Sheffield to sydney

[rosball]

Stella's second husband, Harold Alfred GRAY died 25 June 1958 at age 53.

Here is his death notice (it's on page 11 of the images)

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01fih/

GRAY Harold Alfred, June 25, 1958, ( suddenly) ,late of 5 Aird Street, Parramatta  widower of the late Scotty Gray, and fond brother of .... etc   Aged 53 years.

[landie]

Thank you everyone, it makes interesting reading. I can't believe someone would take their own life in such a horrific way and with 2 small children too, what must they have thought?
Stella's parents were Mary E Lane and Henry (Harry) Mercer and William Mill was born in Dundee, I guess that's where "Scotty" comes from although she was probably as Yorkshire as me! I'll start to add these pieces of information to my tree, would be great if I could find some living descendants from all this. She obviously never came back to Sheffield, I just wonder why she left her son Dennis behind and who she left him with.

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated.

Kerry.

[groom]

It doesn't look as if he was adopted as he kept the Mercer name. This death fits with his birth

Deaths Mar 1972   

Mercer    Dennis
Sheffield    2d   490   
Birth 26 May 1917

[sparrett]

From NSW BDM
Death 1979
MILL Lionel Davidson, no parents names given, died waters of Sydney Harbour  reg 21431/1979

I would venture to say the circumstances of this death may be unusual.

The purchase of the death certificate would possibly reveal some details.

Sue

[rosball]

Yes Sue I did do a quick search on Sydney Morning Herald (1955-92)  for more info about this accident (?)   - without success   

Just to tell Kerry ... transcriptions of NSW certs are cheaper than the actual certs and are e-mailed to you by certified transcription agents.  From http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/ you can scroll down to transcription agents to find out how to order them.

Perhaps the probate file for Norman McMilllan MILL will reveal more info about possible living descendants so could perhaps postpone ordering a transcription of Lionel's death cert until after we see what the probate file gives us (probate files are a lucky dip - sometimes they are so informative and have lots of certs and other times ... not much at all  )

regards
  Ros

[rosball]

Hi Kerry,
  I have sent you a pm with a link to Norman MILL's probate photos.   It does contain his death cert and info on his children.

regards
  Ros

[landie]

Thank you everyone for all your help, I couldn't do this without you. I've got quite a bit to go on.
Ros, I got the pm, it was fine, could read the downloads.
Thanks again.

Kerry.x

[Annie65115]

I've got a copy of Kelly's directory for Sheffield and Rotherham from 1938. There are several Mercers listed as resident in the area, but no Dennis Mercer.

I presume this was Stella's brother in 1938:

Clarence Mercer, clerk, address 89 Elm Lane, Sheffield S5

and it looks as though her sister m Thomas W Sampson in 1924; there is a 1938 listing for Thomas W Sampson at Sycamore House Road, Sheffield 5. There was also a company  T W Sampson and Co, electrical engineers, at Electron Works, Pitt St, Sheffield 1.

neither of this helps with Stella or Dennis but pads the family out a bit!

[landie]

Thank you
Yes it does help to try and pin point where they all were, sometimes you can come back to something and it all falls into place.

Thanks again
Kerry.x