Topic: Family Tree Searches

[Medellin]

I think Ancestry has a free search for Military records that expires today for those interested. 

[John C]

I think Ancestry has a free search for Military records that expires today for those interested. 

I didn't want to register a debit card so missed the opportunity, I'm finding it really hard to trace my ggm and I may have got something if I'd have registered

[reddebs]

I didn't want to register a debit card so missed the opportunity, I'm finding it really hard to trace my ggm and I may have got something if I'd have registered

I'm sure you can check Military records from the military themselves without paying John.  I found my Dads last year without paying.

[Medellin]

I didn't want to register a debit card so missed the opportunity, I'm finding it really hard to trace my ggm and I may have got something if I'd have registered

I've never registered payment details with Ancestry John,not sure if there is something you may have missed or Ancestry have updated a condition?
They throw regular freebies out to entice a subscription.

[Tsar Kastik]

If it's only for a few searches it's hardly worth subscribing - just join your loca library, will give it you for free.

[John C]

There is something unusual about my gf, he or his father changed their name we think. Lived in London & Brighton married a scouser, even having their marriage certificate its impossible to identify his mum or dad

[Medellin]

There is something unusual about my gf, he or his father changed their name we think. Lived in London & Brighton married a scouser, even having their marriage certificate its impossible to identify his mum or dad

Similarities in my tree which may coincide,my ggf was Swedish-because his surname sounded German..it was changed to a typical British surname for fear of them being targeted here during the war.
..
Another i came across was an uncle who for all my life we called Jack,it was only til he was admitted to hospital during his last days we found out his birth/real name was John!
Apparently it was common to call those named John....Jack.

Hope that helps Jack! 

[rafathegaffa83]

Think I've hit walls on all sides of my family tree searches. The main problem being at least three are predominately from Ireland, so the records tend to be hard to come by. One I've figured originally came from Wexford; another from County Down; the other I have no idea, but assume its Cork. Given that my ancestry seems to be largely made up of people originally from Ireland, Scotland and northern England (along with the odd person from Wales or London), I was pleasantly surprised to find out a key one was oddly enough from Denmark, who came to Liverpool in the 1850s and worked as either a shipwright and/or a provisions dealer. He seemed to marry his Irish wife in Liverpool on the same day as his  witnesses (incidentally the male witness was also a shipwright). His name was later anglicized from Niels Nielsen to Neil Nelson. No idea, what happened to him though. I would suspect he died in a shipwreck, since he was mentioned at being at sea in a census and his only living child ended up in an industrial orphanage in Liverpool, after Niels' wife died.

[Manila Vanilla]

Ireland is difficult because of the number of records destroyed in the 1912 Uprising.

For people who left after the Potato Famine in the 1840s you can get some information from UK records. The 1911 Census is the first to tell you where in Ireland someone was born (previously just the country was given).
A marriage certificate will give you the name and profession of father.

In Ireland itself, try Griffiths Land Valuation. It can be searched free at:
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation
It will just give you the head of the household and the land that he owned or occupied.
From 1828 there are Tithe Applotment Books which give similar details.

You may get lucky with Parish records but they don’t give a lot of information. Often just X son of Y in Baptism records.

If you’re looking for stories, try the British Newspaper Archives. It’s a paying site but you get a few free searches. I found a few brawls recorded and advertisements from a shopkeeper. If it’s a common Irish name (and there are loads of them!), it’s obviously more difficult.

Other items can be searched for free this weekend (until Sunday Jan 15) at findmypast.com.

[Tsar Kastik]

Think I've hit walls on all sides of my family tree searches. The main problem being at least three are predominately from Ireland, so the records tend to be hard to come by. One I've figured originally came from Wexford; another from County Down; the other I have no idea, but assume its Cork. Given that my ancestry seems to be largely made up of people originally from Ireland, Scotland and northern England (along with the odd person from Wales or London), I was pleasantly surprised to find out a key one was oddly enough from Denmark, who came to Liverpool in the 1850s and worked as either a shipwright and/or a provisions dealer. He seemed to marry his Irish wife in Liverpool on the same day as his  witnesses (incidentally the male witness was also a shipwright). His name was later anglicized from Niels Nielsen to Neil Nelson. No idea, what happened to him though. I would suspect he died in a shipwreck, since he was mentioned at being at sea in a census and his only living child ended up in an industrial orphanage in Liverpool, after Niels' wife died.

There's a Neils Nelson died at sea in 1884. It was a Liverpool owned ship, he was a carpenter and gave his age as 51.

[rafathegaffa83]

Thanks mate. Yeah, I know that's the reason why the Irish records are so difficult to find. The Irish relatives in question, I ended up finding information from the UK census. At least two referenced the counties they were originally from (Wexford and County Down). I definitely know in the case of the latter that info was from the 1871 UK census. I've tried the British newspaper archives, but not come up with much, except the death of one ancestor who was originally from Cumbria and moved to Liverpool in the early 1850s. I didn't realize that Findmypast was free this weekend, I'll take a look there too.

