my research. My Grandfather (19 at the time) is apparently missing - possibly abroad - he's not with his family.
A first cousin twice removed (Thomas Archibald Hall b. 18/11/1890) who has been a struggle to trace, appears with a wife I never knew about (Kate Elizabeth (Hall) b. 28/12/1890 Earlsfield, Surrey). True to form, she appears apparently impossible to identify as well. No marriage record, no obvious birth or death records either. They are together in the 1939 register, but nowhere else.
I'm frustrated because, of all the lost cousins I have found, I have what appear to be affectionate photographs of him in the 1900's and 1910's. He was brought up by my Great Grandparents after his father died at an early age. I then discovered he went to the same school as my father and I, which appears to be a complete coincidence. He was injured in Gallipoli (lost a finger and hand damage) as a private, made it home, convalesced and then joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment as an officer. Despite his injuries he became a dental surgeon.
I think I have his death, but not much else. Not sure why I keep wanting to find out more about him, but as with so much of this research, there is a feeling that something of their lives ought to be remembered in any way possible.
A first cousin twice removed (Thomas Archibald Hall b. 18/11/1890) who has been a struggle to trace, appears with a wife I never knew about (Kate Elizabeth (Hall) b. 28/12/1890 Earlsfield, Surrey). True to form, she appears apparently impossible to identify as well. No marriage record, no obvious birth or death records either. They are together in the 1939 register, but nowhere else.
I'm frustrated because, of all the lost cousins I have found, I have what appear to be affectionate photographs of him in the 1900's and 1910's. He was brought up by my Great Grandparents after his father died at an early age. I then discovered he went to the same school as my father and I, which appears to be a complete coincidence. He was injured in Gallipoli (lost a finger and hand damage) as a private, made it home, convalesced and then joined the Royal Berkshire Regiment as an officer. Despite his injuries he became a dental surgeon.
I think I have his death, but not much else. Not sure why I keep wanting to find out more about him, but as with so much of this research, there is a feeling that something of their lives ought to be remembered in any way possible.
I'm about to start reading this thread. from the beginning. Fascinating subject isn't it. Though some folk I talk to simply shrug their shoulders and ask 'why do you want to know about your ancestors'?!!!
Our family tree was researched a few years ago, as far back as 1723 but only recorded in text and notes etc.We have never had an actual tree diagram to add the details to. I've recently built the tree using MyHeritage which is really good and free. But to see matches to census and to other members trees I had to subscribe, but this has allowed me to expand our tree quite a lot. I may sub to ancestry when I'e exploited MyHeritage just incase there is any other info to be discovered.
Would really love to have everything printed off so there is a physical record the tree.
Off now to read this thread from the beginning.....
Our family tree was researched a few years ago, as far back as 1723 but only recorded in text and notes etc.We have never had an actual tree diagram to add the details to. I've recently built the tree using MyHeritage which is really good and free. But to see matches to census and to other members trees I had to subscribe, but this has allowed me to expand our tree quite a lot. I may sub to ancestry when I'e exploited MyHeritage just incase there is any other info to be discovered.
Would really love to have everything printed off so there is a physical record the tree.
Off now to read this thread from the beginning.....
Edited by LeadFarmer on Sunday 6th February 11:17
My surname is Dales, and my tree shows that a Dales married a Dale around 1900, which is interesting.
Been trying to find out if we are the same Dales that made Dales Dubbin, but so far no joy..
It was invented some time up to 1811 by John Dales, and there is a John Dales appearing in my tree around that time, but haven't found actual evidence to prove the link yet
Been trying to find out if we are the same Dales that made Dales Dubbin, but so far no joy..
It was invented some time up to 1811 by John Dales, and there is a John Dales appearing in my tree around that time, but haven't found actual evidence to prove the link yet
I had an interesting development recently. I've been delving into my family tree on line for a few years and a year or so ago was given a DNA test kit which I spat into and sent off. It resulted in the revelation that I am, by birth, slightly more Scottish (42%) than English (41%) with Scandinavian connections (17%).
