OLSINIA Olvene Garfield (Darky)

[cazzie.d]

My late father-in-law was Olvene Garfield OLSINIA (nicknamed Darky, due to his swarthy appearance).  You'd think with a name like that he'd be easy to find - you'd be wrong!
He was supposedly born in Cornwall in April 1920 (d 1986), and worked the fairgrounds (most likely in & around London).  The story is that he started out in the boxing booths, and later ran the toffee apple/candy floss stall (I have seen photos that support this).  I have been unable to find any trace of his birth, despite using as many variations of spelling as I can think of (I've also resorted to using his first & middle names as surnames, just in case), and searching from 1910 to 1930 (all quarters) without success.  I have also been unable to locate a marriage, even looking under his wife's maiden name and searching from when she would have been 16 up until their second child was born (though my husband - the second child - swears that he has seen a marriage certificate).  My main aim is to find the origin of this surname - I am constantly asked where it comes from.
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[avm228]

My goodness that's a rare name (Olsinia)!  No hits at all, anywhere in the world, on familysearch, and just a handful on Ancestry.com which are so localised and (mostly) very recent that they may well all be linked to your immediate family.  Neither, for what it's worth, does the name come up in The Times archive 1785-1985.

(Modified to add: no Olsinia hits on FreeBMD either)

All of which leads me to wonder - was he born under another name? Are there are old family documents or legends that might provide a clue - or does your husband have any knowledge of his grandparents' names or death dates which might enable a search for their records?

Anna


P.S. On a separate point, I see that you have Merritts from Hampshire, as do I.  Were any of yours from the Meon Valley area?

 

[cazzie.d]

Hi Anna,

You're right, the few Olsinias on Ancestry.com are my husband's immediate family.  I've tried every resource I can think of over the last 20 years, with zero results - very frustrating.   My father-in-law was very secretive about his past - would never discuss it at all - my husband often jokes that his father simply made up the name!.  All we really know is that he left home at a very young age, and that he supposedly spent some time in India, though when and why is anybody's guess.  He did occasionally use the name Olshanskey, but I've had no joy with that either.  There's always been some speculation that he was of gypsy descent (he certainly looked the part - olive skin, jet black hair, blue eyes) but this seems to be purely based on the fact that he was a fairground worker.   Apart from that, I haven't a clue!

As regards my Merritts in Hampshire, my grandfather was Arthur Edward Moss Merritt, mother Annie Frances Merritt, father Marriner Moss.  If you search for these on Genes Reunited, you should find my tree - contact me there & I'll be happy to share what little info I have.
Regards
Caz

[CatOne]

Have you seen this entry on ancestry?

British Phone Books 1956 -

Olsinia O, Grcr, Confec
183 St Georges wy SE15            RODney 6123

[cazzie.d]

Hi CatOne
Thanks for that - I've not seen this particular entry, but it is my late father-in-law.  After the fairgrounds, he ran an "open all hours" type of shop in Peckham.  The family moved to Kent in the 1970s.
We know nothing about his parents or siblings (if any) or other family members.
I'm beginning to think that he may have been a foundling!