Sheila Mary Snelling - Crawley, Sussex

[jeffstonehouse]

I've hit a dead end trying to trace Sheila's family.

She died in July 1995 and her death cert gives her D.o.B as 13/9/1923 but there is no place of birth.

I can't find any trace of anyone with that name, born on that day, on FreeBMD.

I think she might have been a teacher at one of the local schools.

Her DC also lists her as using a second name 'Sheila Mary Guerlain'

Any help with tracing this lady's history will be greatly appreciated

[Jo Harding]

Hello Jeffstonehouse,

Records for someone who lived as recently as Sheila will be difficult to find online.

Do you know if Snelling was her married name? Was she born in the UK? The second name of Guerlain suggests she may have been French, could that have been the case?

Have you tried asking in the Crawley area as someone should remember her there? It might be worth an advert in the local paper for people to contact you if they knew of her. I think it is the Crawley Observer and they have an online web site. They may do a small feature if you ask and explain your interest.

Jo

[jeffstonehouse]

Thanks for the reply.

To be honest, I don't have a lot to go on. This lady was very reclusive and very eccentric.

From anecdotal evidence I have ascertained that she never married and I'm pretty certain that she was born in the UK, I just don't know where.

I have been in contact with many people locally who remember her, but none who knew her well enough to be able to give me information about her family history.

I have already been interviewed by the local press (article was published yesterday) Hopefully more information will be forthcoming.

[avm228]

Hi and a warm welcome.

Bearing in mind the inherent unreliability of ages/birthdates given on death certificates, have you ruled out this birth?

Dec qtr 1926

Sheila M SNELLING mmn BROWNE
Croydon 2a 540

Anna

[Eyesee]

From FreeBMD
Frank E SNELLING married Margaret E BROWNE, Sep qtr 1921, West Ham, 4a 762

Only SNELLING/BROWNE marriage I can see.

Margaret E SNELLING birth Sep qtr 1921 Fulham, 1a 587, mmn BROWNE

Have just had a look on the Crawley website. She must have been a bit of a character.

Ian C

[Donald71]

Does the death certificate give an address or any details of the informant? These are often a clue. May be able to cross reference these with phone books or electroal rolls.

Donald

[jeffstonehouse]

Thanks for the replies:

I'll check out the Snelling/Browne connection.

The informant given on the D.C. was the name of the person that took her to the crematorium.

To be honest I doubt very much if Sheila knew what a telephone was, let alone have her name in a phonebook!. She seems to have lived as if it was still Victorian times. She certainly looked and dressed that way!

Thanks for your help.

[jeffstonehouse]

It's looking very promising!

Considering there's only one entry under Sheila's name between 1920 and 1926 there's a good chance it's her.

Many thanks for your friendly assistance.

[Roy G]

I lalso ooked at FreeBMD and did a search for Snelling - Brown marriages (1920 - 1930) and Snelling siblings with mother's maiden name Brown.  There were more than one marriage with that combination in the London area so you can't be certain which would have been Sheila's correct parents and subsequently, her siblings.

Marriages Dec 1921 Snelling  Ernest M     Brown  Islington  1b 355   
Marriages Dec 1924 Snelling  Percy V       Brown  Wandsworth  1d 1178   
Marriages Dec 1925 Snelling  Albert H      Brown  Poplar  1c 713   
Marriages Sep 1929 Snelling  Gerald M     Brown  Hendon  3a 1162   

Best initial step therefore is to apply for a copy of the Croydon birth certificate, identify the correct set of parents and then seek out the siblings on this or other websites.  Genes Reunited has often worked for me.
Roy G