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Hi
I've got a problem which I can't think how to solve, so any suggestions gratefully received.

My brother in law has started doing his family tree, unfortunately his mother wasn't married to his father and is reluctant to give him many details. All she has told him is that his name was William Charles Davis and that he was born in 1907. When she knew him he lived in East Ham and she said he was born there, but there is no proof of this. My B-I-L seems to think he may have died before 1982 and that he was married with 3 sons. He does have an address from about 1955.

Even if we find a birth record or death record for a William Charles Davis, I can't see how we can be certain it is the correct one. Any ideas, or is this a hopeless cause?

Jan

Hi
I'm not sure if this is the correct board, but here goes:

On the 1851,1861 and 1871 censuses my cousin's gx3 grandfather Edmond John Mills gives his place of birth as West Indies Barbados. He was born about 1822 and was in England by 1848 as that is when he married Fanny Wells in St Martins in the fields (BMD 1 131)

I believe his father may have been a John Mills who served as a corporal in the 4th Regiment of Foot (Kings Own) He fought at the battle of Waterloo and the Blandensburg Peninsular ( American War of Independence?) My cousin has recently found the Waterloo Medal amongst his late father's second World War medals and that started my research into the family.

How do I go about finding a registration for Edmond's birth. for John's marriage ( probably in Barbados) and how can I find out any information about John's military career?

I know this is a long shot, but thanks anyway.

Jan

Hi, can anyone explain the deserted bit for me?

I have just found the WW1 records of a great uncle. he joined the Middlesex regiment on 17.8.1914. The records read as follows:

  D Attested                         17.08.14
  5  Posted                           15.10.14
14  Posted                           31.10.14

14  Deserted
      Struck off                       10.10.14
      Strength

  2  Posted                            19.1.15

Does this mean he went "missing" before he was first posted and then thought better of it and went back?

He fought all the way through the war and was taken prisoner in May 1918, finally being demobed on 31st march 1920.

Thanks

Hi
Thanks to people on this site I think I may have found my gx3 grandfather William Howell, who spent most of his life in Liverpool but gave his place of birth as Yarmouth.

I believe he was WILLIAM HOWELL born 6th Sept 1802 and baptised 7th Sept 1802 at St Nicholas Yarmouth. His parents are given as Valentine Howell and Elizabeth Bennett.

Is there anyone who has access to records for Yarmouth and can find any siblings for William, or the marriage of Valentine and Elizabeth?

I've looked in the 1803 census for Great Yarmouth and Elizabeth is given as the wife of Valentine and in the footnotes it states he was a waiter at The Angell. Also on this census are an Edward Howell (66) and Susan (70) who could possibly be Valentine's parents.

Any help appreciated as this has been my brick wall.

Janet

Hi can anyone help please?
My mother (now in her eighties) is adamant that she had 4 cousins who emigrated from Croydon Surrey England to Australia. I have managed to track them down over here as follows:
Sidney G (or B) Waters born 1911 Croydon
Donald McL Waters born 1917 Croydon
David H Waters born 1918 Croydon
George F Waters born 1922 Croydon.

I have found the eldest Sidney Waters on board the Themistocles sailing from Liverpool to Brisbane on 11th Feb 1827. Mum says the boys' father died and Sidney sent for them to join him. As far as I can see there is no record of any of them sailing around 1930 which is when she thinks they went. However in May 1949 Donald McL Waters is on board the HMS Asturias with his wife Pamela and son Michael (1) bound for Sidney.  There is a George F Waters in the passengers lists in 1952, but this is a different family.

Is there any way I can find out if they were in Australia around 1930?

Another interesting fact I have discovered is that their mother Elizabeth May Waters (nee Hurlbatt )was born in Sidney NSW in 1880. According to the 1891 England census the family were:

Fred Hurlbatt born 1843 Newington London
Matilda Hurlbatt 1852 Sydney NSW
Elizabeth May Hurlbatt 1880 Sydney NSW
Fred RC Hurlbatt 1880 Sydney NSW
Alice Hurlbatt 1882 Sydney NSW

Again is there any way I can find this family in Australia? I presume Fred and Matilda married in Sydney. Fred is in the English 1861 census but then disappears until 1891 when the family are back in Croydon.

Any help much appreciated - I'm beginning to think age has muddled my mother's recollections but she insists they visited to say goodbye when she was about 10 (ie 1930)!


Thanks

Janet