Walter Thomas D'Alton

[MonicaL]

Hi Al & Al

Just reading through these posts again  What was the name of Walter's father from his MC and occupation?...Gosh, it was 2006 when I asked this question first 

Did he use Scottish naming order for his children I wonder, ie., use the names of his father and mother early on with his children?

Monica 

[Alandal]

Monica,

Thanks for re-reading this thread again.

On his marriage certificate, under the name of his father, it just stated "deceased" - not giving many clues there !

His children's names were (in order of birth): Horace Gordon, Reta Gladys, Cyril Stuart & Donald Mackie - all sounding Scottish !

We know the name "Mackie" was his wifes maiden name  (another story - the Mackie family can be traced back through Guernsey, over to France and back, through Chelsfield, Kent and then  somehow back to Scotland to Alexander Mackie born circa 1761 - need to do some more work on him at some stage)

So would the Scottish naming order mean his father may be Horace D'Alton ?

Thanks,

Al & Al

[MonicaL]

Scottish naming pattern is a guide only. Some families followed it to the letter - which can provide huge clues to grandparents. Others used family names but not in any particular order and lastly some don't seem to be following at all.  It is always something to look at when you are looking for the next line back but no guarantees until you can verify it.

Monica

[Alandal]

After fifty years of searching for this gentleman (originally started by my father), I think at long last that we have solved the brick wall of where he came from !

And it is not Edinburgh, Scotland which the 1891, 1901 and 1911 showed where he was born, but Hawarden, Flintshire.

Using DNA has shown that he left his birth family in the 1870’s when he was a railway clerk and moved down to Middlesex/London, changed his surname to D’Alton, changed his birth year by four years and trained to become a Dentist/Chemist.

We think his wife was aware of his background including the change of his birth year to make him only three years older than her (instead of seven), as when she originally registered his death she used his correct birth year of 1857 and then changed it at a letter date to use his alternative birth year of 1861 with a note made in the margin of the death certificate.

Without DNA we would not have been able to solve this long unsolved brick wall, so don’t give up folks and keep searching all possibilities.

Al & Al

[MonicaL]

Well deserved congrats, Al & Al 

Thank you for the update to your old post here too.

Monica