RootsChat.Com

Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: Terryg1 on Thursday 14 December 17 13:57 GMT (UK)

Title: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Thursday 14 December 17 13:57 GMT (UK)
Jack was my uncle. B. Abt 1894, Cloughmills, Northern Ireland.  Died in Australia, 1959 I think.  Mixed reports about the nature of his death.  Some say struck by an auto, others say mining accident.  I have had no luck in finding anything on him.  I don't believe he ever married, but I could be wrong. :-\
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: TreeSpirit on Thursday 14 December 17 17:10 GMT (UK)
Possibility?

Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday, August 22, 1959
GRIBBEN, John.—August 20, 1959, of “Lorray” Guest House, Port Kembla. beloved brother of Patrick (New Jersey, America), Hugh (Ballymena (?), Ireland), Winnie and Ellen (London, England), aged 62 years, Requiescat in pace.


Sylvia
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: TreeSpirit on Thursday 14 December 17 17:36 GMT (UK)
PS His death certificate might contain more info re cause of death
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: sparrett on Thursday 14 December 17 21:19 GMT (UK)
Is this correct for his parents? You have not given us their names.

GRIBBEN  John 
36427/1959
Parents Robert & Maggie
At WOLLONGONG

Sue
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: rosball on Thursday 14 December 17 21:42 GMT (UK)
There is a probate packet for John GRIBBEN who died 1959 in NSW https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/item/1002987

I can photograph this for you next time I am at archives office.  It *should* contain a death certificate a will and details of heirs and property.   

Ros
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Thursday 14 December 17 22:32 GMT (UK)
Answer is yes to Sylvia, Sparrett and Ros.  Would love to obtain a photo of death certificate.  Thank you all so much.  I have been working for nearly four years on the family tree, but certain info has eluded me, no matter the direction in which I set out.
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: sparrett on Friday 15 December 17 04:36 GMT (UK)
I have been looking at John GRIBBEN on the available NSW electoral rolls and will type up the addresses if of interest to you.

I did not see anyone of the same surname sharing any of his addresses.
However in 1943 this may be of interest.
1943
GRIBBEN, John
Tom Thumb Lagoon, Kembla
Labourer.

GRIBBEN, Patrick
134 Wentworth Street, Kembla
Labourer.

Do you think it possible his brother visited Australia?
Wentworth Street is about a kilometer from the shore of Tom Thumb's Lagoon, the rather non-specific address given by John.

Sue



Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Friday 15 December 17 05:45 GMT (UK)
I have been looking at John GRIBBEN on the available NSW electoral rolls and will type up the addresses if of interest to you.

I did not see anyone of the same surname sharing any of his addresses.
However in 1943 this may be of interest.
1943
GRIBBEN, John
Tom Thumb Lagoon, Kembla
Labourer.

GRIBBEN, Patrick
134 Wentworth Street, Kembla
Labourer.

Do you think it possible his brother visited Australia?
Wentworth Street is about a kilometer from the shore of Tom Thumb's Lagoon, the rather non-specific address given by John.

Sue
Thank you, Sue.  Patrick was me father, but spelled his last name "Gribbin".  I am reasonably sure that he never visited Australia.  My uncle, Henry Leo (Harry) Gribben did spend two years in Australia, and we do not know if he spent that time with Jack or or his own.
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: sparrett on Friday 15 December 17 06:07 GMT (UK)
Ah! So just a co-incidence of a surname with Patrick And John at Kembla. ::)
It happens ;)

Sue

Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Friday 15 December 17 16:41 GMT (UK)
Ah! So just a co-incidence of a surname with Patrick And John at Kembla. ::)
It happens ;)

Sue
r

I am going to try emailing the newspaper that printed his obit.  He was a single man, I believe, yet someone knew a lot about his family, including mine in the states.  They may have additional info on the original notice.  I remember my dad calling us all together to tell us of his death and they we were remembered in his will in a small way.
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: sparrett on Saturday 16 December 17 00:41 GMT (UK)
Yes, those details were to hand almost immediately for whoever placed the death notice.. A matter of 2 days between death and notice.
Entirely possible he had a companion sharing his address whose surname was different from his, but who knew his family details .
We can only search rolls by name, not by address.

Would you agree the details were perfectly accurate?
Sue
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Saturday 16 December 17 03:15 GMT (UK)
Yes, those details were to hand almost immediately for whoever placed the death notice.. A matter of 2 days between death and notice.
Entirely possible he had a companion sharing his address whose surname was different from his, but who knew his family details .
We can only search rolls by name, not by address.

Would you agree the details were perfectly accurate?

Sue

Yes, they were.f. It appears that he lived in what we call a rooming or boarding house - Lorray Guest House.
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: TreeSpirit on Saturday 16 December 17 06:34 GMT (UK)
There was also a funeral notice, in case you want to know where he was buried:

Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday, August 22, 1959
Gribben – The Relatives and Friends of the late John Gribben of “Lorray” Guest House, Port Kembla, are invited to attend his Funeral; to leave St.Patrick’s church, Port Kembla, This Saturday, after prayers at 10 a.m., for the Catholic Cemetery, Wollongong.
Requiem Mass is to be celebrated at 7a.m.
H. Parsons, Wollongong

Sylvia
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: TreeSpirit on Saturday 16 December 17 06:43 GMT (UK)

He seems to have died intestate, so there is a fair chance that there was no will, and that next of kin inherited via whatever legal rules existed at the time. (His probate would hopefully supply more info)
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220307191
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Saturday 16 December 17 12:50 GMT (UK)
There was also a funeral notice, in case you want to know where he was buried:

Sydney Morning Herald, Saturday, August 22, 1959
Gribben – The Relatives and Friends of the late John Gribben of “Lorray” Guest House, Port Kembla, are invited to attend his Funeral; to leave St.Patrick’s church, Port Kembla, This Saturday, after prayers at 10 a.m., for the Catholic Cemetery, Wollongong.
Requiem Mass is to be celebrated at 7a.m.
H. Parsons, Wollongong

Sylvia

Thx for that Sylvia. 
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: sparrett on Saturday 16 December 17 21:37 GMT (UK)
Wonder if there is any assistance available through this cemetery link.
http://memorialgardens.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/deceasedsearch/Pages/default.aspx

Perhaps worth an inquiry. You might find who paid the funeral expenses.
Sue
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Saturday 16 December 17 21:39 GMT (UK)
It's worth a shot.  Thx.
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Saturday 16 December 17 22:36 GMT (UK)
Came up empty.  I guess the Catholic cemetery is not part of their group.
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: sparrett on Sunday 17 December 17 00:46 GMT (UK)
No, sorry. I know that returned no results. I meant to draw your attention to the Illawarra family history group.

Here is another link. You may be able to locate someone who will have a look around their holdings.
http://illawarrafhg.blogspot.com.au/p/about.html
Sue
Title: Re: John (Jack) Gribben
Post by: Terryg1 on Sunday 17 December 17 01:16 GMT (UK)
Aha!  Gotcha.  Thx.