21 September 2010

Unregistered deaths: look for inquests (Tuesday's Tip)

If you cannot find a death registration, look for an inquest. You will often find an inquest file (Justice Department or similar) and/or a newspaper report for a death that was not registered. This definitely happened in Queensland and Victoria. Have you seen the same thing elsewhere?

For advice on Queensland's inquest files see the 'Queensland tips' page on my Web site, or use the latest edition of my book Tips for Queensland Research.

('Tuesday's Tip' is a theme used by 'Geneabloggers'.)

19 September 2010

On This Day - WEBSTER and GIBLETT

23 Sep 1829 (181 years ago) - George WEBSTER and Sarah GIBLETT were married at Finsbury St Luke, Middlesex, England. George's brother (James WEBSTER) had previously married Sarah's sister (Mary GIBLETT). [James and Mary were my great-great-great-grandparents]

25 Sep 1889 (121 years ago) - Thomas WEBSTER died at Petersham NSW Australia. He was a son of James WEBSTER and Mary GIBLETT, and the husband of Julia CAMPBELL. [Great-great-grandfather]

If you are researching these families, I will gladly provide full details of my sources, which include parish registers and a death certificate.

17 September 2010

London 1886-1903: Charles Booth Enquiry

This week my recommendation is the Charles Booth Online Archive, a searchable resource giving access to maps and original notebooks created during an in-depth study of poverty, industry and religion in London, England, 1886-1903.

It is fascinating to learn about the streets where your ancestors lived and worked. Colours on maps indicate the income and social class of the inhabitants of each street. The maps cover a section of London from Hammersmith in the west to Greenwich in the east, and from Hampstead in the north to Clapham in the south.

Before you search the maps or notebooks, read the explanation of how to use the site.

14 September 2010

Casino NSW: genealogy seminar, Nov 2010

Casino Family History Group is hosting a seminar on Sat. 20th Nov 2010, commencing 9:30am and ending about 2:30pm. I am giving a talk on 'Black Sheep and Vanishing Relatives'. The other speaker is Brad Argent from Ancestry.com. More details (venue, cost and how to book) are on my Web site.

12 September 2010

On This Day - BARBER, BIRKS, CAMPBELL and PORTER

13 Sep 1764 (246 years ago) - Edward BARBER and Mary BIRKS were married at Bolton upon Dearne, Yorkshire, England. Was the Elizabeth BARBER who married William HUDSON their daughter? [Maybe my great-great-great-grandparents?]

13 Sep 1810 (100 years ago) - Duncan CAMPBELL and Helen CAMPBELL were married on the Isle of Tiree, Argyllshire, Scotland. After Duncan died, his wife Helen (or Ellen) and her children emigrated to Sydney, NSW, Australia on the British King. Her sons were pioneers of Gippsland (Victoria). [Great-great-great-grandparents]

18 Sep 1768 (242 years ago) - Elizabeth Harley PORTER was baptised at Stockwell Chapel, Lambeth, Surrey, England. Elizabeth was a daughter of James PORTER and Catherine HARLEY, and the wife of William WEBSTER. I am still looking for a record of Elizabeth WEBSTER's death (maybe about 1851). [Great-great-great-great-grandmother]

If you are researching these families, I will gladly provide full details of my sources, which include parish registers. My thanks to Michael Flynn for his help.

6 September 2010

Freedom certificate, James Webster (Treasure Chest Thursday)


One of my family treasures is the original Certificate of Freedom issued to my great-great-great-grandfather, James WEBSTER, on 1 July 1823. James had been apprenticed to John PORTER, a stationer of Pall Mall, London, whom we believe was his uncle. (Thanks to Michael FLYNN for his help with the PORTER research.)

This certificate was entrusted to me by Rodney CARR. It was handed down through his branch of the family (descendants of James WEBSTER's eldest daughter, Sarah HAZLEWOOD nee WEBSTER). The authenticity of this large document, only a portion of which is shown above, was confirmed by the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers.

For information about this family (including James's parents, William WEBSTER and Elizabeth Harley PORTER), see the Webster family tree on my Web site.

('Treasure Chest Thursday' is a theme used by 'Geneabloggers'.)

5 September 2010

On This Day - WEBSTER, TEAGUE, GIBLETT and SHEPPARD

6 Sep 1884 (126 years ago) - Ernest Edward WEBSTER married Alice TEAGUE at Camberwell, Surrey, England. [1st cousin 3 times removed]

11 Sep 1783 (227 years ago) - Richard GIBLETT and Sarah SHEPPARD were married at St Johns Church, Frome, Somerset, England. Richard was a tanner and currier. [Great-great-great-great-grandparents, Webster line]

If you are researching these families, I will gladly provide full details of my sources. My thanks to Anne Reece and Karen Cooper for their help.

3 September 2010

England and Wales probate index 1858-1941

Ancestry.co.uk has put part of the National Probate Calendar for England and Wales online as Index of Wills and Administrations 1861-1941, but it has some gaps.

The Society of Australian Genealogists and some other large libraries have the full National Probate Calendar 1858-1941 on microfiche. It includes all the years that are missing from Ancestry's database (1858-1860, 1863, 1868, 1873, 1876, 1877, 1883, 1888, 1899-1903, 1910-1911). Most index entries include the deceased's full name, date and place of death, probate date and registry where issued. Some give other details (deceased's address and occupation, executor's name and occupation, etc.)

Some post-1941 indexes are at LDS Family History Centres.

2 September 2010

On This Day - BUTLER and MUSTELL

30 Aug 1910 (100 years ago) - Mary Jane BUTLER (nee NICHOLSON) was buried at Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney NSW Australia. Mary Jane is something of a mystery. She was allegedly born at Enniskillen, Fermanagh, Ireland, c1828-1830, a daughter of Richard NICHOLSON, a soldier. I think she is probably the Sarah Jane NICHOLSON who married Robert BUTLER in NSW in 1856. [Great-great-grandmother, James Campbell Webster line]

31 Aug 1822 (188 years ago) - Anne MUSTELL was born in London, Middlesex, England. She was the daughter of Thomas MUSTELL and Anne VAUGHAN, and the wife of William James WEBSTER. Anne was buried in the Old Cemetery, Camberwell, Surrey, England, on 2 Sep 1891 (119 years ago this week). [Wife of my great-great-granduncle]

If you are researching these families, I will gladly provide full details of my sources, which include a family bible, a letter from Camberwell New Cemetery, and marriage and death certificates. My thanks to Anne Reece and Rhonda Newell for their help.