I am adopted, my original birth certificate has no name against 'father' so although I'd been able to trace my birth mother's family back to Fife I've had no way of tracing my birth father.
A couple of months ago a message popped up from my DNA test which I'd shared on line. The message was from someone who reckoned he was a close relation, a first cousin in fact. When I looked at his photo - we could be brothers.
I know he's not from my birth mother's side of the family but I've been in touch and explained my background and that I don't have much information for him. I know I have a half brother (and possibly a half sister) as my birth mother later married but I haven't disclosed her name or background as I never tried to contact her or her family; I'm pretty sure she's no longer alive though her son (my half brother) would be in his late 50s.
I should add that 95% of my research has been into my my Mum's and Dad's families, my adoptive parents. This latest development has just been an intriguing diversion.
I am adopted, my original birth certificate has no name against 'father' so although I'd been able to trace my birth mother's family back to Fife I've had no way of tracing my birth father.
A couple of months ago a message popped up from my DNA test which I'd shared on line. The message was from someone who reckoned he was a close relation, a first cousin in fact. When I looked at his photo - we could be brothers.
I know he's not from my birth mother's side of the family but I've been in touch and explained my background and that I don't have much information for him. I know I have a half brother (and possibly a half sister) as my birth mother later married but I haven't disclosed her name or background as I never tried to contact her or her family; I'm pretty sure she's no longer alive though her son (my half brother) would be in his late 50s.
I should add that 95% of my research has been into my my Mum's and Dad's families, my adoptive parents. This latest development has just been an intriguing diversion.
vaud said:
Quite.
I am always skeptical of those that claim to have their family tree back to 1450, etc as the data is really, really unreliable unless you were royalty.
Family trees are full of lies, deceit, new lives being created, deep secrets and poor literacy.
I have managed to trace my Maternal grandfather line back to 1650 (possibly!), though I am only 100% sure as far back as my great grandfather born in 1833, and the percentage certainty drops for each generation before him.I am always skeptical of those that claim to have their family tree back to 1450, etc as the data is really, really unreliable unless you were royalty.
Family trees are full of lies, deceit, new lives being created, deep secrets and poor literacy.
One grandfather lied about the age of his bride-to-be and that both sets of parents were dead, as she was under the age where she could marry without parental consent. Lots more where Dates of Birth were 'massaged' to suit the events.
Abbott said:
I heard the other day that before the invention of the bicycle the average distance for relationships was about a mile. It expanded to 30 miles after. One branch of my family in Norfolk certainly backs that up. The weren't falling very far from the tree. 
I assume that bloodlines became healthier once people were allowed to travel more easily. The arrival of trains would have greatly helped.Interesting topic with good tales 
I've always known since a young age that my fathers side of the family are German - my grandmother was a German divorcee, and married a British soldier in 1948, and then emigrated to the UK with her daughter and son from her first marriage (my father was 11 when he came here)
Information about his father (born in 1904) has always been sketchy/rarely discussed, and sadly both my grandmother, my aunt and my dad are all deceased, but I had a reasonable amount of scraps of information about him to start making investigations. His surname was quite uncommon, but all complicated by the language barrier, missing records from the war period, as well as the difficult to understand gothic font that many documents & sources from Germany pre-1945 were printed in.
I decided back in 2020 during initial lockdown to make a proper effort to investigate as much as possible - my main fear was that I'd turn up some horrible history or NSDAP associations. What I did know for certain was that he survived the war after being invalided away from the Stalingrad battle area with kidney issues, had been married three times, had no contact with my father & aunt after 1948 and that he died in 1975 after being in ill health for a number of years. My father was only able to track down his actual grave in the late 1990s after some effort. My grandmother (his 2nd wife) had destroyed most pictures of him/literally cut him out of photos, but some still existed.
Turns out German information resources are pretty well run and have a lot more information than I anticipated. Pre & post war telephone books also showed addresses for him, which tallied with other sources to confirm it was the right person I was researching.
