Author Topic: Born in Jamaica...  (Read 872 times)

Offline KEVKEV

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Born in Jamaica...
« on: Thursday 08 June 23 02:02 BST (UK) »
Hello friends reading this.
Can anyone help me in how to obtain a birth entry (or baptism) in Jamaica, to locate parents' information, especially the mother?

My relative George William Cooper died in Barnsley, Yorkshire in 1975 and was born 12th November 1904 in 'Jamaica'. That's all we have although he and his wife Lily nee Houchin are found on an incoming ships passenger log from leaving Port Antonio in 1954. Possibly they had visited Jamaica due to the death of one of his parents and so George could have been from that area.
     On George's marriage certificate in Richmond Yorkshire from 1936 his father has the same name, so we have that at least.

One other question for anyone who might be able to help; I have wondered why George and wife Lily were both stationed in Catterick and in the military three years before the war broke out!!

Also they are not to be found on the 1939 register, neither is my father who also served. Was such preclusion to keep military personal safe during that time I wonder?   
                Thank you for any help.
                         Kevin.
Dunigan (Dunnigan) and Goughan of York and Ireland (somewhere). Langleys of stairfoot nr. Barnsley also of Belper. William Taylor who died 1906 in Ardsley nr. Barnsley and born Leicester about 1835...(anything on him) Holdstocks of York.
Barfoots of Hunslet and family of Wright Hadfield of Doncaster (or Rotherham) and Hoyland also Foulstones of Hoyland.

Online hanes teulu

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 08 June 23 20:41 BST (UK) »
1939 register
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/1939-register/#:~:text=Registration%20of%20members%20of%20the,homes%2C%20including%20their%20own%20homes.

Jamaica
http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/

Searching this site is not simply popping in a name and sitting back. Pop "cooper" in search and work through the results deciding if your "rellie" might be covered by that "hit".

Offline Neale1961

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 08 June 23 23:14 BST (UK) »

There are various Jamaican records on FamilySearch that might provide leads.
https://www.familysearch.org/search/

I see there is a death of a George COOPER on 17 July 1954 (age 76) in St Catherine, Jamaica
I don’t know if that is something you have already looked at.
Milligan - Jardine – Glencross – Dinwoodie - Brown: (Dumfriesshire & Kirkcudbrightshire)
Clark – Faulds – Cuthbertson – Bryson – Wilson: (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire)
Neale – Cater – Kinder - Harrison: (Warwickshire & Queensland)
Roberts - Spry: (Cornwall, Middlesex & Queensland)
Munster: (Schleswig-Holstein & Queensland) and Plate: (Braunschweig, Neubruck & Queensland & New York)

Offline KEVKEV

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #3 on: Friday 09 June 23 03:08 BST (UK) »
Hello Neale1961.
It was very good of you to respond to my post! Thank you.

 Your link to family search could eventually be helpful. I did find that death of George Cooper (no 'William' included) you mentioned who died on 17th July 1954 in St. Catherine.
      As mentioned in my first post, my relatives would have been in Jamaica in July that year (they left Port Antonio 5th August for Liverpool and back home) so it could be possible they were visiting his sick father, and left after he passed.

 Despite no 'William' mentioned on the death certificate, it could be George William since 'my' George William was known as George too.

Although no-one knew the name of 'uncle' George's mother, I was told by George's niece many years ago that the mother was 'a simple native woman' and his father was a 'farmer with crops'...could this possibly refer to George sr. on his death record being a 'cultivator' do you think?

Familysearch also showed a marriage of a George William Cooper on 15th Jan. 1915 in Kingston to Mabel Georgina Cotter.- he was widower. Of course this wasn't 'uncle George's mother since he was born in 1904 but on ancestry I found two trees suggesting George William Cooper Sr had been married before Mabel to an Elizabeth around 1890...who could have been  the mother.
Those trees said that at the time of his death in 1942 in Jamaica, George William Senior was a 'Jail Guard' and I wondered whether a Jail Guard could be a 'Civil Servant' that George Jr put on his marriage certificate as occupation of his father?

However, even regarding George Sr's marriage to an Elizabeth in 1890, there is no mention in any ancestry trees of them having a son George William.
   Maybe the only way to determine the parents is to try and obtain a birth record from Jamaica especially since we now have the birthdate and father's name.

 Sorry this reply has gotten so complicated so please don't feel compelled to spend much time on it.
                  Thank you again and best wishes. Kevin.           


   
Dunigan (Dunnigan) and Goughan of York and Ireland (somewhere). Langleys of stairfoot nr. Barnsley also of Belper. William Taylor who died 1906 in Ardsley nr. Barnsley and born Leicester about 1835...(anything on him) Holdstocks of York.
Barfoots of Hunslet and family of Wright Hadfield of Doncaster (or Rotherham) and Hoyland also Foulstones of Hoyland.


Offline Daisypetal

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #4 on: Friday 09 June 23 20:38 BST (UK) »

Hi,

I think George William COOPER b.12 Nov 1904 could have been Mabel's child, George William COTTER,


Kingston, Jamaica
Birth:  12 Nov 1904
74 Harbour Street, Kingston
George William
Sex:  Male
Mother:  Mabel Georgina COTTER,  Seamstress

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XN9B-8MJ

So George William COOPER Snr would have been his step-father.

