Forums Forums General Forums A - Z Lifestyle Trying to locate my Grandad...

the important questions were asked and answered and then it got a bit light hearted......big deal. Lighten up for Christs sake.

Hi Merseyman

Can you just tell me what your grandfathers name is, as in one post you have John G Smith and then in another John G Payne.

Ancestry has become alot easier searching deaths. Birth dates only show up after the 1960's. Sometimes it is luck. Sometimes no middle name has been recorded. Depends on who registered the death and the information they knew.

If you say he left around 1949, have you checked ships lists in case he emigrated to Australia. Alot of people went about that time.

As for searching electoral rolls, yes you do have to pay, otherwise try finding old phone books and see if he is listed.
As for the war/navy etc. They only give the records to the next of kin, but if your nan has died you should produce a death certificate, and then the eldest living child should be able to pay for the records. it cost my hubby about £30 to get his fathers.

Two sites you could look at for more info, are
www.genuki.org.uk
www.rootschat.com

Both sites are free, though to read alot of the stuff you have to become a member rootschat.

hth

Hi
sorry about the late reply. My grandfathers name is John Grant Payne, I just used 'John G Smith' as an example
He was born in a poor house called Morayshire Union poorhouse, 2 High Street, Elgin Morayshire.
Birth is 05/10/1920
His mother is Alexina Cameron Payne (My great grandmother) when she gave birth to him he stayed in the poorhouse, he stayed there until he was old enough to join the seaforth Highlanders, where he later was based in Deyes lane family camp where he lived with my nan and their children (my mother being one of them). Previously to him being based here they lived in india during world war 2 where my uncle was born (1944) and my auntie (1946) they were based in Agra in india and were married in St.Patricks church/cathedral in Jan 1944. When India gained independence in 1947 the family came to live back over here in the Deyes lane family camp in maghull, in 1949 the last child was born (my mother) 6 moths later he left the family never to be seen again.

Over the weekend I found a website for Morayshire where my grandfather was born, this has numerous records of families born in poorhouses in the exact area my grandfather was born. Weirdly enough I managed to find my grandfathers parents and his parents and the same for Alexina (John Grants mother), though there is no record of him being in a poorhouse ( it is documented on the birth certificate) he was born illegitametely, his mother met a man named James smith aged 42 while she was 24 and was married in Feb 1921 in Rothes (I have the marriage certificate) 4 months after my grandad was born, from the records I found she had a child with James Smith called Emily, mean while James Smith 42 had 5 children to a previous marriage. Still no sign of her illegitamate child my grandad. It's like she left him, don't know whther he found out who his mother was. I just dont know how she could have another child with this James Smith (Emily Smith) my mothers aunty and my grandad live in the same area whilst his mother sets up a new life.
The website I went to was
http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/mainmenu.asp
I did numerous people searches, I actually found out more going back in time but hit a brick wall when it came to my grandad.
I'm going to try and find out about my great grandmothers child Emily Smith, she must have been born after 1920 when my grandad was born.
I will also phone this heritage centre up on the Moray website and find out how one person can not be traced at all.
P.S I also have my grandad's army serial number and he was a corporal in 1949. My nan has passed away now and my aunty has, my uncle must have kind of knew his father being born in 1949 but my mother was only 6 months old so she didn't remember anything at all..

It's certainly a head f**k doing this haha

If you have your g'dads army service number etc. you can go on Ancestry and see what records you can dig out there, the have got army records on site. It all just takes a bit of patience and you have to be more than a little inquisitive. It's fascinating what you find out though.

Thanks, he was in the army at least in 1949 (Seaforth Highlanders R.A.P.C), from what I see there are records but only of casualties e.g Roll of Honour for world war 2 anything later I can’t see. Unless I am looking with my eyes closed

I spoke to a lady from the phone number listed on the Moray website and she couldn’t find any records, she asked if I had done any more military research since we knew what regiment he was in, haven’t really been able to find much out, but she told me to e-mail her all details and army No. and she'll find out what she can do to help. Very friendly and helpful.

Yep, had a closer look at that Merseyman and you are of course correct. It's difficult to get hold of any recent stuff on the geneology sites.

EXCITING NEWS!
Thanks to rootsweb..someone recommended them earlier on, made three posts on the moray forum, the canada forum and the beginners forum. Had a couple of replies giving a 99.9% positive reply to the whereabout of my grandad, sadly this chap died in 2004 but he re-married in 93 aged 73 abroad, his DOB is an exact match as well as his name, he arrived where he did in 1954. will give more details soon, very excited gotta make the call to my mother who was only 6 months when he left....will keep you posted
many thanks to everyone

Merseyman, that is brilliant. Patience rewarded. Well done mate.

Excellent news! keep us posted.

I second that power to your ellbow and good luck

Just been e-mailed by mods on rootsweb to take down most of info as they have rules on recently deceased and all that, so had to rush and save all replies into word before they went. Would have been s*it creek without a paddle then

MerseyMan, I may have some info for you regarding where to find the death of your granddad - which leads to more leads! But because of rules you mentioned before, I can't put the info here. I will PM you the info.

Congrats of finding him!

I haven't logged into the forum for a while but as I done some of my own family history a while ago, I couldn't resist trying to find something for you.

Hi
Just an update, my grandad ended up getting married twice in the US and daopting a child in his first marriage. I am in contact with his step daughters from both marriages and they have sent me photos of him when he was older (his 2nd marriage) and when he was younger (his first marriage) crazyness as he was still married to my nan, anyway been on the phone to his step daughter from his first marriage and she sent some 8mm film and photos and his step daughter from his second marriage. The family have been trying to find him for years with so called help from the Samaritans and the red cross and no help from the MOD. The likeness of my grandad to my uncle now is uncanny, but he looked a lot like my mother when he was younger. The step daughter from his first marriage didn't know anything about my grandad already being married and having left 3 children. But then his punishment was to live out the rest of his life living with what he had done. Now in the process of doing my family tree on genes reunited/ancestry...and it's a big process.
P.S can we not have geanelogy forum or something similar I think it would go down well especially for local people, I have a lot of photos from the area people my recognise themselves on and having all posts in one forum will make it much easier to located and find what you need...just a suggestion.