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I am trying to find information for a friend re her father William Black. All we have been able to find out is that he was born in Lanarkshire in 1927, and lived in Oxford for many years, where he died in 1986.

He was married at least twice, the second time to my friend's mother, Susan Siani nee Kerr, and that he subsequently adopted 4 of her children.

If anyone could find anything more about him, particularly his ancestors, we would be very grateful.

There were 11 William Blacks born in Lanarkshire in 1927.

There were 873 William Black marriages in Lanarkshire alone in 1945-86.

Did your friend's father have a middle name, to narrow it down a bit?

His marriage to Susan was in Oxford in 1966.
The marriage cert might provide some clues - father's name, for instance - although won't really narrow down the search for his birth..


Does your friend know of any Black relatives? Aunts/uncles?

Thank you for taking the time to check.

Unfortunately she knows no more than I listed above - she is Susan's daughter, doesn't think he has a middle name. I have no idea when he moved to Oxford, but I think it was before his first marriage. I have said she will probably have to order the marriage certificate, but hoped someone with access to Scottish records might be able to help.

She said East Kilbride rings a bell. She knows of no other relatives.and has lost touch with her half siblings. Very sad.

I think her best bet is to get the marriage cert, it should name his father which may help find his birth

His death record shows his actual birth date

England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007 No Image

Name: William Black
Death Age: 58
Birth Date: 31 Aug 1927
Registration Date: Feb 1986
Registration district: Oxford
Inferred County: Oxfordshire
Volume: 20
Page: 3057

I don't see any sign of the half-brother apart from his birth in 1965.
Nor the second half-sister (1961).

The eldest half-sister (born 1960) married in 1977 in Oxford, but is on the Plymouth Electoral Roll for 2008 under her maiden surname.

The third half-sister, born 1962, seems to have married twice, in Oxford, in 1981, and then in 1988.
She's on the Oxford ER, under her maiden name, until 2010.

Have PM'd you the two addresses, in case they're of use.

None of the 11 William Blacks in 1927 were born in East Kilbride, unfortunately.

Thank you both for trying. Marriage certificate it will have to be, though I believe the box for name of father will be a blank.

If the informant knew the information, William's death certificate should show place of birth.

Possible earlier marriage to Janet Betty Webb in 1949 Oxford. (two possible sons to this marriage).

Janet was born 3rd March 1931 and died 15th May 1962.
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A tree on Ancestry has a photo of Janet. They also have a photo of William- although they only have details of his death. Curiously they have no parents listed for him, but do have a brother listed- unfortunately the name is private.

Thank you for still trying. I knew about the first wife, and found the photo and information about brother, but, as you say, that is a dead end too. I have found 2 trees on Ancestry with William Black included, one says mother Ms Black, father unknown, the other says father is Mr. Black, mother unknown. The former seems the most logical.

I have just discovered that William had a half-brother, Guy, but unfortunately I have no information regarding his date of birth, or if he is still alive. Trying to get more information about him.

On the assumption that
a) Guy's surname was Black;
b) he was born within +/-20 yrs of William's birth;
c) he was born in Scotland;
d) Guy was actually one of his official names and not just a "pet" name

this would be the only possible birth:

BLACK
JOHN SMITH GUY
M
1910
651/ 284
Airdrie or New Monkland


But that's a lot of assumptions!


If he wasn't a Black -

there were 95 births of boys with Guy as first or middle name in Lanarkshire alone, 1907-1947.

I found this, which is equally tentative:

England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2005

Name: Guy Black
Mother's Maiden Surname: Black
Date of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep 1932
Registration district: Chelsea
Inferred County: London
Volume Number: 1a
Page Number: 459