So far, I've been able to track down his actual war record cards and now have copies - they show he was a bicycle messenger/lance corporal in a military unit, and was a locksmith before being called up in 1940. Invalided out due to ill health in 1944, but survived otherwise unscathed.
Local church records in his birth village have assisted hugely in tracking down extended family names - my grandfather was one child of about 12, so there are multiple brothers/sisters & cousins. The records have helped to check & double check names, as it seems to have been quite common for the same names to be repeated down the generations. With a high degree of accuracy, I've been able to trace back the paternal family line to the late 1600s
It turns out, quite by accident, I share my first name with my 6th time great grandfather from the 1600s
I also contacted the local town council in Germany to find out if my grandfather's grave still exists in the town cemetery (it's common in Germany for grave plots to be 'leased' for say 20-25 years, and then the bones removed, unless the 'lease' is renewed) - got a very helpful reply confirming that the grave still exists together with the exact plot number and that it had been renewed relatively recently - I understand that my father's younger half brother is also buried in the plot, so assume that branch of the family still exist and keep up the lease.
Again during lockdown, I asked on a community Facebook page for the German town if anyone knew the cemetery well, and got a reply from a helpful person offering to go visit and take pictures. When I explained the name history...the person was a little shocked, as it turns out my grandfather's third wife stayed next door to the person for quite a few years after she was widowed in 1975...talk about coincidences!
I'd also contacted the local church in the German village that his family name is concentrated in to see what sort of records they still might have, and they've been very helpful - next step is to sometime go over to the church and see their very old birth, marriage and death records in person. Through newspaper records, I've also been able to get actual scanned copies of things like my great grandfathers obituary from 1919, the birth notice of my grandmother from 1911 amongst other verifiable stuff!
I've also been able to clear up some mysteries about the fates of several older relatives & uncles of my father - a few survived the war, but several ended up in unmarked mass military graves in Russia/Poland/Belarus, which has been confirmed by their war graves commission.
I've been able to track down the confirmed locations of two military graves in Germany for my grandmothers two brothers, one killed in 1941 and one of whom was killed on a bombed Red Cross train in 1945 - I now have all the information needed, if I wish to go visit these massive cemeteries.
Useful sites for me have been:
www.ancestry.com
https://www.volksbund.de/en/together-for-peace - equivalent of our War Graves Commission
https://zeitpunkt.nrw/ulbms/periodical/titleinfo/4... - scanned & searchable newspapers for various locales dating back to the 1800s
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/EN/Navigation/Home/hom... - German Federal Archives, equivalent to our National Records at Kew
I've always known since a young age that my fathers side of the family are German - my grandmother was a German divorcee, and married a British soldier in 1948, and then emigrated to the UK with her daughter and son from her first marriage (my father was 11 when he came here)
Information about his father (born in 1904) has always been sketchy/rarely discussed, and sadly both my grandmother, my aunt and my dad are all deceased, but I had a reasonable amount of scraps of information about him to start making investigations. His surname was quite uncommon, but all complicated by the language barrier, missing records from the war period, as well as the difficult to understand gothic font that many documents & sources from Germany pre-1945 were printed in.
I decided back in 2020 during initial lockdown to make a proper effort to investigate as much as possible - my main fear was that I'd turn up some horrible history or NSDAP associations. What I did know for certain was that he survived the war after being invalided away from the Stalingrad battle area with kidney issues, had been married three times, had no contact with my father & aunt after 1948 and that he died in 1975 after being in ill health for a number of years. My father was only able to track down his actual grave in the late 1990s after some effort. My grandmother (his 2nd wife) had destroyed most pictures of him/literally cut him out of photos, but some still existed.
Turns out German information resources are pretty well run and have a lot more information than I anticipated. Pre & post war telephone books also showed addresses for him, which tallied with other sources to confirm it was the right person I was researching.
