Author Topic: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,  (Read 787 times)

Offline BamptonHatherleigh

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Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
« on: Saturday 25 November 23 11:18 GMT (UK) »
Hi,
I know my great Aunt Beatrice Kate Snell worked for the United Nations in Geneva from 1920 to 1939 and again briefly in 1942. Family legend is she was a translator, but UN records says short hand typist but she was working for promotion and I dont know what she did in 1942.
I have her living with her sister in 1948 in Stroud Green London so know she was still alive then... and at that time in the UK.
 
Beatrice Kate Snell b 1887 St Pancras London
Parents William Henry Snell born Bampton Devon 1855 & Alice Palmer nee Davey b1856 London.

The family also had German connections ( Ulm)  who went to live in Argentina in 1920 ( I dont believe she went there but stranger things have happened).

I just have an idea she may have moved abroad... maybe back to Switzerland. Absolutely no evidence to support that!
So any help any of you can offer to help me through my brick wall?
Snell Chulmleigh,Hatherleigh,Bampton/Devon,Middlesex London.
Bell Nottingham, Clevedon, London, Cumberland
Oxley London
Field Bristol
He(a)ydock Bristol Devon

Offline rosie99

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 25 November 23 11:37 GMT (UK) »
Probate index has a Beatrice Kate Snell dying 28 Aug 1962 probate in 1963, have you discounted that one

Ignore that one she was married to William Edward Snell
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline BamptonHatherleigh

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 25 November 23 12:42 GMT (UK) »
Probate index has a Beatrice Kate Snell dying 28 Aug 1962 probate in 1963, have you discounted that one

Ignore that one she was married to William Edward Snell

yes, sadly its unbelievable how many people have that on their ancestry tree as her death!
Snell Chulmleigh,Hatherleigh,Bampton/Devon,Middlesex London.
Bell Nottingham, Clevedon, London, Cumberland
Oxley London
Field Bristol
He(a)ydock Bristol Devon

Online Erato

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 25 November 23 12:55 GMT (UK) »
"worked for the United Nations in Geneva from 1920 to 1939 and again briefly in 1942"

The United Nations was founded in 1945.
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Offline BamptonHatherleigh

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 25 November 23 13:03 GMT (UK) »
"worked for the United Nations in Geneva from 1920 to 1939 and again briefly in 1942"

The United Nations was founded in 1945.
Apologies for the inaccuracy, it was of course the League of Nations prior to 1945, the United Nations have supplied me with information from her file.
Snell Chulmleigh,Hatherleigh,Bampton/Devon,Middlesex London.
Bell Nottingham, Clevedon, London, Cumberland
Oxley London
Field Bristol
He(a)ydock Bristol Devon

Offline pb_devon

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 26 November 23 08:06 GMT (UK) »
If she did move to Switzerland then she would have had to register with the local authorities. These registers are held at Canton archives, So I suggest you write/email Geneva Archives https://ge.ch/archives/# (email address on the right). They will undoubtedly deal with an enquiry in English.
Her time with the League of Nations will of course be as a diplomat, then if she did return, it would be as an ordinary person. I say this as there might be different registration systems. They will know.
If nothing there, then start widening your search to Canton Vaud next door. However Geneva is almost surrounded by France, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!

Offline pb_devon

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 26 November 23 08:35 GMT (UK) »
The 100 year rule may apply, so you might have to proove the family connection to get anything.

Offline pb_devon

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
« Reply #7 on: Sunday 26 November 23 13:02 GMT (UK) »
I’ve done a very basic search on some online Swiss newspapers websites without obvious success.  You may wish to try a more in depth search.

http://www.bcu-lausanne.ch/livres-articles-video-audio/archives_presse/
https://doc.rero.ch/search?cc=PRESS&ln=fr
https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?l=en



Offline BamptonHatherleigh

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Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
« Reply #8 on: Sunday 26 November 23 17:15 GMT (UK) »
I’ve done a very basic search on some online Swiss newspapers websites without obvious success.  You may wish to try a more in depth search.

http://www.bcu-lausanne.ch/livres-articles-video-audio/archives_presse/
https://doc.rero.ch/search?cc=PRESS&ln=fr
https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?l=en
Thank you I will give it a try… though my German is rather limited.
Snell Chulmleigh,Hatherleigh,Bampton/Devon,Middlesex London.
Bell Nottingham, Clevedon, London, Cumberland
Oxley London
Field Bristol
He(a)ydock Bristol Devon