My greatest mystery is my paternal Grandmother's grandparents. On her 99th birthday, she told me her grandfather was a Swedish seaman! I was unable to pursue the matter because my Father (who didn't like to hear about, or talk about family) interrupted.
I set out to find as much as I could.
Her grandfather was William Nickolas, and, on his daughter's marriage certificate, he is noted as born "Sweden, near Stockholm". He was a mariner.
Her grandmother was Mary Chapman, born London.
I purchased what I thought was their marriage cert from NSW BMD, and there is NO information on it at all! No parents' names, just their addresses before marriage. Useless!
I found, on NSW BDM indexes, the death certs. I ordered William's. The informant was his wife, Mary. She stated that his mother was Christina, and he was born near Stockholm. he was now a storeman. BUT, it also states that there was "no issue" in the names of children column. I thought, oh no! There must be some mistake, as their daughter, Mary Jane, has siblings according to the indexes.
I purchased Mary (ne Chapman) Nickolas' death cert, and it states the same info- no issue!
Darn! Is this really my family?? Well, there are some clues on the death certs. On both certs, one of the witnesses to the burials is J Sparks. Mary Jane married George Sparks; since she shared her mother's name, maybe she was called Jane by the Family?? it is a coincidence.
Then, the final straw for me as to believing that they are mine. My grandmother had an older sister who died as an infant. I had no idea of her existence until I found her on the indexes. I sent for her death cert, and found a wealth of info. She was born at Forrest Lodge, Glebe. William and Mary were living at Forrest Lodge at the time of their deaths.
So, I've decided that:
1. In Sydney in the 1860's, how many William Nickolases, and Mary Chapmans would there have been amongst a population of ~350,000?
2. Who married each other?
3. Who's daughter's married name was the same as the surname of one of the witnesses to their burials?
4. Who lived in the same place as a child (reputedly their grandchild) was born?
I'm claiming them as mine, but they are "pencilled in" to the tree. I visited William's grave and had a chat to him about being so shy and difficult to find. I asked him for some help, and it was after that that I got the baby's cert, and found that the pub his wife worked in still exists in Sydney. Spooky.
Muppetprincess
