Find Ancestors

I am looking for information about two of my wife's family members - her grand-father and grand-mother, both from India before partition. His name is Lawrence Fernandez born around 1896, and her name is Alice Esmerelda Pereira, born around 1908. Alice's mother's name was Eurinda but her maiden name is not known,No documentation has been found for them other than their death certificates (1985 and 1989 respectively) and they both died in India. They lived in Karachi around 1930 when my Father-in-law was born (Hector Oswald Fernandez), but moved on some years later. They had other sons later - Owen, Ronald and Vincent. All now live in the UK. They were devout Catholics and died in a convent / nursing home. Any help to trace either family histories would be good.

Thanks

Russell Taylor

One record here

UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
about Alice E Fernandez
Name: Alice E Fernandez
Birth Date: 26 Apr 1908
Age: 52
Port of Departure: Bombay, India
Arrival Date: 3 Oct 1960
Port of Arrival: Liverpool, England
Ports of Voyage: Bombay
[Karachi]
Ship Name: Cilicia
Search Ship Database: View the 'Cilicia' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping Line: Anchor Line Ltd
Official Number: 1747/01


Travelling with Lawence dob 9 Jan 1896, occ. Engineer

UK adress 19 Hanover Road, Laira, Plymouth

Indian citizens staying in UK for 6 months


Andy

Possible:-

name: Lawrence Fernandez
gender: Male
baptism/christening date: 17 Aug 1898
baptism/christening place: Tellicherry, Madras, India
birth date: 10 Aug 1898
birthplace: Madras, India
father's name: Bernard Fernandez
mother's name: Lizzie
indexing project (batch) number: C00071-0
system origin: India-EASy
source film number: 527459

Did Lawrence have any siblings?

these would be possible siblings for Lawrence above:-

name: Isabella Fernandez
gender: Female
baptism/christening date: 06 Mar 1896
baptism/christening place: Tellicherry, Madras, India
birth date: 28 Feb 1896
birthplace: Madras, India
death date:
name note:
race:
father's name: Bernard Fernandez
father's birthplace:
father's age:
mother's name: Lizzie
mother's birthplace:
mother's age:
indexing project (batch) number: C00070-8
system origin: India-EASy
source film number: 527457

name: Michael Fernandez
gender: Male
baptism/christening date: 10 Nov 1902
baptism/christening place: Tellicherry, Madras, India
birth date: 03 Nov 1902
birthplace:
death date:
name note:
race:
father's name: Bernard Fernandez
father's birthplace:
father's age:
mother's name: Elizabeth
mother's birthplace:
mother's age:
indexing project (batch) number: C00071-7
system origin: India-EASy
source film number: 527465

Catherine,

The ship's record is correct, but the family is not. My Father-in-law says that his father (Lawrence) was born just south of Goa in 1896 and had a middle name of 'Reis'. I wonder if you could investigate these facts and see what you can did up? Grateful for your help here :-)

Russell

It looks as if Catherine's posts came from

https://www.familysearch.org

which is free for everyone to use and access ;-)

The Catholic community have been reluctant in the past for their records to be transcribed, so it's possible that there aren't Indian RC Bap, M, D on line.

Try searching for India Goa BMD - there are a couple of results which may help you.

Mind you don't confuse the results for BMD with Ballistic Missile Defence :-D

Have tried Goa BMD to no avail. Any other recommended sites for anglo-indians BDM data?

Russell Taylor

For what it's worth, the surnames Fernandez and Pereira definitely have a Portuguese ring to them.

I have these names in my tree as well. Mine came from Portugal to Malacca, and into Malaysia. In fact my gggrandmother, Gracia Fernandez, was also born in Goa.
When she died, my gggrandfather married a widow, Wilhelmina de Rozario nee Pereira.
Some coincidence eh?
The picture on the left is my gggrandfather, Edmundo Lazaroo, who married these ladies.

Strange coincidence!

Russell

Hi Russell,

If you haven't already done so, try www.fibis.org

It may also br worthwhile contacting The British Library and googling The Indiaman website.

Cx

Cynthia,

Have tried both to no avail. Thanks fore the suggestions though! I will keep digging and hopefully someone will come foreard that has some family connection.

Russell

For what it's worth: Isabel/la and Elizabeth in Spanish/Portuguese equate to the same name so Lizzie / Betty can be nicknames for either. When I was in the merchant navy (1970's) I had a steward called Fernandez from Goa which was at one time a Portuguese trading post as i'm sure you know. Big puzzle. Good luck.

Thanks to all for your help and advice. If anyone else has any information please let me know about it. Any websites I should be using, visiting any places (in the UK), that may hold records, etc.

Russell Taylor