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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Essex => Topic started by: AsH62 on Saturday 16 December 17 13:14 GMT (UK)

Title: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: AsH62 on Saturday 16 December 17 13:14 GMT (UK)
Hi. My family have mostly been in Scotland and the North east of England until now so this is new territory for me and I am a bit lost. Benjamin Blair b.1908 in Scotland joined the military in 1924 age 16 and then in 1930 he married Lilian Alice Whitcombe in Portsmouth. Lilian and her family appear to have been in Southend on Sea for a long time.
In the 1939 Register on Find my past they were living in West Ham but Lilian died in Southend on Sea in 1979. I believe that they had a daughter called Patricia and a son (?) but I don't know much about them and since they may be alive I don't want to pry. I am trying to find out anything about Benjamin and Lilian in Southend, where they lived, where they were buried and in Benjamin's case - when. Any help would be great.
Thanks
Alison
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: JJen on Saturday 16 December 17 13:46 GMT (UK)
Have you discounted this death? -

Benjamin Blair death registered Sep 1967 aged 59 Bromsgrove RD, Worcestershire
Vol 9d Page 19

Do you have Lilian's death cert to see who registered the death?

JJ
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: groom on Saturday 16 December 17 13:55 GMT (UK)
There is also this death, although age is slightly out

Deaths Dec 1968   
Blair    Benjamin    73    Southend    4a   967
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: groom on Saturday 16 December 17 14:00 GMT (UK)
Looking at Freebmd it looks as if there was only a daughter who married in Southend in 1956, so the family were obviously there then. 
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: AsH62 on Saturday 16 December 17 14:09 GMT (UK)
Hi Jen and Groom, thank you.
I have sent off for her death certificate but have to wait for it to come and I hadn't seen this death in Southend but it must be right. I have no idea why I couldn't see it - brilliant.
Thank you
Alison
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: JJen on Saturday 16 December 17 14:37 GMT (UK)
By doing a free search of the 1939 there is another Benjamin Blair living in Ilford, Essex who was born 1895. In the same household is Eleanor Blair. Therefore the death in 1968 could be his, to ensure you have the correct Benjamin it would be advisable to purchase the death cert.

JJ

Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: AsH62 on Saturday 16 December 17 14:52 GMT (UK)
Thanks JJ, will do!
A
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: Ladyhawk on Saturday 16 December 17 15:19 GMT (UK)
By doing a free search of the 1939 there is another Benjamin Blair living in Ilford, Essex who was born 1895. In the same household is Eleanor Blair.

Therefore the death in 1968 could be his, to ensure you have the correct Benjamin it would be advisable to purchase the death cert.



This doesn't help you as to which is the correct Benjamin Blair death entry

This appears to be Eleanor's death entry

Eleanor Blair died age 84 born 12 Jul 1893
Mar 1978 Chelmsford Essex Volume:   9 Page:   2236

used her dob and surname only free search 1939 Register, this is the only entry that showed up
 Eleanor  Blair  1893   Ilford M.B.   Essex, other person on record is Benjamin
   

Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: AsH62 on Saturday 16 December 17 16:46 GMT (UK)
Eleanor is making me think that this is the wrong household so I need to do some more research, thanks again
Alison
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: groom on Saturday 16 December 17 17:06 GMT (UK)
Eleanor is making me think that this is the wrong household so I need to do some more research, thanks again
Alison

Your Benjamin, as you said earlier is definitely in West Ham in 1939. I think the only doubt is which Benjamin died in Southend in 1968, your's or the one who was in Ilford in 1939.
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: richardanthony on Tuesday 19 December 17 19:10 GMT (UK)
what was benjamin'soccupation on the 1939 register?
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: AsH62 on Tuesday 19 December 17 21:19 GMT (UK)
Hi, he was 'traffic foreman road transport' and on his marriage certificate in 1930 he was an army driver no. 1057373 at Clarence barracks.
Alison
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: richardanthony on Wednesday 20 December 17 13:51 GMT (UK)
you may have this already but if its the right one then according to his military records he was born in haddington scotland [scottish people has him as born 1908 ref 721/7 Stenton which is fairly close to haddington] his attestation was 1924 aged 15 into royal artillery and he was discharged from the paras on 29/10/1930 [Para 470 (V111) KR [kings regiment?]
Scottish people has a record for him in 1911 in leigh south midlothian b1908 ref692/2 26/8
In the 1939 register there are two additional people living at 37 edith road west ham but their information is redacted i assume because they may still be living so that gives possibility of two children born before 1939, one who is Patricia M Blair 1935 but i cant find another blair in that area with mother Whitcombe in that timeframe. I have her marriage details and a son but i wont put this up her pm me if you want to follow that up.
Ancestry has a family tree including a benjamin blair 1908 haddington but that gives him as dying in the midlands i think, someone else already mentioned that death, I dont really trust ancestry family trees
i couldnt find any electoral records for him in southend
How have you made the link from scotland to marrying in portsmouth?
Title: Re: Benjamin Blair in Southend on Sea
Post by: AsH62 on Wednesday 20 December 17 18:37 GMT (UK)
Fantastic - just sent a message.
Alison