William j McDonald

[daisymac64]

Hi Ambley
I hadnt thought of that maybe she was married before?
As for my Grandfather as far as i know he was based in Gwent before being posted to Germany in ww2(i have been told he was in the Canadian Highlanders) he came back to Abertillery after the war to live with my Nan my father was born and i think he stayed in Wales untill my Dad  was 1 or 2,then my Nan found out that William was already married back in Canada! Needless to say my Nan went balistic and her brothers were told to tell William ta ta so to speak!He returned to Canada and thats the last we heard,luckily we know his fathers name and the fact that they were originally from Cornwall so apart from what youve so kindly told me today we didnt know anymore his family have always been a mystery!
Kind regards
Daisy

[AMBLY]

You can look him up on the English 1881 Census here:
http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp

It looks like he is in Penzance, Cornwall with his mother...... Mary A
Search:
William John McDONALD b 1872, resident in Cornwall, born in Cornwall

That 1882 Baptism is looking more likley by the minute!  

The Baptism is also  on Family Search Labs:
http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#start

And a lot more besides, by the looks. His mother may be Mary Ann PAUL, and parents marriage 1866 in Newlyn.

I'll check the 1871 Census using the older children per 1881 Census as a guide - to try confirm father's name
And also look up 1891 & 1901 for William John.

Cheers
AMBLY

[daisymac64]

Thankyou so much Ambley   
Daisy

[AMBLY]

Hi Daisy

1891: Church Street - Newlyn St Paul Cornwall
RG12 /  Piece: 1856 /  Folio 37 /  Page 1
Head: Mary A McDONALD 54, Widow, Charwoman
Dau: Elizabeth M McDONALD 32, single, Domestic Servant
Dau: Nancy McDONALD 22, single, Charwoman
Son: William J McDONALD 18, Grocers Porter
All born Newlyn

1901: Dolphin Court, Newlyn St Paul, Cornwall
RG13 /  Piece: 2252 /  Folio: 82 /  Page: 10
Head: Mary A McDONALD 64, Widow,
Dau: Elizabeth M McDONALD 40, single, Charwoman
Dau: Nancy McDONALD 35, Single, Housemaid Domestic
Son: William J McDONALD 28, widr, Grocer's Storeman
All born Newlyn

Marriage: Penzance Jun Qtr 1898
William John McDONALD
Eliza Ann GENDALL
On same ref: Vol 5c, page 397

Death: Penzance Dec Qtr 1900
Eliza Ann McDONALD age 28

Still looking for his parents  1871 Census!
Will see if I can see Elizabeth Anna MATTHEWS in 1901 - possibly she'll be in the Newlyn area too, sionce he seems not to have strayed too far (from home or from names-of-wives!)

Cheers
AMBLY

[daisymac64]

Hi Ambly am i reading it right or was William married previously in 1898? I also see he put Grocer down as occupation on ship record when really he was a Grocers porter! If you do manage to trace Elizabeths family that would fantastic.kind regards, Daisy

[AMBLY]

Hi Daisy

Yes  He appears to have been married first in 1898 and widowed shortly after in 1900, possibly his wife died in childbirth (you may find the birth and death of a child in Penzance who could be theirs, on FreeBMD or the Cornwall Parish records (links given above).

He may have progressed from 1891 to 1904 from being a Grocer's boy / storeman man to being  simply, a Grocer (as an employee or on his own account, maybe even running a shop from his own house). But even if he was a Porter or storeman all the while, it wasn't unusual  to 'adjust' occupations on Census, travel records, BDM's etc and 'talk it up a bit'. Some in his position may have even chosen to describe themselves as 'Merchants' if they wanted to be percieved as a bit more up-market 

Having trouble finding them on 1871

However ....his sister Nancy McDONALD

her Baptism is on the Cornwall Parish records database
1867 - Parents William McDONALD, Fisherman and Mary Ann
Residence Jack Lane

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

Got them in 1871:

1871:   Jack Lane, Village of Newlyn, Parish of Paul, Cornwall
RG10 /  Piece: 2338 /  Folio: 91 /  Page: 2
Head: Will'm  MacDONALD 36, Labourer, b Paul, Cornwall
Wife: Mary Ann MacDONALD 35, b Paul, Cornwall
Dau: Eliz'th MacDONALD 14, Gardeners Labourer, b Paul, Cornwall
Dau: Nancy MacDONALD 4, b Paul, Cornwall
Dau: Sarah MacDONALD 1, b Paul, Cornwall
Mother-in-Law: Elizabeth PAUL 76, widow, Labourers Widow, b Morva Cornwall

Cheers
AMBLY

[AMBLY]

Elizabeth might be a harder one to figure out.

I can see a baptism in Gulval 1873, parents Thomas and Susannah, but not found in Census yet.

But I must away to bed - silly hour here in nz 

Will check in tomorrow, maybe I can spot a connection then if no-one has found out in the meantime 

Cheers
AMBLY

[daisymac64]

I cant thank you enough for all the research you have sent me today my Dad is going to be over the moon!
Its really really appreciated Ambly
kindest regards
Daisy