Genealogy Chat

Just to tell everyone, I got a wealth of information by visiting the local council office which holds the municipal cemetery records. I booked a full day (10-4) cos I knew a lot of rellies were there. The young man who assisted me was a star, he gave me access to their computerised records, a complete tour of the archive room and a desk to work at in private. I was allowed to photograph records to save writing (but hadn't taken my camera, cos I didn't think to ask), and photocopied anything that he could. I just listed every family name I recognised, and all the bodies in the grave. Some meant nothing to me at the time. But they did later. For example, I found my six-week old uncle Jim Stokes in a grave with a family called Shaw. Didn't know I ever had a six-week old uncle Jim until months later a cousin mentioned it to me. Ah! But who was this Shaw family? Turns out to be his cousin's grave and the only one the family knew had a grave they could use without having to buy one. As a result I now know who his cousin was - is - she is still alive aged about 90, and am off to visit her! I don't even know how she is a cousin, i.e. who her parents were, but I'll find out. Margaret

Rose - I know he was born in Clarborough, Retford in 1871/72 - have I wrongly assumed he died in Yorkshire, just because he is buried here? Am going to check to see if there are any deaths for Retford area also many thanks going over to ancestry now - thanks for everyones helpful suggestions vicky

Hope it is the right one, but does seem possible as Doncaster is so close. I have ancestors from both Barnsley and Doncaster, all the same family, so it hit me straight away. Sometimes just takes another set of eyes, I know the feeling, I seached qtr by qtr for 20 years before I found one of my ggrandparents. Christine

Vicky No, it doesnt seem pointless to me! It nearly drove me mad, particularly as I KNEW his date of death. And in fact the cert was well worth getting because the house where he died belonged to very distant relatives - I had a hunch they might be, and traced them, giving me several very useful branches of the tree, which in turn filled in other gaps. OC

Vicky, Is this his birth? Births Mar 1872 TAYLOR Frederick George E. Retford 7b 6 If so, he would have been 76 when he died, unless his birth was registered late. Rose

Judith - why do they make it so flippin difficult for us? Am off to try a couple of years earlier, just in case vicky

Hi Vicky, There is a Frederick G in Doncaster Oct qtr age 76 2b 383. Wonder if that could be him. Christine

Christine - thanks, been so focussed on looking for Barnsley, never gave Doncaster a thought - it's a large area, so could quite easily be him visiting family, or even have moved in his later years - may risk sending for the cert to check thanks vicky

And let me tell you a story about my great grandmother. Long before I started working on my tree my aunt visited the village where the family lived and copied inscriptions from several family graves including Fanny King died 7th July 1914. I duly wrote this on my tree, and had the date confirmed more recently when the village website posted inscriptions from the graveyard. The only Fanny King who was indexed at the GRO that quarter died at the other end of the country - I thought perhaps that she had died while visiting relatives. Then I spent a day at Colindale reading local newspapers and there was a write up of Mrs Fanny King's sudden death in the back garden of her own home - on the 7th July 1913! and I was able to find and purchase her death certificate. I can only assume that there was a delay in erecting a headstone, perhaps several years until after the war, and that either the family or the stonemason made a mistake with the date. I know yours is a date recorded by the cemetary, but even so wonder if someone could have either miswritten, or later misread the date?

Jim, yes I checked the full index. Will have to try and narrow the search. May seem pointless to some, as I know roughly when he died, but that's not the point is it? I want to know for sure. thanks for the suggestion vicky

OC, will try the cemetery. Am actually going there this sunday, as following on tips for finding graves, the local bereavement department supplied his wifes grave details, and then added for me that he was also interred and the date - two for the price of one! If they cann't help, will re-contact the bereavement department and see if they have an address listed. thanks vicky

I assume that you are looking at the complete index? You may have to apply to the local registrar as some records did not arrive at the GRO.

Rose, he was always listed as frederick george taylor, but when interred he was listed as george frederick taylor. The family was always in Barnsley, south yorkshire, so can only think he died away from home in a town that doesn't ring any bells for me. vicky

What's his name? Rose

Vicky Let me tell you a story, lol! My 2 x GGF is buried in the family grave along with his wife, and his date of death is on the stone. But could I find his death registration, could I thump. It took me 20 years to track it down because a - the death was registered, but never reached the GRO and b - he died in a completely different area to the one where he lived all his life and where he was buried. It finally dawned on me to ask at the Cemetery if they had details of his last address - they di, and that led me to the right area. A search of the LOCAL records turned up his death registration. OC

Hi Lynne, he was 77 years old when he died, but it would have been one solution if only he was younger. vicky

I cannot find the record for ggrandfather's death - but know he was interred on 28/10/1948, as he is in same grave as his wife. I have checked 3rd and 4th quarter in case I missed him. has anyone any suggestions - surely he wasn't 'kept' for a few months before burial? vicky