Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.

Topics - Matt R

Pages: 1 2 3 [4] 5 6 7 ... 34

Free Photo Restoration & Date Old Photographs / Dating the Quinn Family

« on: Sunday 29 December 13 13:43 GMT (UK) »

Hello all,

It's been a while since I have been on this board, so I hope that everyone is well and that you have all had a good Christmas.

I'm wondering if it is possible to have this photograph dated please. It's not of a brilliant quality but I am in the process of contacting a man who has the original in America who will no doubt provide me with a better copy. Based on the clothing and of course the nature of the colour of the photograph, can anybody give a fairly accurate date for this please?

The man in the centre is believed to be my 3x great grandfather, who I know died in 1904. Based on what comparatively little knowledge I have about photographs and their ages, I'd say this one does pre-date 1904. I'm hoping someone else may be able to be slightly more accurate.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year too!

Regards,

Matt.

Scotland / "Sensitive information" vs Freedom of Information

« on: Thursday 05 December 13 21:15 GMT (UK) »

Hello all,

I am writing this with a great degree of frustration, having seemingly no way of accessing Scottish Roman Catholic records to find out more about my ancestors.

During the course of writing a book about my family in the Motherwell area, I have for a long time now been meaning to find out about accessing baptism and confirmation records. I've always put it off because I tried a few times and could not contact anyone at the parish. Today I've tried again and after talking to a relative, I have a few issues.

Firstly, I'd like to know if anyone else has tried accessing records from this parish. I've just had a fairly difficult time trying to get some records copied from a parish in Glasgow, and it seems that the Catholic church is always trying to prevent people from accessing the registers themselves (even under supervision) and it's beginning to seriously get on my nerves. At first I was told the records contain sensitive information and thus could not be opened to me. But surely if that was justified, then why is ScotlandsPeople slowly putting some Catholic records online?

There's also the issue of the priest in question. A relative of mine who made an inquiry last year told me that she had to wait a number of weeks before anyone got back to her at all when she queried a burial date. She tells me that the priest is extremely busy and that there's no secretary there to take care of matters like the one I am trying to progress with. Surely there must be someone who can look some things up for me? I have quite a list and frankly, I know the priest wouldn't want to spend hours looking through registers for my family, and the fact therefore that nobody else is allowed to do it seems like I'll never be able to find anything...not even my grandmother's baptism.

Third, after phoning the Diocese this morning, I was told that only the parish have records. I'd wrongly thought that the system was similar to that of the Church of England, where copies were sent to the bishop at quarterly intervals.

I am sure other people have had similar frustrations - I've met a few with this common annoyance in the chatroom, and I am wondering if, legally, my right to information in any way overrides the church's stance that information is sensitive and therefore off limits to the public. I really need those records to progress with my book and at the moment I cannot help but feel rather defeated. Is there anything else I can try?

I'd appreciate any help on this. I'm sure a lot of chatters will want to know too and thought I'd ask to see if anyone has found themselves facing a similar challenge and has won.

Thanks,

Matt.

Scotland / Glasgow Poor Records - Odd Numbers on Application Papers

« on: Monday 25 November 13 14:03 GMT (UK) »

Hello all,

For some time now I have been left a little curious after spotting what appear to be references on the poor relief applications of some of my relatives.

On reading through and keenly detailing the circumstances in which my Glasgow families were living, I've come to discover some references next to dates that read, to give two examples "$48294 Oct 21 1901" and "$70581 Dec 13 1904"

As you may notice, the references are higher in value as time goes on, and although I am not sure what the struck-through letter S represents, it seems that these numbers relate to other records detailing payments made to my relatives.

I have the application papers which are tremendously detailed but having found these I am wondering whether there's others to be found. I've heard of the Poor Roll, which I presume is a list of payments made, and I am wondering if anybody with experience in researching Glasgow poor records is able to confirm or refute my assumption that these references relate to some sort of register that tracked the release of funds to go to paupers.

I'd appreciate being privy to the knowledge of someone who has done similar research on this. If there's more out there to find, I'm quite keen to go rummaging through yet more volumes of old and dusty books in The Mitchell Llibrary!

Many thanks,

Matt R.

