Hi
My great grandmother was born in Shanghai in 1873 and I am at a loss at how to trace this, or find out details for her parents, and would like to know if anyone can offer advice. I will list what I know below:
Minnie Nelson, born 1873, Shanghai
Appears on the 1891 census in Wales, age 17 (birth place listed as Shanghai but also know this from family), staying with her Aunt Mary Thomas. The fact that this lady is listed as her aunt might be a red herring as 1) Mary Thomas is an Aunt of the man Minnie married (my gt grandfather) although I know they could be related through Mary Thomas' husband's side, and 2) Mary Thomas has 4 nieces (all who lived in Shanghai prior to this) and 1 nephew staying with her (who I know to be actual nieces and nephews) so it could be a mistake on the census
She married Thomas Rogers Evans, in 1896 in Anglesey, Wales, I have the original marriage certificate which says her father was Andrew Nelson, deceased at the time of marriage, no further information.
Minnie then died in 1919, leaving behind 3 children.
This is all I know, which I know is more than some people but I would really like to find her birth record and discover who her mother was, there is a possibility that Minnie and her husband were first cousins (see above) and another family rumour that her mother was chinese. I have had no luck in finding her passage from Shanghai to the UK either.
I am not sure if this helps or not but her husbands family are all mariners/master mariners and all their respective wives are daughters of sailors, so not sure if this would apply to Minnie either, was her father a mariner as well? The Evans side of the family themselves have strong ties to Shanghai as well.
Many thanks
