Trying to find Martin Kennedys parents

[court389]

I'm trying to find my great grandfathers parents.

My great grandfather Martin Kennedy married Mary Jane Noon in Liverpool in 1924(Jan-Mar). I found them in the index on FreeBMD, but that obviously doesn't hint towards his parents were. They had 7 children between 1925 and 1935.

Ancestry seems to be coming up with nothing for me. After researching my family for a couple months now, I'm beyond surprised to see how hard the information from England has been to access! In your opinion, is Find My Past worth having a membership to as well?

[AMBLY]

Hi Court389,

The more recent an event is, sometimes the more difficult it is to find information - privacy of individuals, etc. Among other things, the fact you can actually acertain the names and birth years of their children some who may still be living (in theory) points to more openness of vital information than many other countries, imho.

The further back you go, generally - within the period of civil registration or census for example, but often prior in Parish records,  more records may exist that can be found 'online'.  Always exceptions, of course. Ireland being one of those exceptions......

Do you know when and where Martin and Mary Jane died?  Aside from getting the marriage cert - finding/knowing his death details would be a start by at least acertaining his approximate year of birth.

Martin KENNEDY wasn't an uncommon name in Lancashire (I've even got one in my tree, b 1914)

And I'm looking at the marriage Registration:
Mary J NOON to Martin KENNEDY or KERR

LancashireBMD list the marriage as between Mary J NOON and Martin K KERR.
http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/marriagesearch.php

Do you know anything about the 'KERR' bit?

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

Mary Jane NOON is pretty identifiable I'd say - looking at the names of her KENNEDY children and comparing to her likely family in Census. She was born 1896 - father Peter NOON, mother Elizabeth Ann PETERS? Is this what you have?

You are able to search the Index of the 1939 Register on FindMyPast.

Using what you know?  about Mary Jane, the likely entry for Martin and Mary Jane in Liverpool put his year of birth as 1895.

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

I now see your other recent post:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=787283.0

on the search for Martin & Mary Jane's daughter (who was a twin) Catherine Josephine (deceased) who went to BC, Canada.

On that topic I see, you have already been given the information that Martin was KERR or KENNEDY, born abt 1895 etc etc - so that should have been included in this topic, to avoid duplication of effort in looking for him. You can link topics by pasting the link (as I have above).

Also on that topic you say:

Can I check - did she marry Ian G MacFarlane in England or Canada?

He was born in New Westminster, BC so they would've married after she moved to Canada.

It doesn't follow, that just because he was born BC that they married there  - in fact, it looks like they married in England:

FreeBMD Marriage:
Ian G MACFARLANE and Catherine J KENNEDY, June Qtr 1959 Liverpool, Vol10d, page 374

Cheers
AMBLY

[chempat]

Get the marriage certificate for the name of Martin's father, as that is an important starting point.

 Stops you using incorrect information to try and find him - particularly as there is this Kennedy/Kerr surname, possible illegitimacy?

[chempat]

A free search of the 1939 gives a birth-date of 23rd April 1895 for the Martin Kennedy with Mary (J) Kennedy in Liverpool.

Is this Mary Jane's death -fits in with free search of 1939?

Mary Jane Kennedy died age 92 in September quarter 1988 in Liverpool.  Born 2nd July 1896

[chempat]

Have you considered that he might have been born in Ireland, which could explain a lack of English records?

The 1911 Irish census ( conducted on Sunday 2 April 1911) gives 3 Martin Kennedy's age 15

[LizzieW]

The other thing to remember, especially if you have seen the Ancestry ads, is that it's not just as easy as Ancestry makes it seem to trace ancestors.  It's not just a case of putting a name in and hoping for the best.  In many cases you will be able to find references but will have to buy birth, marriage and/or death certificates to find the information you need.

Of course, Rootschatters are the best at giving information and pointing you in the right direction.

As for your other question about having Findmypast sub as well.  It really depends on where you think your ancestors came from.  Ancestry and FindMyPast do have many records in common, but they also have records that the other one doesn't have.  For instance, FindMyPast has the 1939 census, Ancestry has lots of Liverpool records and Canadian census records.

[Radcliff]

Waterford Work House,
Martin Kennedy
born 29th April 1895
mother Margaret Kennedy of Templemore