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I am trying to trace a birth record for my great grandmother, Minnie Olive Clarke (I am presuming she would be a MARY Olive Clarke) who married Robert Craig on 31st December 1897 at St Patrick's chapel in Glasgow. I know she was born in Armagh but I am not sure of the date, from her death certificate this would appear to be in 1873.

Minnie's parents were Charles Clarke and her mother was Mary Ann Wilson. Charles and Mary married at St Mark's Church of Ireland in Armagh City on 20th April 1862. Charles was a shoemaker.   

I have found birth records for all of her siblings (Herbert, born 27th October 1869 ((died 1887)), Charles Edmund, born 18th November 1871 ((died 1872)),  Charles Edmund Clarke, born 24th June 1873. then finally a Margaret Clarke on 21st May 1876 ((died in 1878 in Scotch Street, Armagh)) but can find no trace of Minnie at all.

Any help would be really appreciated. .

Hello, I hope someone can help me clear up some confusion regarding my ancestor Thomas Edward Turner. I also hope that I have posted on the right board.

I know that he was born on the 20th May 1872 in Bradford, Yorkshire at 5 Rifle Court. He was the son of Llewelyn Turner and Mary Turner (nee Brodigan). Llewelyn was born in Ruthin.

At the 1881 census he was in Hafodybwych Cottage, Esclusham Below, Wrexham. He was living with his parents and siblings.

At the 1891 census he was in the same residence, living with his mother and siblings. His occupation was recorded as a miner.

I cannot find him in the 1901 Census.

I found a 1911 census record that shows a Thomas Edward Turner, born in Bradford, living at 66 Ramford Street, St. Helens. His age is shown as 37 and his occupation is listed as an iron erector, working in a glass-works. He is listed as being single, but also living here is a daughter, Hilda Louise V Turner, aged 1. Other residents at the address include:

Kate L Doyle, married, aged 40, born St Helens, a boarder.
James Turner, single, aged 15, born Cliviger, Lancs., a boarder.
Nellie Turner, single, aged 13, born Cliviger, Lancs., a boarder.
Gwendoline I Williams, aged 5 months, born St Helens, his niece.

The original census image shows that James and Nellie were the son and daughter of Kate, but these are crossed out and replaced with the word boarder. Kate was listed as being the housekeeper, but again, this is crossed out and replaced with boarder.

I looked on the GRO website for a Gwendoline I Williams born in 1910 or 1911 but could not find one. However, I do know that Thomas Edward Turner did have a niece called Gwendoline Isabel SUTTON, who was born in St Helens on 30th October 1910, which would have made her 5 months old in April 1911, at the time of the census.

I ordered the birth certificate for Hilda Louise Valdermar Turner, born on the 26th November 1909 at 66 Ramford Street, St Helens (as per 1911 Census). It records her father as a Thomas Edward Vernon Turner, a mechanical engineer. The mother is listed as Catherine Louisa Turner, late Turner, formerly Prescott.

I also ordered a birth certificate for James Turner, born 24th September 1895, at Walkmill, Cliviger. It lists his father as a John Turner, a coal miner, with the mother listed as Caroline Turner, nee Prescott. I wonder if this is the “Catherine Prescott”, mother of Hilda.

To confuse matters even more, I also found a marriage on 12th March 1920, for a Thomas Edward Vernon Turner, aged 44, listed as SINGLE, a marine engineer, marriage to an Ethel Browne. The father is listed as Llewelyn Turner, a marine engineer, deceased (I do know that Llewelyn was not a marine engineer, he was an engine driver). The marriage took place in Gloucester.

In addition to this, I also found a military record for a Thomas Edward Turner, born 20th May 1875 (same day and month, different year shown), in Bradford. It shows that he was in the RAF, but had previously been in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers (I cannot find enlistment records for this). The RAF record shows that the next of kin to be informed is a Kate Turner, unmarried wife, of 24 Park Road, St. Helens. Also listed is his daughter, Hilda Louise Turner. It states date of discharge as 30th April 1920 and address at date of discharge as British Embassy, Constantinople.

Am I looking at 2 separate Thomas Edward Turner’s here? Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Hello all, I am hoping for some guidance and advice that may help me solve a family mystery.

I have been trying to discover more about my Great Uncle Griffith Anwyl. He was born on the 12th January 1885 in Llangelynin. His mother Catherine Anwyl, my Great grandmother,  was unmarried when she registered his birth and no father is listed on the birth certificate. My grandmother Margaret Jane Anwyl was also registered with no father shown, she was born on the 1st November 1888 in Barmouth.

Catherine subsequently married a Robert Evans on 14th May 1889 and Griffith was with him and his mother Catherine in Barmouth at the 1891 Census.

I then found him in the 1911 Census in Oldham. He was with his wife Kate and a boarder called John Evans. His occupation was a general labourer. They had married in the Welsh Chapel in Oldham in 1910.

He subsequently emigrated to Canada. I found his death record which gives his birth date as 12th January 1885, which is correct, he died in 1946.

Where I need help is a possible clue to who his father could be. The death record states his father's surname was Anwyl, with christian name not listed. I took a closer look at the wedding certificate for Griffith when it arrived yesterday and it lists his father as a Griffith Anwyl (deceased). I cannot however read the father's occupation. It is something Journeyman. Please see the image attached.

I am wondering if he listed a Griffith Anwyl as the name of his father at the time of his wedding because he did not want to leave it blank (if he genuinely did not know the name of his father), or whether a Griffith Anwyl actually existed. But it seems a long shot that he had a child to a Catherine Anwyl, who was unmarried.

If I can find the trade it would give me options when searching for a Griffith Anwyl in Merionethshire. Any suggestions would be welcome. I would really like to find the father of Griffith and Margaret Jane.

Thank you all

I am hoping that someone can help (again!). I have Richard in the 1861 Census at Moreton Above, Ruabon, aged 2. he is with his parents Edward and Gwen Turner. In 1871 he is at Ruabon Colliery, aged 11, again with his parents.

I have not been able to find any trace of a birth or marriage record for him, nor can I find him in the 1881, 1891, 1901 or 1911 Census records. I have the certificates for all of his siblings but Richard is very elusive!

Some public ancestry trees have a Richard Charles Turner marrying in Calcutta, India in 1887, to a Rachel Jowit, but I cannot link this Richard back to my tree through a birth or marriage certificate.

Any suggestions as to where to search would be welcome.

Thank you everyone