What would you change?

[KarenM]

I've got proof that mine did 

Karen

[wotty]

Do you know why?

That would be the fascinating thing for me. What had they done that they had to assume a new identity?

I know that there was something definitely odd going on with my Meehans (no false names though.... or maybe there was and that's why I can't find them beyond my great grandfather??)- just haven't worked out what it is yet!! My granddad told one too many tall stories and hey, I grew up wanting to be a detective....

Wotty.

[KarenM]

The only reason we can come up with for my gr-grandfather changing the last name is that the Irish were not liked in Canada.  They had signs posted "Don't apply if your Irish", not very welcoming at all.  Stanley was a much more WASP last name.  After he came back from WWI he disappeared, never to be heard from again.  About 8 years ago we learned he went back to England married another woman had 4 more children (already had 5 with my gr-grandmother), he never even had contact with his siblings who he left in Birmingham.  He did tell his son from his second marriage that he did live in Canada and had changed his name, just forgot to mention the wife and kids

Now my grandfather, well, he was a bookie among other things   

Karen

[MaryA]

Well our John/Jack apparently was in hiding from "a bit of trouble", but I suppose trouble in Ireland could mean anything in those days, so anybody's guess is as good as the next persons.

His brother also had a name change and the reason for it might just give you another clue, Robert Parle arrived in America and gave his name.  Somebody presumably took a shot at the spelling, in an attempt to understand what might have been a broad Irish accent, and wrote what he became known as for the rest of his life - Robert PEARL.

Mary

[jinks]

To avoid detection how about just changing the
year of birth ie if you were born on the 4th of July
how about just knocking a year or two off,
or alternatively if you do not know your d.o.b.
(a lot af asians dont) use the 1st of January.

A Surname is a must probably pick a pretty common
surname but not TOO common.

The first name may be tricky especially if you have
been used to that name for a number of years,
so I would probably keep that, or alternatively
swop my first and middle name as one of my
ancestors seems to do.

Place of birth now I find that the further you are
from home the less acurate you appear to be
without meaning to decieve i.e Someone from
Chipping (Lancashire) may say Chipping in
Lancashire but further a field in may say
Preston or even Lancaster.

As for parents names unless you have a very
good memory and to be a consistent liar, you
have to have a good memory either change it
to something simple like Adam and Eve, Mary and
Joseph or leave it the same.


I think to alter anything about yourself you would
need to be consistent and keep it simple.

Jinks

 

[Lady Di]

Hi Everyone,

Wow, I didn't realise there would be so many different ways to "disappear".

As I don't know my guys actual DOB (only a year) he may have changed that - but it appears that it is close (+/-3)

Would you consider a Place of birth of "Brighton Sussex" as being true or false - remember he was in Oz at the time!

Personally I think it's false and maybe one day I'll find out 

Thanks for all your help and suggestions

Di