So far, I've been able to track down his actual war record cards and now have copies - they show he was a bicycle messenger/lance corporal in a military unit, and was a locksmith before being called up in 1940. Invalided out due to ill health in 1944, but survived otherwise unscathed.
Local church records in his birth village have assisted hugely in tracking down extended family names - my grandfather was one child of about 12, so there are multiple brothers/sisters & cousins. The records have helped to check & double check names, as it seems to have been quite common for the same names to be repeated down the generations. With a high degree of accuracy, I've been able to trace back the paternal family line to the late 1600s
It turns out, quite by accident, I share my first name with my 6th time great grandfather from the 1600s
I also contacted the local town council in Germany to find out if my grandfather's grave still exists in the town cemetery (it's common in Germany for grave plots to be 'leased' for say 20-25 years, and then the bones removed, unless the 'lease' is renewed) - got a very helpful reply confirming that the grave still exists together with the exact plot number and that it had been renewed relatively recently - I understand that my father's younger half brother is also buried in the plot, so assume that branch of the family still exist and keep up the lease.
Again during lockdown, I asked on a community Facebook page for the German town if anyone knew the cemetery well, and got a reply from a helpful person offering to go visit and take pictures. When I explained the name history...the person was a little shocked, as it turns out my grandfather's third wife stayed next door to the person for quite a few years after she was widowed in 1975...talk about coincidences!
I'd also contacted the local church in the German village that his family name is concentrated in to see what sort of records they still might have, and they've been very helpful - next step is to sometime go over to the church and see their very old birth, marriage and death records in person. Through newspaper records, I've also been able to get actual scanned copies of things like my great grandfathers obituary from 1919, the birth notice of my grandmother from 1911 amongst other verifiable stuff!
I've also been able to clear up some mysteries about the fates of several older relatives & uncles of my father - a few survived the war, but several ended up in unmarked mass military graves in Russia/Poland/Belarus, which has been confirmed by their war graves commission.
I've been able to track down the confirmed locations of two military graves in Germany for my grandmothers two brothers, one killed in 1941 and one of whom was killed on a bombed Red Cross train in 1945 - I now have all the information needed, if I wish to go visit these massive cemeteries.
Useful sites for me have been:
www.ancestry.com
https://www.volksbund.de/en/together-for-peace - equivalent of our War Graves Commission
https://zeitpunkt.nrw/ulbms/periodical/titleinfo/4... - scanned & searchable newspapers for various locales dating back to the 1800s
https://www.bundesarchiv.de/EN/Navigation/Home/hom... - German Federal Archives, equivalent to our National Records at Kew
Holy thread revival, Batman!
I’m looking at trying to trace two specific people, who I believe were from Ireland. Jeremiah and Henrietta Langan, born sometime around 1875ish, possibly in either County Mayo or Kerry. It’s possible Jeremiah was a farrier in the British Army, stationed in India. They had a son, Stephen Anthony born in India. But at that time in India, they didn’t really have birth certificates. I do have a copy of Stephen’s baptism certificate.
Now you’d think with quiet specific information like that, I’d be able to find something, but nope, I’ve got diddly squat.
Ancestry doesn’t seem to show many possible matches.
Id like to prove the Irish connection, it’s been a “known story” in the family, I just can’t seem to prove it and it’s bugging me.
Any other tips on where to search?
I’m looking at trying to trace two specific people, who I believe were from Ireland. Jeremiah and Henrietta Langan, born sometime around 1875ish, possibly in either County Mayo or Kerry. It’s possible Jeremiah was a farrier in the British Army, stationed in India. They had a son, Stephen Anthony born in India. But at that time in India, they didn’t really have birth certificates. I do have a copy of Stephen’s baptism certificate.
Now you’d think with quiet specific information like that, I’d be able to find something, but nope, I’ve got diddly squat.
Ancestry doesn’t seem to show many possible matches.
Id like to prove the Irish connection, it’s been a “known story” in the family, I just can’t seem to prove it and it’s bugging me.
