Malay Federated States Records

[emilywilsonmcfarland]

Hi,

I'm looking for a bit of help on Singapore and Malaysian Records pre-independence. I noticed some other forum chats about this and wondered if anyone could advise...

1) Do the Singapore Censuses exist and can anyone view them? I'm specifically interested in the 1901 Census. I read some previous chat about the Japanese possibly destroying them. I've found a microfilm of the data at the Singapore National Library website but that's about it.

2) Are there databases of marriage records for British residents in Singapore or Malay around the turn of the century? I'm looking for the following but have had no luck - they aren't army or civil servants which a lot of the databases cover.

William Whitehead Richardson b. 1865 or 1867, Bradford, Yorkshire
married c. 1897-1900
Amy Waters / Richardson b. 1880 in Southport, Lancashire

The surnames seem to change a bit in the records. They had 2 daughters - 1 in Singapore in 1901 (Dorothy Amy) and another in Perak in 1903 (Gladys). William was a tin mine manager and I've found lots of references to him, his inventions and patents in the newspapers, but nothing that leads me to a marriage certificate.

All UK census efforts are terrible too. Can't get anything helpful.

Much help would be appreciated! Thank you.

[jorose]

Looks like there are some church records scanned but you'll need to visit a FHC or find someone
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/333355?availability=Family%20History%20Library
https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/333150?availability=Family%20History%20Library

I don't think there is any one complete database; anyone could register births/marriages at the consulate but there was no requirement to do so. It is quite possible that they married at a regional church for which the records of the period don't survive.

[garstonite]

Can I ask - you have AMY WATERS B 1880 Southport

Could she be Amy Elizabeth Waters born Meols,Southport 1879 ?  mothers maiden name Newton ?
No Amy Waters born 1880 on freebmd
www.lancashirebmd.org.uk

WATERS   Amy Elizabeth   NEWTON   1879   North Meols   North Sefton   NM/40/434
registered as Ormskirk - not Southport on freebmd
.................
added
https://en.geneanet.org/fonds/individus/?country__0__=MYS&country__1__=&country__2__=&country__3__=&country__4__=&exact_day=&exact_month=&exact_year=&from=&go=1&ignore_each_patronyme=&ignore_each_prenom=&nom=RICHARDSON&page=1&place__0__=&place__1__=&place__2__=&place__3__=&place__4__=&prenom=&prenom_operateur=or&region__0__=&region__1__=&region__2__=&region__3__=&region__4__=&sexe=&size=10&subregion__0__=&subregion__1__=&subregion__2__=&subregion__3__=&subregion__4__=&to=&type_periode=between&zonegeo__0__=Malaysia&zonegeo__1__=&zonegeo__2__=&zonegeo__3__=&zonegeo__4__=

[ShaunJ]

Could she be Amy Elizabeth Waters born Meols,Southport 1879 ?

She appears to have died in the same quarter that her birth was registered

[garstonite]

Thanks Shaun - never thought to look for that

[Maiden Stone]

Is there anything useful in "Other Countries-Resources"?
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/other-countries/
Would this enquiry be better on the Other Countries board?
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php

[emilywilsonmcfarland]

Thanks everyone for the response.

I had checked out that Amy Elizabeth Waters but also found the death certificate.

The only reason I think 1880 is the definitely the year is because this has been put on a ship list and the 1921 census, not just her age. However I can’t find either Amy or William in birth certs or censuses which seems so odd. 

Thanks for the links though, I will definitely check them out.

[jorose]

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPL6-VRH9
Gives him as Holme Hall, Bakewell, Derbyshire died at the Cottage Hospital Bakewell.

What record do you have naming Amy as "Waters"?
While looking for possible misspellings I came across n Southport in 1880 registered a Amy Richardson Whitehead.
Perhaps William borrowed his wife's surname for some reason and then made good in his new home under the name W W Richardson?

[emilywilsonmcfarland]

Hi Jorose,

I'm exactly with you on this - there is something going on with their surnames that I don't quite understand.

Their 2 daughters wedding certificates (3 in total as 1 remarried) have Amy Richardson m.s Waters. But can't find any birth records to actually support this!

In 1898 William was making patents in Blackburn / Bradford under the name William Whitehead Richardson. But in a baptismal cert. he signs his name William Whitehead, and his wife is Amy Richardson.

If only I could find the marriage certificate to really understand...