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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Mary Crane on Wednesday 08 August 12 12:55 BST (UK)
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I am trying to discover more about William Godfrey Heath born in London 1905. He joined the Merchant Navy as a Steward in 1921 making two trips to Australia that year. There are various other trips in 1929 but then nothing until 1933 when he is in the Australian Electoral Rolls at 2 addresses, in Darlinghurst as a Steward and also in 1933 at Balmain with an Alma Muriel Clarice Heath, home duties.
They continue to be on the Rolls in 1936 and 1937. During 1940 and 1941 he appears to have returned to see as a Steward trip to Honolulu.
In 1943 he is living at Rocky Point Road, Ramsgate with Alma and is a radio engineer and she is home duties. In 1949 Alma is still living there but no William.
In 1963 and 1963 Alma is a Shopkeeper at Paterson,Scone, but no William.
I can find no record of a marriage between William and Alma so do not know her surname.
In 1963 William, now an Engineer is living with Joy Margaret Heath at 2 Musgrave Street, Mosman. I have found a marriage record of William and Joy Margaret Hytt at Sydney in 1957.
However from 1943 to 1958 there is a Joy Margaret Heath living at No. 88, then No2 Musgrave Street. I can find nothing more of William, bt in 1980 there is a Joy Margaret Heath, at Ridge St. North Sydney a Hairdresser. This may not be the same one as she would be too old I would think.
I am also trying to discover if he had any children.
A pretty complicated situation - does anyone have any ideas?
Mary
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Hi Mary,
Believe that Alma was ALMA MURIEL CLARICE ADAMS born 1900-Scone NSW the daughter of David and Elizabeth A. She appears on 1930 electoral register as Adams. Cannot as yet find a marriage to William Heath.
John
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Many thanks John That takes me one step closer.
It is strange that William seems to have had two 'wives' at the same time.
Mary
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You did not say what was his occupation, at the Balmain address.
How do you know for sure that it is not two wives, but two people named William Godfrey Heath?
Dawn M
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Hi
My guess, without being able to find evidence for it. Is, William and Alma either married overseas when he was travelling, or did not marry at all.
He has then either separated or divorced from Alma and began living with Joy before they married
I cannot find anything about a divorce on Trove, perhaps they were not married at all, Alma may have already been married, or William.
Remember that in the 40's and 50's people didn't just live together, they pretended to be married.
There could also be a time lapse between him being registered on the electoral roll and having moved on.
I take it that you have not been able to find a death for him yet.
mum mum
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Many thanks to Billyblue and mum mum.
William was still a Steward when he first shows up with Alma in 1933. Later he is a Salesman and then 1940-41 returned to sea (this would have been during the War) as a Steward. In 1943 he was a Radio Engineer, with Alma and an Engineer in 1963 with Joy Margaret.
Alma died in 1990 aged 89 - a Widow but I haven't been able to find a death of either William or Joy.
Alma was still single in 1930 and living with her parents (at 30 years of age!)
It's strange that Joy was using the name Heath during the years that William was living with Alma her occupation was Home Duties.
I had hoped he might have had children but it doesn't look like it.
Thanks for your help
Mary
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Hi
Don't be too sure that just because William was listed on the electoral roll as living at a particular address that he actually was there. He may have left but not changed his enrollment details.
mum mum
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Mary,
Would you consider buying the wedding certificate/transcription of William/Joy in 1957 to get some more details of them both.
John
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Mary, if you do buy a transcription of the NSW marriage, you don't have to buy a full transcription.
You can ask for selected parts (which of course costs less) and of course if you decide it's the one you want then you can upgrade to a full transcription.
(This applies for the service I use, and presumably would be the case for all three)
Dawn M
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I think I am going to have to do that but beore that I am finding out a little more about him in the periods where there were gaps, e.g. 1940-43. The ship he was on as a Steward was actually at that time used as a troop ship which doesn't quite tie in with the record. Still following up on that one. What is useful is that he was 6ft 1" so I can tell if I have the correct person's record!
Dawn, can you tell me where I can get the part transcription please. Up until now all my research has been in the UK and I am not very familiar with what is available here in Australia.
Thank you both
Mary
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I'll PM you
Dawn M
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Hi
Dawn is offline so here is the link to New South Wales BDM
http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/
Go to the transcription agents link and go from there. They can email your transcriptions to you.
mum mum
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Hi
You say he joined the merchant navy in 1921. Is there any way we can view his record? Our service records are available online so we can post links that others can look at. Just that sometimes others pick up things that we miss.
mum mum
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I've got the following record for Merchant Seamen from FindMyPast
First names:William Godfrey
Age:
Day of birth:21
Month of birth:February
Year of birth:1904
Place of birth:London
County/country of birth:London
Card type:CR10
Discharge number:
Identity certificate no.:883933
Series:BT350
Date range:1918-1921
He made two trips to Australia in 1921 then I have nothing until 1927 when there a possible record of him as a crew member from London to Boston. Then a definite Sydney to Honolulu twice in 1929 then trips in Jan and March 1930. Then nothing (as yet) until 1933 when he is on the Electoral Roll with Alma. Alma was unmarried in 1930 so it is during that period 1930-33 that presumably they married.
It looks as though he left the Merchant Navy in 1921 (did he jump ship?) because his later trips as a Steward seem to have been on a cruise ship
Oh the elusive WGH!
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I have sent for a transcription of his marriage to Joy Margaret and went for broke paying a bit extra to have it in 4 days.!
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There is an online tree with a photo of your person of interest and it would appear to be his Merchant seaman record. Same info as you have given. I am having problems with the site at the moment...won't load.
I would not base my research on electoral roll addresses or who was enlisted to vote at those addresses. Any research into electoral rolls should take into account the fact that they were not updated every year. People moved and didn't re-enrol and they would appear to be at the original address at the time of the election in that year. I finding nothing odd with a 30 year old woman living at home with her parents in 1930. They may have married prior to 1930 as Alma would have been removed from the roll after the 1930 election if she hadn't voted in her maiden name.
Cando
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Is that on Ancestry? I am having problems with it at the moment.
Thank you for the advice re electrical rolls. I hadn't realised they could be so complicated!
Mary
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Yes and Ancestry is offline >:(
Cando
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It looks as though he left the Merchant Navy in 1921 (did he jump ship?) because his later trips as a Steward seem to have been on a cruise ship
Oh the elusive WGH!
A cruise ship is still merchant navy! Any ship that isn't part of a country's defence is merchant navy.
It doesn't have to be a cargo ship only. Exceptions during WW2 when merchant navy ships were pressed into service as troop carriers / hospital ships, for RN and RAN etc.
:) :)
Dawn M
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Hi
Could this be Alma's father Dave (David) Adams from Scone ?
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/81903461?searchTerm=adams scone &searchLimits=
Muss
I did not put in link (oops)
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Hi Mary
My husband is named John heath he is 32, his Father is Louis Anzac Heath.
Louis’ father was William Godfrey Heath and Joy Margaret Hytt.
Louis grew up in north Sydney way, born in 1947.
Louis could be the child of William Godfrey Heath that you are looking for?
Louis passed away a few years ago.
He has two kids, John (my husband) and Sarah.
What was the reason you were looking to see if William had kids?