Any other tips on where to search?
Having populated what I know about my family tree into Myheritage website, I received a message from a woman in Australia who is a relative on my mothers side. In the 1950's one of my relatives emigrated there and continued their family, with this woman marrying into it. Frustratingly for me I was the one who could provide her with more information than she could provide me.
I was able to trace my wife's family back to the 1700's, but my wife isn't the slightest bit interested.
I was able to trace my wife's family back to the 1700's, but my wife isn't the slightest bit interested.
Big Stevie said:
Having populated what I know about my family tree into Myheritage website, I received a message from a woman in Australia who is a relative on my mothers side. In the 1950's one of my relatives emigrated there and continued their family, with this woman marrying into it. Frustratingly for me I was the one who could provide her with more information than she could provide me.
I was able to trace my wife's family back to the 1700's, but my wife isn't the slightest bit interested.
Family trees can be full of inaccuracies and surprises in equal measure. The data gets more and more suspect the further you go back for a multitude of reasons. I was able to trace my wife's family back to the 1700's, but my wife isn't the slightest bit interested.
Big Stevie said:
Having populated what I know about my family tree into Myheritage website, I received a message from a woman in Australia who is a relative on my mothers side. In the 1950's one of my relatives emigrated there and continued their family, with this woman marrying into it. Frustratingly for me I was the one who could provide her with more information than she could provide me.
I was able to trace my wife's family back to the 1700's, but my wife isn't the slightest bit interested.
My mums side, her uncle moved out to Oz in the 1950's taking his wife and 2 young boys. He died in the 70's but his wife lived till 2006 and she used to come back to the UK every year for a month or so. One of their sons died recently and the other isn't so well either. We went out there in 2000 to meet them. I was able to trace my wife's family back to the 1700's, but my wife isn't the slightest bit interested.
Their granddaughter who is a few years older than me came to the UK last year to stay with us, shes my 2nd cousin according to Ancestry. Anyway because her dad was born in the UK, shes now a British citizen, entered the UK for the very first time on a British passport.
extraT said:
Holy thread revival, Batman!
I’m looking at trying to trace two specific people, who I believe were from Ireland. Jeremiah and Henrietta Langan, born sometime around 1875ish, possibly in either County Mayo or Kerry. It’s possible Jeremiah was a farrier in the British Army, stationed in India. They had a son, Stephen Anthony born in India. But at that time in India, they didn’t really have birth certificates. I do have a copy of Stephen’s baptism certificate.
Now you’d think with quiet specific information like that, I’d be able to find something, but nope, I’ve got diddly squat.
Ancestry doesn’t seem to show many possible matches.
Id like to prove the Irish connection, it’s been a “known story” in the family, I just can’t seem to prove it and it’s bugging me.
Any other tips on where to search?
My wife's father had the same situation being born in Simla. He had a Baptismal certificate but no Birth Certificate. fortunately his family were quite high up in the ICS and he had lots of newspaper cuttings etc. His father was mudered so again a lot of info was available.I’m looking at trying to trace two specific people, who I believe were from Ireland. Jeremiah and Henrietta Langan, born sometime around 1875ish, possibly in either County Mayo or Kerry. It’s possible Jeremiah was a farrier in the British Army, stationed in India. They had a son, Stephen Anthony born in India. But at that time in India, they didn’t really have birth certificates. I do have a copy of Stephen’s baptism certificate.
Now you’d think with quiet specific information like that, I’d be able to find something, but nope, I’ve got diddly squat.
Ancestry doesn’t seem to show many possible matches.
Id like to prove the Irish connection, it’s been a “known story” in the family, I just can’t seem to prove it and it’s bugging me.
Any other tips on where to search?
I thought there was a fire in the main records office in Ireland that effectively destroyed a lot of records making it harder to trace info in Ireland
I found https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/ to be a trove of info for my distant Irish ancestors though probably less useful with the India connection taking them out of Ireland for so long.
Gassing Station | The Lounge | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff