Re mystery Grandfather

[suehogben]

Thank you for all your prompt and helpful replies....I've been searching for Harry for a long while, and gave up for a couple of years, just taking up the reins again this autumn....whereupon some kind soul pointed me in the direction of the Harry Powis in the electoral rolls.

I have both death certs for Harry Powis, and got really excited when I saw the one with his father as an Edward Powis, but as he's married, he's not my Harry, he is the other Harry that joined at the same time.

Luckily I know that Harry Powis 996 is definitely mine, as the marriage to my grandmother is in the war records, the other Harry married an Olive?(I think) and she's named on the death cert of the second Harry.

Also, because I've been following this Harry (who I' almost certain is mine ) up until 1954 via the electoral rolls, this sort of confirms he is mine.

Luckily there only seems to be only 2 Harry Powis's in the Melbourne area , and the other one's the married chap with wife Olive, I just need those records from the NAA to try and confirm an address that I'm following the right man....

Thanks for the info that they have a long turn around time for documents at this time of year, was just a bit surprised that I hadn't received any acknowledgement of my query, or estimates of how much it will cost, but I'll give that a bit longer then....I'm just so impatient, I feel that he's just within my grasp at last! Who knows, there might even be some more info there about his family back home. (Would I really be that lucky!)

I think that tree on Ancesty might be mine.

The tantalising thing is also, someone pointed me towards a posting about a family of Arthur and Issabelle Irwin, who Harry moves in with at one stage, but then oddly the wife moves out, followed next year by Harry, who moves into where she lives?

I was hoping that someone might see the message that I'd left on their posting re Harry, and get back to me, but maybe he was bad news in the family? and they want no contact....who knows....but Harry, and this Arthur Irwin probably knew each other in england, they joined up at the same time, and I think they sailed at the same time, came from the same area, and I believe they were at one time in the same batt.

The trying to sort out who he was and where he came from in England is even more perplexing...

I have an address given in 1914 as NOK, and just listed as Mrs Powis, no christian name, so presumably his fathers already died, it's given as 20 Vincents Road, Highams Park, Chingford, Essex..

I have found this address in the 1911 census, and there a Coats family living there ,oddly enough, there are Coates in the family going back on the maternal side (but slight spelling diference, coincidence?)

A lodger, Mary Beard, aged 57, widow, has no children actually  listed, from Machester, but a quick check on Ancestry has found a Mary Beard, who has an adopted Harry, born about the right age (different surname)....trying to find her marriage to see what her maiden name was....could be Powis? If he was adopted, not sure how to persue that one either....

Also, an Emma Harris, housekeeper with 2 children, aged 59, looks like born in Essex, not got around to checking her out yet.

I keep coming back to the family tale that Harry Powis wasn't his real name, and the longer it's going on that I can't seem to find the right fit for him and his family, the more I'm convinced that maybe this bit was true after all.

Not sure how I can proceed with this then..

I've even wondered about going to a spirtualist meeting to see if he'd be around to give me a few pointers!...shows how desperate I am!!!

[tropicalj]

I shall ask one of our fellow RCERS who pops into the national library to see if there is perhaps a death notice for Harry Powis just to see who is mentioned etc . worth a go

thanks Jenn

[suehogben]

Thank you Jenn.
Much appreciated.
Sue

[~MERLIN~]

POWIS Harry  died  aged 71 in 1948 at Bleigh reg no 5176
Father Edward POWIS mother Mary Tucket

This is the Harry POWIS that was married to Olive, they are buried together at the Preston Cemetery:

http://www.prestoncemetery.org/search/index.php

[~MERLIN~]

POWIS Harold died aged 75 in 1957 at Melbourne reg no 12614 Parents details unknown
Buried in the Melbourne Cemetery     Church of England - Monumental Compartment P Section 12 Grave 29 buried 10/10/1957

This Harold POWIS is actually buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery not Melbourne Cemetery.

No other person buried in the same grave.

[tropicalj]

POWIS Harold died aged 75 in 1957 at Melbourne reg no 12614 Parents details unknown
Buried in the Melbourne Cemetery     Church of England - Monumental Compartment P Section 12 Grave 29 buried 10/10/1957

This Harold POWIS is actually buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery not Melbourne Cemetery.

No other person buried in the same grave.

http://www.deceasedsearch.com/index.php

sincere apologies Sue
my mistake Merlin is right not the Melbourne cemetery

should have added the link in the detailing of his grave.


Merlin, did you contact the cemetery  to see if anyone one else was buried with him? 

Jenn

[judb]

Hmm - well this still doesn't rule him out - and again, seems he has no family, only friends but not the Irwins!

Melbourne Sun-Pictorial, Thursday 10 October, 1957 (Death Notices)
POWIS - On October 8 at the Alfred Hospital, Harold Powis of 317 Beaconsfield Parade, St Kilda, the sincere friend of Eileen Hall, Myra Lynch and Marie McCahill, late 1st AIF.  Remains at R Mackenzies' chapel for private burial.

No funeral notice and no other notices that I could see 9-11 October.

I wonder if Springvale would tell you who paid for the grave?

Electoral Roll for 1954 shows him at the above address listed as Harry POWIS, clerk

I can't identify any of the women on the electoral roll for 1954 - McCahill not there at all and the other two have too many possibles to identify.

There is still a Roderick Mackenzie Undertakers at 199 Clarendon St
South Melbourne  - some undertakers have records that they will share.

Cheers, Judith

[tropicalj]

Thanks Jud for doing that lookup I am sure Sue will be please to read it.


I contacted Springvale and  they say no oneelse is in  the grave and  the only other information was the funeral was arranged by an E.  HULL

Now I am wondering if  this is Eileen HALL?

trying to find out  who these ladies were  is not  that easy however  on th 1954 Electoral Roll
Eileen Margaret HALL is residing as  the same address as Harry POWIs ie 317 Beaconsfield Parade

MCCAHILL  Marie Therese aged 53 died in 1976 aged 53 at Elst reg no 16265
father Samuel ESTLER mother Eileen Lynch


HALL Eileen Margaret died aged 75 in 1968 at Prahnan reg no  4234
Father  Lynch Daniel mother Margaret Mary Ryan






Jenn
 

[~MERLIN~]

There is a huge thread that has already given Sue all this information... so I hope we're not just going over the same territory 

http://www.rootschat.com/links/08me/