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Hello,

I wonder if anybody in San Francisco could help me fill in some gaps.

My great great grandmother, Florence Ada Batten (nee Davies) born - 1868 in Wales. She married a James Cameron between 1905/1910 after her husband, Joseph Henry Batten died and fled the UK, leaving her son (my great grandfather) with her brother.

I managed to trace her to San Francisco, living firstly on Tehama Street and then from 1919 until her death in 1937 she lived at 811 Turk Street, a rooming house in which she was the house keeper. I cannot find a record of her husband James Cameron dying, but in 1920 she states she is a widow and later that year marries Robert Adamson (railway clerk) who was a tenant at 811 Turk Street.

My question is what happens to a persons personal belongings after they die when they have no children or don’t leave anything to their children. Would any photos be collected somewhere or would all personal effects be destroyed?

When was 811 Turk Street re-developed? Are there any photos of the house?

Any info or little facts would be amazing and I’d be ever so grateful.

Thanks

MJ

Hello,

My gg grandmother, Sophia Houlden was buried in 1918 in Cardiff. On the burial register it states at St Dyfrig’s Parish. I know that St Dyfrig’s was demolished around 1969. Would she have been buried near the church, or was there a cemetery in the Parish? I have attached the burial record.

Many thanks,

Michael

Hi All,

I wonder if any of you can help me. I recently found a letter from my gg grandmother (Florence Ada Batten - nee Davies) dated 1913. She mentions her new husband (James Cameron's) sister and brother-in-law have a large chemist shop in Pietermaritzburg. She also says the brother-in-law is a councillor of the city. I wondered if there was any way of tracing this person. Is there a record/list of old chemists or city councillors from 1913.

I have attached the part of the letter.

Many thanks,

M

P.S I think the reason Joseph Henry wasn’t on the 1871 census is because he may have been elsewhere. Possibly with Susanna’s parents in Cornwall. Florence and Joseph’s father Joseph died in 1877 in Pensford, Somerset. Joseph was born in Chew Magna in 1831 to Josias Batten and Elizabeth Perry.
The reason you can’t find Susan  Batten (nee Pattison) is because she got remarried to a Richard Hughes and moved to Hopkinstown, Wales. I have her birth, death records and burial. I also have her in every census apart from 1881. I also can’t find a marriage record for her to Richard Hughes. She is definitely with him and her death record states Florence Rosina as present at her death, so it’s definitely her.

Florence and Joseph also had another surviving sibling. Her name was Ada, she was born near London Docks.

My gg grandfather, Joseph Henry Batten married Florence Ada Davies and he is on the 1891 census in Portsea Island. He is onboard HMS Briton in 1881 and that’s missing. He was in the a Navy like his father and in 1892 he moved to Durban and my great grandfather was born there. However Joseph Henry died of a diving accident in 1902 and my great grandfather was sent back to wales to live with his uncle in Neath.  Florence Ada Davies my great great grandmother then remarried and moved to Canada and then Honolulu and died in San Francisco in 1937. I think the Battens just likes to move a lot haha!

Do let me know if I can give you more info and the records.

Michael