There's a Neils Nelson died at sea in 1884. It was a Liverpool owned ship, he was a carpenter and gave his age as 51.

Thanks mate. Yeah, I definitely think that there was a strong possibility of that being him. I ended up keeping a copy of it just in case. as the 1861 census told me that he was around 29, which would fit, as he would have been around 51 in 1884. From the excellent Lancashire Online Parish Clerk Project, I was able to find out that his father's name (as per his marriage information from 1859), was also Niels Nielsen, but he was originally a farmer. I have no idea what part of Denmark he was from. And when I had a basic peruse on the Danish genealogical sources, I found there was a number of Niels Nielsen's who fit that bill (father, who was a farmer also named Niels Nielsen). The Niels Nielsen in question was listed on the 1861 census as Nick Nelsen at 76 Blundell St. (Occupation: Carpenter). In 1871, his wife Alice was living at 59 Blundell St (she lists her occupation as a Mariner's wife). The 1872 Commercial Directory and Shipper's Guide has a Niels Nielsen operating as a provision's dealer at 96 Blundell Street.  There was another fella named Niels Nielsen in Liverpool around the same time, who was around the same age, who was a Master Mariner, but the trajectory of his life ended up much more different.

[Tsar Kastik]

Thanks mate. Yeah, I know that's the reason why the Irish records are so difficult to find. The Irish relatives in question, I ended up finding information from the UK census. At least two referenced the counties they were originally from (Wexford and County Down). I definitely know in the case of the latter that info was from the 1871 UK census. I've tried the British newspaper archives, but not come up with much, except the death of one ancestor who was originally from Cumbria and moved to Liverpool in the early 1850s. I didn't realize that Findmypast was free this weekend, I'll take a look there too.

Thanks mate. Yeah, I definitely think that there was a strong possibility of that being him. I ended up keeping a copy of it just in case. as the 1861 census told me that he was around 29, which would fit, as he would have been around 51 in 1884. From the excellent Lancashire Online Parish Clerk Project, I was able to find out that his father's name (as per his marriage information from 1859), was also Niels Nielsen, but he was originally a farmer. I have no idea what part of Denmark he was from. And when I had a basic peruse on the Danish genealogical sources, I found there was a number of Niels Nielsen's who fit that bill (father, who was a farmer also named Niels Nielsen). The Niels Nielsen in question was listed on the 1861 census as Nick Nelsen at 76 Blundell St. (Occupation: Carpenter). In 1871, his wife Alice was living at 59 Blundell St (she lists her occupation as a Mariner's wife). The 1872 Commercial Directory and Shipper's Guide has a Niels Nielsen operating as a provision's dealer at 96 Blundell Street.  There was another fella named Niels Nielsen in Liverpool around the same time, who was around the same age, who was a Master Mariner, but the trajectory of his life ended up much more different.

Portcities Southampton have a wreck report archive, it shows the report on the Cassiope carried out by the Board of Trade in 1885.

[rafathegaffa83]

Portcities Southampton have a wreck report archive, it shows the report on the Cassiope carried out by the Board of Trade in 1885.

Thanks! Really interesting read

[Tsar Kastik]

For anybody who  had a relative who served in the Merchant Navy in 1915, this link to the NMM will allow you to search by surname for the  crew list agreement.  http://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/

It will show their name, age, where born, present address, what they do, wage, destination and other bits.

[Medellin]

For anybody who  had a relative who served in the Merchant Navy in 1915, this link to the NMM will allow you to search by surname for the  crew list agreement.  http://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/

It will show their name, age, where born, present address, what they do, wage, destination and other bits.

Nice one.
Just found a couple of vessels i knew nothing about that my g-father sailed on as a 15 year old.

[rafathegaffa83]

For anybody who  had a relative who served in the Merchant Navy in 1915, this link to the NMM will allow you to search by surname for the  crew list agreement.  http://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/

It will show their name, age, where born, present address, what they do, wage, destination and other bits.

Great resource.

[Medellin]

Told earlier this weekend is free at Ancestry,cant find a link to it.
You will have to reasearch it. 

[[new username under construction]]

Has anyone done the 23andme DNA test thing then? Worth it?

[sms1986]

Has anyone done the 23andme DNA test thing then? Worth it?

I have, for my brother and myself. A lot of the health stuff has gone from the site now because of something to do with the FDA, but the ancestry part can be interesting. It depends on what you're looking to find.

[owens_2k]

Turns out my Grandads Uncle (Captain Alexander B. Fasting) was captain of the RMS Queen Mary, taking Command September 11 1957.

And according to http://1915crewlists.rmg.co.uk/ he was a Seaman on a vessel called "Melville" in 1914 aged 17.