Regards,
Daisy
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Offline MonicaL

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #5 on: Friday 09 June 23 20:58 BST (UK) »
That is a great find, Daisy  :)

Mabel Cotter Cooper died in 1961 www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9S-G1K8

Kevin, you mentioned that George Snr's first wife was Elizabeth. Do you know when she died?

Have you found that first marriage reg to let you compare father's name for George (stated as Harry Carrid Cooper)?

It could well be that George Snr and Mabel got together from the early 1900s but didn't marry until 1918. Maybe Elizabeth was alive up to then or maybe they chose not to marry up to then.

At least 9 children showing for George and Mabel. From some of the marriage regs I have seen on Family Search, they all name George as their father.

Monica
Census information Crown Copyright, www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline Neale1961

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #6 on: Friday 09 June 23 22:07 BST (UK) »
Those trees said that at the time of his death in 1942 in Jamaica, George William Senior was a 'Jail Guard' and I wondered whether a Jail Guard could be a 'Civil Servant' that George Jr put on his marriage certificate as occupation of his father?

Looking at various birth records for children of William George, he is listed at times as a store keeper.
But this one in 1919 has him as store keeper – general penitentiary, and the birth taking place at the prison quarters.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XNS4-LVH
Milligan - Jardine – Glencross – Dinwoodie - Brown: (Dumfriesshire & Kirkcudbrightshire)
Clark – Faulds – Cuthbertson – Bryson – Wilson: (Ayrshire & Renfrewshire)
Neale – Cater – Kinder - Harrison: (Warwickshire & Queensland)
Roberts - Spry: (Cornwall, Middlesex & Queensland)
Munster: (Schleswig-Holstein & Queensland) and Plate: (Braunschweig, Neubruck & Queensland & New York)

Offline KEVKEV

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #7 on: Friday 09 June 23 23:41 BST (UK) »
Hello everyone. Really great responses from all of you. Thank you so much. They certainly have given me quite a bit to consider and research further.

Thanks Neale1961, George William working in a prison (in Kingston) may come in handy as I did read online that if a person is employed by the government as a prison warden, jail guard or such, then he is indeed a 'Civil servant' as mentioned on George Williams marriage certificate regarding his fathers occupation.

Monica, thank you, yes I did find two trees on ancestry where George Wm senior had been married to an Elizabeth and I just located more....if it's him. It seems 'he' and Elizabeth KELLY were married on 18th December 1881 in Walton, West Derby, Lancashire which is quite a ways from Berkshire where he was apparently born- and the marriage was dissolved through his 'cruelty and adultery' in 1889, (according to the divorce papers someone added on their ancestry tree)..... so this was long before my George Wm was born in 1904 and therefore Elizabeth is out of the picture as mother.
 
My George William and wife Lily Houchin didn't have children so there is no-one left to ask however Daisy, you found an intriguing birth with George William COTTER with mother as Mabel Georgina!!
 Many thanks for that, especially as the name fits, the father (eventually fits) and the precise birthday and place (Jamaica) is correct.

I also remember being told that George's mother was Jamaican, which Mabel was.
   Yes a great find so possibly George William Sr WAS my George's father but only later added as father after Mabel and he married in 1918.

In the above mentioned divorce papers for the George William Cooper and Elizabeth Cooper nee Kelly, George apparently couldn't write and therefore his signature is marked by an X- so there is no way to compare signatures.  I just tried adding the link to those divorce papers but my post could not be sent like that, I need how to learn how to send in jpeg.
                This is all very helpful, many thanks. Kevin.
Dunigan (Dunnigan) and Goughan of York and Ireland (somewhere). Langleys of stairfoot nr. Barnsley also of Belper. William Taylor who died 1906 in Ardsley nr. Barnsley and born Leicester about 1835...(anything on him) Holdstocks of York.
Barfoots of Hunslet and family of Wright Hadfield of Doncaster (or Rotherham) and Hoyland also Foulstones of Hoyland.

Offline KEVKEV

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Re: Born in Jamaica...
« Reply #8 on: Friday 09 June 23 23:53 BST (UK) »
Just another (albeit short) addition.
I just viewed again the marriage certificate for George William Cooper and Mabel Georgina Cotter in 1918 and his occupation is 'CIVIL SERVANT' the same as what his son gave on his marriage certificate in 1936!
 It might be looking like there may be no other option, plus regarding the divorce papers in 1889 as mentioned earlier, 'that' George William couldn't sign his name and made an X, whereas on the Cooper / Cotter certificate he did sign.
           Thanks again. 
Dunigan (Dunnigan) and Goughan of York and Ireland (somewhere). Langleys of stairfoot nr. Barnsley also of Belper. William Taylor who died 1906 in Ardsley nr. Barnsley and born Leicester about 1835...(anything on him) Holdstocks of York.
Barfoots of Hunslet and family of Wright Hadfield of Doncaster (or Rotherham) and Hoyland also Foulstones of Hoyland.