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I wonder if anyone can help me to trace Francis Smithson who was born in the UK (Manchester) in 1918, was a merchant seaman and went to Australia (NSW) around 1950. He married Melva Jean Boyce in Bankstown in 1960 and died in Blacktown in 1972.I don't know if they had any children. If these names mean anything to anyone I'd love to hear from you. Many thanks, Pauline

Hello Pauline, to see if anyone else is connected to Francis then use the Search Trees facility under Search on the menu above.

Found this:

Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980

Name: Melva Jean Smithson
Gender: Female
Electoral Year: 1963
State: New South Wales
District: Mitchell
Subdistrict: Riverstone

Living Lot 4, Hamilton Street, with Francis - a storeman

Just poking around to see what turns up .....

Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980

Name: Melva Jean Boyce
Gender: Female
Electoral Year: 1949
State: Queensland
District: Brisbane
Subdistrict: Kelvin Grove

A nurse at Brisbane Wonen's Hospital, Herston.
.....................................................................................................

Name: Melva Jean Boyce
Gender: Female
Electoral Year: 1954
State: Northern Territory
District: Alice Springs

A nurse c/o Hospital, Alice Springs
......................................................................................................

Name: Melva Jean Boyce
Gender: Female
Electoral Year: 1954
State: Northern Territory
District: Alice Springs

A storekeeper PO Box 75, Alice Springs
........................................................................................................

Don't know if the above are all the same person, suspect they may be and she changed occupation. No other Boyces that appear to be family mentioned on the records.

Thank you so much for this information - it's great ! Francis actually disappeared in 1950 - went off to sea on a merchant vessel and never came back, leaving a wife and child behind in Manchester. There was a rumour that he'd gone to Australia but the family have never known for sure. It's very exciting - thank you again.
Pauline

Hi Pauline, I'm not seeing anything else conclusive for Melva Jean and that's the only ER (so far) that I found them together on.

Wonder if she too had been married before?

You say it's a rumour that he went to Australia, but in your opening post you give years and locations of marriage and death - what actual information have you got? I haven't actually found a marriage but not all records are on-line. One of the Australian researchers may be able to find more info so keep checking back.

Seaman seem to be very good at evading shipping records!

Another ER:

Australia, Electoral Rolls, 1903-1980

Name: Francis Smithson
Gender: Male
Electoral Year: 1958
State: New South Wales
District: Banks
Subdistrict: Milperra

At R.A.A.F Bankstown, an assistant storeman.

Hi again. Until today the only information I had was an extensive tree going backwards in time from 1911 plus the date and place of Francis's birth, his marriage in England and his son's birth and the story of his disappearance when his son was 2 years old (i.e. 1950). The family rumour was that he had gone to Australia as a merchant seaman. The family never heard anything else of him after 1950.
Then today I contacted someone on Ancestry.co.uk who had the information that his older sister married an Australian and went to live in NSW. I searched NSW records on http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/searchHistoricalRecords.htm
and found his marriage to Melva in 1960 and his death in 1972. I tried searching other people's trees but drew a blank there. The information you've sent me is great for filling in some of the missing years.
All the best, Pauline

Hi Pauline
The 'Ryerson's Index' (on-line) shows Francis Smithson d 18/12/1971 'late of Riverstone'...his notice was in the 'Sydney Morning Herald' 20/12/1971. 'Ryserson's will do a (free) look-up of this newspapernotice ... and hopefully you may learn of family names.

The 'National Library of Aus' (on-line) ..has an 'Ask a Librarian' service -hopefully they can help trace family from electoral rolls -past & present.

Valerie
WAus.

Hi Valerie,
Many thanks for this information - I didn't know about Ryerson's Index - what a great resource it is. I've asked very nicely for a lookup and I'm very excited about what they can find, however little. The National Library is another resource that I haven't used..... yet ! Thank you again for taking the time to help me out, I really appreciate it.
Best wishes, Pauline

Death Notice
Sydney Morning Herald 20th December 1971
Smithson, Francis - December 18, 1971, at hospital, late of 28 Hamilton Street, Riverstone. Dearly loved husband of Melva Jean, loved brother of Ada, Emmy, Maud, Lilly and cousin of Beatrice (all of England), fond uncle of Frances Coulton.

For funeral arrangements see Tuesday Herald.

Funeral Notice SMH 21 Dec, 1971
Smithson - The relatives and friends of the late Francis Smithson of Hamilton Street, Riverstone are invited to attend his funeral service to be held in the chapel, Pine Grove Memorial Park at Eastern Creek this (Tuesday) afternoon at 2.30 o'clock.

Thank you very much for this death notice - I've been trying to find my way around the various sites to find it this morning, but was getting into a tangle. Thank you for sorting me out - the information is very valuable.
Best wishes, Pauline

Hi Pauline,

Not a problem and happy to help.

Just so you know the Sydney Morning Herald isn't available online for the general public from 1954 to 1995 so that's why you couldn't find it.

Kind regards
Gai

Thank you so much Marie Celeste, Valerie and Gai for your contributions - if there's anything I can do for you on the UK side please let me know, I'd be delighted to help.
Best wishes, Pauline

You're very welcome Pauline!

Good luck

Marie (in England)

ForAustralian newspapers online and searchable free, try typing "Trove" into your search engine. Invaluable but highly addictive!

Thank you, Paiju, I'll give that a try.
Best wishes, Pauline