new member Q - Scottish Xmas Wedding

[MollyButton]

Hi I'm very new to this - so i haven't really got started. I hope someone can point me in the right direction.
I want to find out about my dads family, called Colston, which I think is *fairly* unusual
I don't know my granddads real name - he was a sailor and everyone called him Jack.
Grans name was Jean, but I dont know her maiden name.
The only other clue I have was that they were married on Xmas Day, Almost certainly in Scotland and probably in Edinburgh, I'm guessing this was in the 1940's.
Do you think I have enough info to start looking - and where do you suggest I start?

[stanmapstone]

Hi MollyButton
Welcome to RootsChat

You could try http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

Stan

[Gadget]

Hello Molly

Welcome to rootschat 

As stan says, one of the best sources online is the Scotlands People site. However, it is not really much use to you with those dates - births to 1906, marriages to 1931 and deaths to 1956.

It might be that you have to do some archive research is Edinburgh or have the archives there look things up.

One possibility - do you have any deaths in the family in Scotland before 1956? Do you have any idea of the location in Scotland (added - I see you mentioned Edinburgh  ) and the birth of their first child?

Also, have a look at this thread:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,24468.0.html

Regards

Gadget

[Little Nell]

Hi Molly,

Welcome to RootsChat.

Scottish records are available to look up online (for a fee), BUT only up to certain dates (1906 for births, 1931 for marriages and 1956 for deaths).  After these dates, the only choice is a visit by either yourself or someone else to New Register House.

I'm not sure that you have enough information to go on at the moment.  Does your Dad have his birth certificate - you need the names from that.  You will find both his father's name (hopefully not just Jack!) and his mother's maiden name.  That will give you the best starting point.

There were 927 Colston/Coulston/Colstone etc listed on the 1881 census throughout England, Wales and Scotland.  The vast majority seem to have been born in England.

Keep asking questions - we'll do our best to help you.  

Nell

Sorry, Stan and Gadget, repeated some of what you have said.

[MollyButton]

Gosh! so quick and so helpful!

Don't have dads birth cert unfortunately, and I belive he is still alive so not sure about that as 'tracing living relatives' protocol. He would be around 60 and was born in Edinburgh. He has 3 names Henry, John and William, so I think poss one of those could have been Grandads name? He was second child, def born in Edinburgh.
Grandma Jean was scottish, Jack I believe was a 'proper cockney' Born within the sound of the Bow bells.

You can see why I'm struggling - but I like a challenge!

[Gadget]

Hello Molly

I'm wondering if you might ask on our  WW2 armed forces board:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,398.0.html

as another prong of attack, to see if they might be able to help with 'Jack's' war record?

It may be difficult but it might help.


Did they always live in Scotland or did they move south of the Border?

When did you grandmother die?


Gadget

[MollyButton]

Thanks so much for your interest.

They moved to Ireland about 40 years ago, Dublin I think. They later emigrated to Australia where Grandad died about 5 years ago. I have no info on Grandma. They were rather eccentric...!

I'll post now on the WW2 Board - great idea.

[Gadget]

What a fun family to research 

You could also try the Emigrants to Australia board:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/board,165.0.html


Gadget

[jc26red]

Perhaps looking for the Aussie death cert(s) should be the first port of call.

This may seem daft, but how do you know your grandad died about 5 years ago? did someone contact you? If so, do you think they may have more information on them?
If your grandmother outlived your grandad, perhaps she put an orbit in the papers?

I can't help with the Scottish side, not very familiar with that.  Do you know if your Dad had any sibblings?

Try and gather as many details as you can. You need to find the first real hard proof. i.e. a BMD cert or electoral register entry..

jc