Daughter of mariner who died in Lambeth in 1973

[Aks]

I'm trying to trace someone's ancestors who were born in Calcutta. The person I'm looking at, Magdalene Veronica Austen Lewis, was born in Calcutta on 23 April 1908 and died in Lambeth in 1973. I believe she was one of 6 children born in Calcutta of a father who was a mariner. Her oldest brother died at 16 years old when the merchant ship he was working on was torpedoed during WWII and her 2 other brothers also died young in accidents in Calcutta. It's possible that her husband was also a mariner, but I don't have definitive proof of that yet.

Prior to her death in London, she is to be found at 1030 Woodside, Wimbledon, Merton, in 1965, according to the electoral roll, which I think is not so far from Lambeth(?). Having just noticed that the International Maritime Organization is situated in Lambeth, it occurred to me that perhaps (big emphasis on that word) she might have retired to some kind of retirement place for close relations of mariners, something like that.

I'm just wondering if anyone has any knowledge about that and how one would go about looking into this kind of thing.

Thanks,

Alan

[JJen]

Hi Alan,

On the 1965 Electoral Register Magdalene is living at The Queen's House, St Mary's Road, Wimbledon, Merton. This could be part of Queen Alexandra's Court, Wimbledon which appears to have been built to house the widows and unmarried daughters of servicemen killed in action.

http://www.theroyalhomeswimbledon.org/about-us

JJ

[gortonboy]

Is Lewis her married surname?

[gortonboy]

Is this her death index?

name   MAGDALEN VERONIC   MARTINS
Gender   Female
Birthday   23 april 1908
Death    4 qtr    1973
District   Lambeth London

[gortonboy]

Magdalene Veronica Austen
Marriage    20 Jun 1928
Spouse   Francis Xavier Martins
Place   Calcutta Bengal
Groom's age   32yrs
Bride's age   20yrs
Groom's father   Xavier F   Martins
Bride's father   Joseph Austen
Catalogue description   Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, 1713-1948

The original image gives her surname as Lewis.

[gortonboy]

There is this death....he was not a mariner.


name   Joseph Austin Lewis
born    1873
Death date   06 Apr 1911 Aged 38 Years 5 Days
Burial date   06 Apr 1911 Calcutta

Archive Reference   N-1-372 Folio   - Page   149
Catalogue Description   Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal, : 1713-1948

[gortonboy]

name   Magdalene Veronica Auston
Birth date   23 Apr 1908
Baptism date   3 May 1908 Place Calcutta, Bow Bazar,St Francis Xavier
Presidency   Bengal
Father's name   Joseph Auston
Mother's name   Rose Marian Lewis
Archive reference   N-1-348 Folio   43

Catalogue descriptions   Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Bengal
Record set   British India Office Births & Baptisms

On this record,,,her father is a mariner.

[Aks]

Thank you very much, JJ, for this vital piece of information. I'm not very good at deciphering these electoral rolls. She is seemingly also to be found on the electoral roll for 1964 in Battersea South, Wandsworth, but I don't see any address. I assume the electoral rolls after 1965 are not available, at least not on-line.

Thank you also, Gortonboy, for taking the trouble to look up these records. Yes, that is her death index. Her married surname is Martins and her maiden name is either Austen Lewis or Lewis. I attach a summary of the family as I assume it to be. I cannot be certain because of the variation in especially the surname.

The father is given as a mariner on all 6 baptism records. As regards Magdalene's husband, Francis Xavier Martins, I have their marriage record on 20 Jun 1928 in Calcutta, which indicates that he was born about 1896. According to family sources, he was a Portuguese sea captain, but on the records of their children, his professions were "Asst. Calcutta Ice Co.", unemployed and "motor driver", which doesn't quite correspond!

Thank you again,

Alan

[ShaunJ]

There's a Magdalene Martins in St John's Hospital, St John's Hill SW11 in the 1964 electoral roll.