Hi,
I'm a bit confused (an understatement
)and would like some ideas, perhaps I'm missing something obvious:
In 1944 my grandmother's brother Thomas Purdy was injured in Normandy and hospitalised in England and then in Belfast when he was 25. There is a big report in the Larne Observer about his exploits 31st aug, accompanied by a photo of him and address, and mother's name ( 100% definitely him, I know what he looked like as I have photos of him and all the other details like address is right too).
My problem is that the report mentions a nephew of his and that the nephew died in action. Nephew is Wilnor Crawford who lived in Moat street (see below at attached snip). Wilnor Crawford died 14/6/1944 (I've traced his death, and he is also mentioned in Memorial in the papers) , father is John and mother Elizabeth.
So I initially guessed Elizabeth Crawford is Thomas's and my grandmother's eldest sister - Thomas and my grandmother does have an older sister Elizabeth (Lizzie) but she was born in 1903 ( she is the only one of the siblings I haven't managed to find out what happened to her- I have a photo of her, but nothing else, besides her birth and her in the censuses with her parents and siblings)
The problem is Elizabeth Crawford dies in 1938 ( I have the death cert and also news paper reports of her husband and children remembering their mother "in Memorial)) - BUT her death cert, states her age as 59 .. argh!! (her son Robert was present at death, and she died in hospital)
which would make her born in 1879 - if this is her true age that is on her death cert and not an error with her age, Elizabeth Crawford can not be Thomas's sister ( Thomas Purdy mother Mary Elizabeth McNeill was born in 1876 and only married in 1899, his father was a bachelor on marriage, so no first marriage ,although he is old enough to have a first - he was born in 1853).
Elizabeth and John Crawford's son Wilnor Crawford was born in 1923, so I can't get his birth cert online to see what his mother', Elizabeth's maiden name is. I've got a few siblings for Wilnor, but no birth dates ( siblings names came from various newspaper reports of his family remembering Wilmot)
(Thomas Purdy was born in 1919)
The only things that I can think of is that maybe it could be his great Nephew, ie a 1st cousin once removed etc -which would make Elizabeth Crawford either a McNeill, or a White, ( doubt if it is a White, as Thomas's grandmother was an Elizabeth, I doubt if she had a sister also called Elizabeth too). I've rulled out Thomas's paternal side ( although perhaps I shouldn't) - I think I've just confused myself!
I've tried looking for a marriage between Purdy and Crawford, there doesn't seem to be one.
I've attached a small snippet ( just the relevant bit and not the whole article - due to copyright rules )
Can anyone suggest how to go about getting Wilnor Crawford's mother ( Elizabeth Crawford), maiden name , without applying to GRONI for it to be sent by snail name and paying the full wack for the full certified cert of Wilmot's birth in 1923, which I'm trying to avoid doing - which even then may be a waste of money if Elizabeth is not his mother( but step mother)
Or can anyone find a marriage for John Crawford and an Elizabeth "something" that could be them ( John was a bricklayer - according to Elizabeth's death)
Thanks' for reading and any help