Interesting stuff

[[new username under construction]]

I have, for my brother and myself. A lot of the health stuff has gone from the site now because of something to do with the FDA, but the ancestry part can be interesting. It depends on what you're looking to find.

I think i'd get way to paranoid reading all the health stuff anyway lol....may give it a go though

[sms1986]

I was looking at the Pearson line from Kendal on my mother's side of the family yesterday, and not only was I able to go a few generations further back, I found that a 7x great grandmother of mine, Jane Pearson (nee Sibson) was a Quaker who wrote a short autobiography (https://marketstreetfellowship.com/static/assets/early-quakers/pearson/jpearson.pdf). I knew that I had Quaker ancestors on my dad's side, but not on my mother's side until now.

[sms1986]

I've been looking at my Callaghan relatives recently, the brother of my ancestor was born in South Africa to Irish parents, married a woman from Amsterdam and their daughter married an half-French, half-Channel Islander guy. It's like the United Nations in that branch!

[Tsar Kastik]

I've been looking at my Callaghan relatives recently, the brother of my ancestor was born in South Africa to Irish parents, married a woman from Amsterdam and their daughter married an half-French, half-Channel Islander guy. It's like the United Nations in that branch!

Apart from me Ma's side, which is exclusively Lancashire/Irish, all my lot are SW and SE English with a sole contributor from Shropshire. Handy for getting stuff from the local archives though.

[sms1986]

Apart from me Ma's side, which is exclusively Lancashire/Irish, all my lot are SW and SE English with a sole contributor from Shropshire. Handy for getting stuff from the local archives though.

In my tree -

Dad's dad's side is mostly Lancashire/Cumbria/North Yorkshire
Dad's mum's is mostly Lancashire/Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire/Wales/Ireland
Mum's dad's is mainly Lancashire/Ireland/Suffolk/unknown great great grandfather
Mum's mum's is mainly Lancashire/Gloucestershire/Cheshire/Cumbria/unknown great great grandfather

[Tsar Kastik]

Some awkward looking ones there, Calmview have few of them but not all.

[sms1986]

Thanks, I'll have a look.

[John C]

Is anyone a paid member of Forces of War Records?

[Alan_X]

Is anyone a paid member of Forces of War Records?

I think I am still.

Yes - PM what you're looking for and I'll do a search.

[John C]

Where would I be able to search who lived at an address in Brighton in 1919?
Ta.

[Millie]

Where would I be able to search who lived at an address in Brighton in 1919?
Ta.

Might sound obvious but have you checked the Census from before and after that date?

[John C]

Might sound obvious but have you checked the Census from before and after that date?

1911 is too early I think, he dies in 1919 and 1921 not out yet Ange.

[Manila Vanilla]

Might sound obvious but have you checked the Census from before and after that date?

The 1921 Census isn't available yet and 1911 may be too early. The University of Leicester has put online historical county directories (see special collections.le.ac.uk Historical Directories). There are Kelly's Directories for Sussex around that time. Sites like Ancestry.co.uk have Phone Directories -  but not everyone had a phone then.

[Millie]

1911 is too early I think, he dies in 1919 and 1921 not out yet Ange.

Ah OK.

[L12]

Where would I be able to search who lived at an address in Brighton in 1919?
Ta.

Hi John , there is an 1920 Kelly's Directory at East Sussex Records Office, might have collected info in 1919, S&N have a Kelly's 1922 cd of Sussex for 12 pounds

[John C]

Hi John , there is an 1920 Kelly's Directory at East Sussex Records Office, might have collected info in 1919, S&N have a Kelly's 1922 cd of Sussex for 12 pounds

Thanks L12, I'll look in to that mate. Hope you're doing ok?

[Tsar Kastik]

A link here to the Brighton Herald for 1919, John https://dams-brightonmuseums.org.uk/assetbank-pavilion/action/search?CSRF=HZFy3uu1Fss2Kcdb3esF&relationName=&advancedSearch=1&keywords=&keywordSearchDomain=ATTRIBUTES_AND_CONTENT&selectedEntities=1&includeUnsearchable=false&assetIds=&attribute_4=&attribute_708=&attribute_704=&attribute_716=&attribute_718=&attribute_720=&attribute_717=1919&attribute_732=&choose_search_area_738=searchArea&attribute_738_north=&attribute_738_east=&attribute_738_south=&attribute_738_west=&attribute_738_lat=&attribute_738_long=&attribute_738_radius=&filename=&orCategories=true&includeImplicitCategoryMembers=on . This should display the year 1919. If you have a name to enter into the search give it a try. Shot in the dark, but you never know.

[John C]

Thank you TK mate.

[rob1966]

£23 is a bit steep, but as a last resort

https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/life-events-and-communities/deaths-funerals-and-cemeteries/family-history-research-burial

[John C]

Thanks Rob, my cousin and I would probably pay a lot more than £23 if we thought we'd get a result to this mystery mate.
Cheers again.