Find Living Relatives

Looking for any relative of James Robert Smith (My Father), Merchant Seaman from late 1940's to 1970 - Mother was Gladys Smith. James Robert Smith was born in Berlin in 1931 and came to England in 1937. Believed to have had a sister Jeanette Smith who died in early childhood?
Whilst in England he was living somewhere in Surrey, possibly the Richmond area.James Robert Smith was Naturalised 9 Jun 1948 in Utoxetter Staffordshire. I know nothing about his Mother (My Grandmother) Gladys Smith. My father died in 1971, so my information is very limited.Wondering if I have any Family who may recall some of the above.

Oops, had a turn and deleted my post!!

Anyway, you do not mention his father, so I assume you have no name for him?
As your father was naturalised he was presumably a German citizen. An English name though - I wonder if his name was Anglicised?

I know nothing about German genealogy, but did find the Anglo-German FHS site so might be worth a look:

http://www.agfhs.org/site/

Jan

Hi Jan, I know for sure that My father was born out of wedlock as I have his German Birth certificate from the Standesamt in Berlin, she was definately single at the time of my Fathers birth.

Thanks, Jan, I will take alook at the site you have mentioned.

Hilary

Well, that's something at least! I wonder what Gladys was doing there.
It's not clear how much you know about his adult life. Have you got any addresses for him? Although a long time ago and a very long shot, it's not totally impossible you might be able to track down someone who lived in the same street for example. My own mother still lives at the house we moved to in 1963 and remembers every neighbour in minute detail (she is very nosy, a pity she didn't live next door to your father!).
Jan

Hi Jan, I have sent away for his Naturalisation Certificate from Kew, I'm hoping it will give me an address he would have been living at in 1948?, we will see :-)

I do have German address he was living at in 1931, I visited Berlin last May (2011) - his house was bombed in the war - There is a Kindergarten now built on that same site today. :-)

Was it your mother who registered his death?
Jan

Hi Jan, yes it was, he was aged 40 yrs when he died, still very young, I was only 4 yrs old.

Hilary

So nothing to be discovered from that then. What a great shame he died so young, that's very sad. I am a bit concerned about asking questions which are too personal, but obviously your mother knew very little. I wonder if it might pay you to put this on hold until he Naturalisation Certificate arrives? Just in case it holds a few more clues.
Have you any idea if Gladys came to England also?
Jan

Hi Jan,

Hi Jan

as far as I Know, she returned with him around 1937/1938

My Mother hardly knew him really. though they were married for 9 years. He clamped up every time she tried to ask him about his childhood.

I Guess I should be a little more patient, hopefully it will arrive some time this week.

Many Thanks

Hilary

Do come back with anything you find.
Another thought - I don't have access to passenger lists. Have you already looked for them on these? They are on Ancestry. Just wondering if Gladys was obliging enough to have a middle name!
You don't know when she died do you?
Jan

Hi Jan

I will let you know if I find out anthing new - Gladys didn't have a middle name as I
have her name written on My Father's German Birth cerificate.

There are very few European Passenger listings - Mainly US, Canada , Australia etc.

I would need a date of travel and a birth date for her, I Guess.

Anyway, I will let you know if there are any developments.

Thanks ever so much for your time and interest.

Hilary :-)

Home Office: Immigration and Nationality Departmen... HO 334/238/1912

Naturalisation Certificate: James Robert Smith. From Germany. Resident in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. Certificate CZ1912 issued 8 June 1948. . Naturalisation Certificate: James Robert Smith. From Germany. Resident in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. Certificate
Date: 1948 Source: The Catalogue of The National Archives


I know no help but always amazed at the info on the internet

Thanks Kingsmill

I'm actually waiting for this naturalisation document to come from Kew any day now, hoping it will give me a new lead, you are definately right, Itis amazing what you can see on GR.
I spoke to a lady on GR just over a week ago and she found this Naturalisation reference for me, I never even knew it existed, wow !

Thankyou anway :-)