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I am trying to trace my Grandfathers Grave in Barnstaple, Devon. I am unfamilar with the area, however I have emailed Bear St Cemetary there and they did a search and couldnt find anyone of my Grandfathers name. They suggested local Churchyards possibly. Does anyone know of any other Cemetarys or even a list of Churchs that have Graveyards in the area? Alternativly I was contemplating seeing if Funeral Dircetors in the area may have records from the time of my Grandfathers death and could help lead me to where he was buried. So any email address for Cemetarys, Churches or even Funeral Directors in the area or possibly even another way to search for him that I dont know of would be greatly appreciated. My Grandfathers name was Sidney Hill and he died 1926 in Barnstaple aged 60 years old. Thanks.

Hi & welcome to Rootschat,

You say he died in Barnstaple in 1926. Was this from a death certificate or a birth index. If the latter it may be BArnstaple  Registration District and could mean he was buried in a churchyard in a village outside the town. I think no churches in Barnstaple were having burials in the 1920s

Steve

Unfortunatly its not quite as simple as just being Barnstaple where my Grandfather could be buried! We have done searches using all Sidney/Sydney Hills that fit the information that we hold to use to search to try and locate his Grave and any further information regarding him. We dont know a lot, we are mainly working with the info that is on his Marriage Certificate to my Grandmother which is that he was 41 years old in 1908 and therefore born 1867. We dont know of a middle name and one isnt listed, so am assuming just Sydney Hill, although depending on the Certificate, his name is spelt as Sidney or Sydney, so not even 100% sure regarding the correct spelling of his name. It also lists his fathers name as George on the Marriage Cert and that he was a Grand Mariner and lists Sidneys Occupation as a Marine and later Steamship Engineer. We worked out that he must have died after 1919 as that was when his daughter was born and Sydneys Wife remarried in 1928 and it lists her marital Status by then as Widow. So he must have died between 1919 and 1928, we have narrowed it down some more by locating one of Sidneys Sons Death Certs, Cyril died in Sept 1923 aged 12 years old and his Uncle registered his death, on the death cert, he write Sydneys name as father and that he was a Steamship Engineer, so am assuming by that, he must still have been alive in 1923, otherwise would think would say deceased. We then contacted a nice fellow who checked records and with the info that we gave him, he gave us two names which could fit as our Grandfather. One in Bristol and one in Barnstaple. My Cousin has also found a record outside the Country, which we have to consider as his work enabled him to travel and that Sidney died in Dedham, Massachusetts, USA in 1924. The Bristol Sidney, I tracked down through emailing Cemetarys and Churchyards and managed to locate where is buried and got the Applicants name, also same person buried with him and not a name that we recognize, which then has now led me to Barnstaple. I have emailed some Churches there and am still awaiting responses. Anymore tips or info would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks.....

I think Sidney Hill who was buried in Barnstaple in 1926 was a House Painter who appears as Sid Hill in the 1911 Census, living in Barnstaple. There are a couple of maritime deaths in 1922/3 for the name Hills but no Christian name or even initials

Steve

Hi - are these the basics on Sidney/Sydney & family?

1867 (approx): Birth of Sidney or Sydney HILL, location unknown.
1908 (Jun qtr): Sydney HILL (wid, 41, marine? engineer), marries Mary HAINES, Southampton.
1908 (10 Aug): Birth of son William, West Bromwich district.
1908 (30 Aug): William baptised at All Souls' Witton - parents Sidney (engineer) & Mary, of 54 Wenlock Rd.
1909 (25 Aug): Birth of son Leslie George, West Bromwich district.
1909 (19 Sep): Leslie baptised at All Souls' Witton - parents Sydney (engineer) & Mary, of 54 Wenlock Rd.
1911 (08 Feb): Birth of son Cyril Percival, West Bromwich district.
1911 (01 Mar): Cyril baptised at All Souls' Witton - parents Sydney (engineer) & Mary, of 54 Wenlock [Rd].
1923 (Sep qtr): Death at the General Hospital of Cyril Percival, aged 12, of Wenlock Rd, Birmingham - father Sydney Hill, steamship engineer.
1923 (29 Sep): Burial of Cyril Percival, St Peter & St Paul, Aston.
1928: Mary HILL remarries as a widow.

I'm struggling to see a daughter born in or around 1919