Genealogy Chat

Thanks AustinQ for your suggestions. I am visiting my family at the end of July and will be looking through the photos etc for any clues

Such a shame- sorry they weren't of help. I can't really think of anywhere to go from here.

Perhaps photos? Any similarities between the Isaacsons and Donald?

DNA Testing?

I have now looked at Catherine's and Rev JF Isaacson wills. Catherine' s leaves everything to Donald apart from 3 small legacies to her nieces. Will was written in 1932 after Annie died - so no surprises and no clues.

Father's will was detailed in what was given e.g. splitting the family silver etc but otherwise not very helpful

So it looks like it will remain a mystery unless I can unearth anything else in family letters etc.

hmmm...(and some things just remain hidden, and a mystery forever!)

Never say Never though, lol...

Chris :)

I know that there was a codicil in the father's will but that was probably due to the fact that his eldest son had died the year before.

I also thought it odd that Donald wasn't mentioned at all in the will as his address was still given as Lathbury Rd in Oxford, where the sisters stayed, at the time of his name change in 1924, only 3 years before this will was executed.

I'll probably go ahead with getting copies of father and sisters wills but I am not optimistic that they will reveal anything. Donald was executor of Catherine's will so would have known of any revelation in it - and my father does not think he ever knew.

How inconsiderate of Annie not to slip a few clues in!

Bearing in mind Donald's mother was listed as Anne Isaacs, I still think Annie was his mother- and that Catherine knew the secret.

I think it's odd that Annie doesn't mention Donald in the will- as her son, adopted or by birth, I would have thought there would've been mention of him. However, as you say, Catherine was likely to have needed the money more than Donald at that time- and Annie probably knew that Catherine's estate would eventually go to Donald.

I also wonder if their were conditions in her father's Will.

Frustrating to say the least!

I have now received the copy of Annie's will. It is a simple affair leaving everything to sister Catherine. No mention of Donald Innes (so not saying if Catherine pre-deceased Annie then all would go to Donald)

It was written in 1927, just 4 years before Annie died, so it could have been that Annie's health was failing and that it was perceived that Catherine might need a bequest more than Donald who was now lecturer at St Andrews (i.e. previous wills may have mentioned Donald)

I am still not convinced that Annie was the mother - could she just have been covering for Catherine as I know Catherine moved to St Andrews

Any more thoughts welcome!

Next steps:

Ordered Annie's will - should be with me in 10 days or so

When I'm next visiting my parents (towards end July) I will see if I can find any photos of the Isaacsons to look for family resemblance between D E Innes and Annie Isaacson

Depending on above, could look at JF Isaacson's will - note that it is likely to have given the sisters financial freedom. Also will does have a codicil which might be interesting

Could also look at Catherine's will

(lol, well looks to be below, looking at things educational!)

Chris :)

https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/

10 October 1931 - St. Andrews Citizen - St Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Mr Donald E. Innes, Reader in Geology at St Andrews University,

Donald studied at University College Oxford according to the details posted in The Citizen 1936.

https://www.dragonschool.org/community/our-history.html

(ah!, not sure if they would hold anything 'old' Admission wise, maybe contact them)

Chris :)

Thanks Chris Ho, seems a bit tenuous, but then I've pretty much come to a standstill. I do know my father thinks that the Scottish hereditary was very important and that Donald was a family name (but there is no evidence that my grandfather knew the truth of his heritage)

Try this article for a bit on hockey and war record (also see wiki page - Military Cross and captain of Scottish hockey team etc)

https://skipperswar.com/tag/donald-innes/

(that's nice Egb)

An article in The Times, says after his Death in 1961, "only his closest friends knew that for much of the time he was suffering from the after effects of dysentery, which he caught in campaigning against the Bulgars in the First World War".

Chris :)

(I reckon Ernest Bouchier had a hand in getting him in Royal Engineers, lol)

Had been looking at Philip Esme Stewart Holland (son of Thomas Agar Holland and Magdaline (Madalena) Stewart, Marriage 1831 Sussex, she is Daughter of Major Philip Stewart, all seem connected to Holy Orders, and Oxford)

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Alumni_Oxoniensis_(1715-1886)_volume_2.djvu/308

(all a bit way out, but was the Esme Stewart bit what drew me!, if there is a connection somewhere I don't know, lol, starts to go off the rails a bit, and gets confusing, and newspaper reading gets boggling!)

Edits

(the Oxford connection where it is stated Donald studied Sciences, shame the College isn't known, they usually have an Archivist which might have helped with his Admission Entry, might have held a clue perhaps!, or even if anything Admission wise Repton School)

A nice we snippet and photo....scroll down to page 16

https://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/earthsci/files/2016/08/DEES-Newsletter-July16.compressed.pdf

Great Western Railway Shareholders 1835-1932 (Find My Past)

(did note Annie on above, Shares transferred to Catherine)

Chris :)

(thought there might have been something 'Probate' wise for Donald Isaacs (Gentleman)

Donald -

please come back and let us know the outcome once you have the copy of the Will.

This is a really fascinating mystery!

You can order a copy of the Will from this site
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills

It'll cost £10 and will be available on the website to download in approx 10 days. Don't worry about the absence of a folio number. The entry gives you all the other info required. Use that even if there are some errors proved by, say, the DC.
The names mentioned on the Calendar entry are those of the Executors, who were not necessarily all of the heirs.

Just because Catherine isn't listed it doesn't necessarily mean she's not mentioned in the Will. Annie and the other siblings are only listed as the executors-not the benefactors.

It's good that it narrows down when Annie moved- so she was still in Freshwater in October 1886.

Rev JF Isaacson's will listing on probate search shows Annie still in Freshwater in August 1886, but there is no mention of the other sister Catherine

Thanks for everyone's contributions and information - I feel I have got a little closer to the truth. I will be taking up AustinQ's suggestion of looking at Annie Isaacson's will.

If anyone has further flashes of inspiration do keep posting

Thanks