Armed Forces / Regimental Cap Badge Identification

« on: Wednesday 30 October 13 00:20 GMT (UK) »

Hello all,

Can somebody assist me with a regimental cap badge identification please? I have a photo of my 3x gt grandfather who I know joined up in 1915 aged 61 and this was into the Buffs. On his military service documents though is mention of the Labour Corps. However, when I had a look online neither of these regiments matched the cap badge he appears to be wearing. Does anybody know which regiment that would be please?

Lanarkshire / "Sacred Heart hut", New Stevenston

« on: Sunday 27 October 13 13:42 GMT (UK) »

Hello everyone

My grandmother has just told me an interesting story about a seemingly makeshift place of worship in New Stevenston called the "Sacred Heart hut" that existed in the 1930s. According to her the hut was a place of worship and catered for parishioners who lived in the village. The priest would come to the hut and deliver Mass instead of the faithful having to go to the next village (Carfin) to hear Mass.

Does anyone know if this is true, please? Are there any photographs of the hut? Gran seems to think it faced the house that her grandmother lived in, which would be 2 Nimmos Rows. She also mentioned Napiers Square to me as being adjacent. I have a map of the village but would appreciate it if anyone could confirm the existence of this building please. Obviously it is long gone now.

Thanks,

Matt.

Durham Lookup Requests / Durham University Archives Transcriptions

« on: Thursday 17 October 13 00:51 BST (UK) »

Hello all,

I am wondering if by chance some kind soul is going to the archives in Durham University and can look something up for me in the transcriptions please. The record I am searching for should be right at the end, in 1854, which should be held under the following reference.

"Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections DDR/EA/PBT/2/192 March 1748-May 1748, January 1749-March 1749,1762-1854 Parish Register transcripts."

It is my belief that in this batch of records is a burial dated 21 April 1854 for a lady named Jane Thompson. Familysearch gives no clues as to how old she was or what relation, be it a spouse or a child. I would appreciate any help on this matter as Parish Records for this particular year in this particular parish are proving infuriatingly evasive, and Durham University Library's Archives is the only place where I can see that they are held.

Thank you in anticipation. I would be more than happy to reimburse any costs for this journey.

Matt R.

The Common Room / Sending money overseas...Victorian style.

« on: Tuesday 08 October 13 20:16 BST (UK) »

Hello all,

Going through some relief records, I have been prompted to ask a question and hope someone here may have an answer for me. I am sure a few researchers may have wondered in a similar vein so here goes.

Does anybody know how the wife of an overseas merchant seaman would manage and receive money from him while he was away? Would it be through the Post Office or done through the Merchant Navy via an agent?

I would appreciate any information on this one as I'd like to be sure. Hs wife was living in a very overcrowded apartment in a Glasgow street and was expecting a child, so she would definitely have needed the money to pay the rent.

Thanks in anticipation,

Matt.

Armed Forces / Lookup: Ramleh War Cemetery

« on: Saturday 13 July 13 20:19 BST (UK) »

Hi all,

If anyone has any relatives or interests who are buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel, I am offering look-ups to go and photograph graves there. I'm based in the area until the end of September so can do look-ups if required until then.

If anyone has interests in this cemetery, please get in touch either by message or on this thread.

Thanks,

Matt.

Canada / BC death search: Margaret Alice Jude

« on: Friday 28 June 13 17:06 BST (UK) »

Hi all,

I'm trying to trace my relative, Margaret Alice Jude, who moved to Vancouver with her family in 1912, her husband William having gone over a year before (he was a house painter).

William and Margaret had gone to Canada, and were both natives of Sunderland, County Durham. I believe both of them were born in 1875, and I think I have found a death entry for William in 1926 on the BC indexes.

Their two sons, William Jnr and Robert, are also recorded there. William died in 1966 aged 64 and Robert died in 1976 aged 72. There was also a daughter, Dorothy Edgar Jude, who I have not managed to trace yet.

I've tried looking for Margaret Alice but I can't see a remarriage, death or return to Britain for her at all. If anyone could help I'd be thankful. It's a pain to lose someone in the UK but in Canada, Ii'm out of my depth as I have very few relatives who went there.

Thanks for reading this post. Hopefully some kind soul can help me on my way.

Matt.