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Assuming they're RC, and since civil BMD registration didn't start till around 1864, then you immediately run into the Archdiocese of Cashel & Emly problem (no RC records available online, although the records are available on microfiche at the National Library Of Ireland in Dublin).

There are a few people on RootsChat, myself included, who have Fanning links in the Tipperary town area in the mid 1800s. If you haven't done so already try the "Surnames" link at the top of the forum (also check spelling variants - Fannin, Fannen, etc).

Also try a Google search for the following:
fanning site:rootschat.com
That should take you directly to some Fanning-related threads here at RootsChat, some of which may be relevant to your research.

Good luck,
Pete

I should have known by now that I'd find the answer at RootsChat!

I have an ancestor who died on HMS Contest in Sep 1917, and we've just found his service record, which includes:

Hecla(Contest)
Apollo(Contest)

I wanted to know what these double ship names meant. After Googling the individual ship names and discovering the term "depot ship" I Googled "depot ship" +wwi and found this thread on the first page of results. And yes, it answers my query perfectly!
Thanks!

This is just what I'd been waiting for! I had a dozen or so very promising search results from previous investigations at FindMyPast. I'd even saved the search result pages to my PC so that I could simply open my saved page and click the link...

Well, that was the plan! Unfortunately it didn't work. But not a real problem, it just meant doing the search again

Still, when you get something for free it's rather churlish to complain, eh! 

And I was very pleased with the results - I've discovered a fair bit of new information and some new leads.

Pete

Re subscribing? I'd consider it if they had a monthly option, and I've mentioned this on their feedback forms.

This is one of many hopelessly optimistic attempts I'm making to jump start two leads relating the Llanelly Williams family in this thread http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=455978.msg

Walter Williams is my great grandfather, via his second marriage. I know there are (were?) two other second cousins researching this family, and I'm posting this in the (vain?) hope that one of them will find this page while Googling. Who knows, they may even be on RootsChat!

Here's the details of my two leads:

1) At http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/sites/familyhistory/pages/canyouhelp2.shtml (scroll down to the entry headed "... looking for family in Llanelli")

"wondering if anyone can help me. I am researching my paternal greatgrandfather Walter Williams. His first marriage was to a Mary (surname unknown) I know that they had two sons, William Edward Williams, who was killed october 1917 in the battle of Ypres and served with the Australian army. I think I have found the second son, David Joseph Williams, who was killed september 1917 on the HMS Contest which was destroyed in the english channel by a German U Boat. I have two known address's for Walter and Mary, ... and .... Walters second marriage was to a Catherine Lewis and they hadpossibly four children, the names I have are Mary Bronwen, Walter, Benjamin and Blodwen ... Catherine Lewis had a illigitamit daughter called Bronwen who died when she was very young. If anyone can help me it would be much appreciated"

2) At http://www.GenesReunited.co.uk/community/posts/538498/default.aspx?px=0#642397

"I am trying to trace information about my Great Grandfather Walter Williams. He had two marriages, first to Mary they had two sons, William Edward Williams and I think a David Joseph Williams, both where killed within a month of each other in WW1. He then married a Catherine Lewis from Ton Pentre (she had a daughter called Bronwen who died young) and they had four children that I know of. Mary Bronwen, Walter, Benjamin and Blodwen ... Any information would be greatly appreciated."

Pete

Moderator comment: if you can help, please reply on the original thread, to avoid duplication

I'm sure that many of you have tried this - You've just found a new person to add to your family tree. So in an act of ridiculous optimism (not to mention the clear disregard for laws of probability, and lack of any sense of reality!), you type a name plus a key word or two into Google.

Most such searches come up with pages and pages of unrelated (no pun intended!) websites which are no help. A lucky few of us may find a lead somewhere among the hundreds and thousands of search results. But how many of you have been lucky enough to come across not one, but two solid, 100% definite leads in the first few pages of Google results? Not many I guess (mine were on the BBC Wales and Genes Reunited sites - I've moved the details to another thread as they're not really relevant to this post)


Now here's the frustrating bit - It's impossible to get in contact with the posters!

I've emailed BBC Wales and been told that they no longer have the contact details, since their 'Can You Help' pages were closed down some time ago.

I also signed up for a free Genes Reunited account purely to contact the poster, only to be told that "you can't actually contact anybody unless you pay!". Since the post is over 5 years old with no replies (and a fellow researcher apparently tried to contact the poster several years ago) I've marked this poster down as 'uncontactable'.

Has anybody else had similar experiences?

And more importantly, has anybody managed to get in contact with seemingly uncontactable message posters?

Pete