Missing death index and certificate [Brickwall]

[River Tyne Lass]

Yes, it definitely looked like 'W.Brabant.'

[Gardenshed]

Just to say I am enjoying reading this thread and am hugely impressed by what has been uncovered. I don’t have any connection with the family (though who knows, the way it’s tentacles are reaching out) but it is helping me understand a bit more about the people, times and places.

[battista]

All this information, astounding what can be learnt. I hope to get a response addressing all this new info over the next few days, otherwise, it'll have to be a week from now. Going on a bit of a trip.

[River Tyne Lass]

Gardenshed, it is nice to read your positive feedback, even though this is not my thread.  I have certainly enjoyed researching last week in an attempt to locate Giovanni!  The workhouse records are priceless in my opinion; a fascinating historical record of life in my area.

Sadly, these thick volumes are quite fragile now and when looking at these you have to be extremely careful with the spines of the volumes.  I can see a day at some point in the future when members of the public such as myself will no longer be able to access these due to fragility.  Then I expect it will be paid searches only to find out about workhouse ancestors.

batista, I am very much looking forward to whatever you find out further in relation to information found to date - either in the next few days or when you return from your trip.

Also, I think it may be worth mentioning a record which I saw in these  paupers collection records at Tyne and Wear Archives. I have not known about this record before last week:
 
'Register of unclaimed bodies sent to the
College of Science'
Ref: PU.TY/2/11

The dates covered are between 26 February 1934 and the 1940s.  I did not request this record as this is likely out the time frame and most likely if Giovanni died here his body would have been claimed and registered.

However, the archives will only hold records handed in to them.  I wonder if such earlier volumes may have existed for much earlier periods?  Even so, I would think the people in such a register would be registered for death? 

This might be another possible avenue to research - contacting the College of Science.  If all other avenues fail, that is.

[Tickettyboo]

Sadly, these thick volumes are quite fragile now and when looking at these you have to be extremely careful with the spines of the volumes.  I can see a day at some point in the future when members of the public such as myself will no longer be able to access these due to fragility.

Any archives main remit should be to preserve these records AND enable the public to access the info about our history and heritage. Not much point in preserving if no one can ever learn about them.  Super though it is to actually see the originals, it must be damaging in the long term, no matter how careful people are.
Its shortsighted not to digitise their holdings, so that visitors can access the info in the future while still preserving the documents. 
Yes, I know archives - any archives, this is not aimed specifically at TWAS, are short staffed, probably underfunded and scanning is time consuming, but at least make a start, they must know which ones are regularly requested. I've been asking about this for years at various archives and usually get the response that 'we don't have time', well if they'd started 15 years ago, even at a few hours a week, they'd have a lot done by now. WHy not ask the LDS for copies of the records they have digitised to be used at the archives? I'd bet my boots they would agree.
The ones who 'have' digitised starting with the most accessed records like PRs, such as Seax where you can pay a fiver and spend the next 24 hours getting the records you want from the comfort of your own home get an income.
I'll happily pay a fiver, to firkle and download, but a £30 'research fee' from a lot of local archives, if I don't have the exact date and want just one record, is way outside my budget so I can't / don't give them any income - if the BMD record is post 1837 its cheaper to pay the GRO for a pdf copy than attempt to get a PR record.
Other than that I'll go to my local LDS FHC, if they have digitised the records I want I can get them for free or I make do with a transcription from Free Reg, Family Search, etc etc. Which is nice, but I WOULD support the regional archives centres if it were possible without a mortgage.

Apologies to Battista for taking your thread (which I have enjoyed reading and watching it develop) off topic with my mini rant.
I'm only little, and am getting a bit dizzy up on top of this soapbox, so I'll get down now :-)

Boo

[River Tyne Lass]

I totally agree.  Last week I did ask for one volume as I hoped to see exactly when a bloodline ancestor of mine (my Grandmother was admitted to the hospital) - she died 1937.  I was turned down on two counts, one reason I suppose understandably was I might see a name of someone who could potentially still be alive but also because the particular volume is too fragile now to be offered to a member of the public.  I suppose if I was that determined I could
pay £30 for a staff look up or a further £30 for each hour it takes.
I also wish these records could be digitised.  They are invaluable and not all of us including me can afford hefty search fees.  I think something should definitely be done as I do think one day, possibly in the next few years because of the fragility of the spines of the books these will no longer be available to the public.  This is my own view of what I think is likely to happen and not something which I have been told concerning all the volumes, I might add.

The pages are okay in these volumes it is the bindings which are fragile.  However, writing tends to be small and although readable now I think the writing will be subject to fading eventually.  I think this is another reason for preserving such treasures now.

I know there are 3 fantastic ladies who do a lot of weekly voluntary work transcribing records at the archives.  However, I think their hands are likely to be full already with the work they do in getting information transferred from microfilm onto typed up pages in binders.

When I asked how much a page would be to be scanned (just in case Battista wants proof sent of any record I mention) I was told £10.  This is still a lot of money when it is considered that each admission and discharge is on a separate page.

[River Tyne Lass]

http://www.tynemouthworldwarone.org/database.html

Battista, I have noticed that your ancestors John George and Vincent are both commemorated on this local WW1 website.  It is sad to think that it turns out that Victor also lost his life in the war.   

[battista]

http://www.tynemouthworldwarone.org/database.html

Battista, I have noticed that your ancestors John George and Vincent are both commemorated on this local WW1 website.  It is sad to think that it turns out that Victor also lost his life in the war.   

I'll have to take a look at that when I get back.

There's 6 certs from GRO in my mail at home, not sure which ones. Am excited to see what is on them!

[River Tyne Lass]

Battista, regarding, John George's photo (dated 1910)  in the criminal photos book at Tyne and Wear Archives - I have looked up the story behind this on microfilm.  To keep this brief John had taken some rope which did not belong to him and had asked a boy of 15 to help him carry it.  The boy was called Jacob Miller.

This may be an ancestor in my family tree as my Great Grandfather Simon Peter Conroy had a niece called Elizabeth Miller nee Watson.  Her son was Jacob Miller and he would have been around 15 at that time.  The family lived at Clifford's fort and in the middle of North Shields.

Your ancestor was convicted hence the photo which exists.  Jacob was discharged - so hence no photo for him.  Strange to think our ancestors may have possibly known each other.

Also, just to add I forgot to add the date of the marriage for James Battista & Dorothy Playford on an earlier post - it was 11 April 1922. (Post 110)