General Chat

My brickwall is in several parts. Going back to the 1700's, I cannot find the birth and first two marriages of my 6 x gt. grandfather, nor can I find the birth of his daughter, who I only found out about, when I sent for a copy of his will. This is because,according to Wooten Hall, the records office for Northants, the records did not 'stand the test of time', and are known as the Missing Eye Years, Eye being in Northants.
In more recent times, I cannot find any records, other than births, of my gt. grandfather's two sisters that went out east. One, who was married, went with her husband firstly to Singapore and then Penang, and the other stayed in Singapore, that is until the fall of the same in 1942, whence she was offered safe passage by the Japanese, to Australia, only for the boat she was on, to be sunk by the Japanese Navy.
I just keep telling myself, one day, just one day.
Julia in Derbyshire

I'm up against two "brickwalls" as recently as 1803 in Cambridge and 1856 in Antrim, very frustrating.

But on the other hand I've followed one line in my tree back to Henry Plantagenet ( King Henry 11) and beyond.

I'm waiting patiently for the Home Guard archives but Ancestry can't say when or if they will have them.

Biggest breakthrough lately -
- whilst in conversation with my uncle he just happened to mention a surname, which I hadn't expected he would know, but it was the (married) surname of a lady his mother used to take him to visit (1930/1940) and who I thought might be my grandma's aunt. But uncle didn't know if there was any family tie, or she was just a friend.
Well, blow me down with a feather, Scotlands People is marvellous isn't it for showing actual images......I looked up the lady's marriage and there it was - giving me her maiden name and her parents names, which all fits together with the hunch I had!!!
YEEEEHAAAAAAA....not only filled in a gap with grandma's aunt, and her story, but also I've got back another generation......I JUST LUURRV when that happens.

Brickwall I most want to come down -
- you're probably all sick of hearing about my brickwall. I am, cos it's the same one I've had for the last 30 years. Dad's father, whoever he was, wherever he came from!! I have tried every avenue I can think of - grilled all living rellies, searched births & deaths in England, Wales, Scotland , Ireland, USA, Canada. Census returns including USA & Canada. Ellis Island, UK Incoming passengers & outgoing passengers, Military, overseas military, Canadian expeditionary force, prisoners, newspaper archives, postal workers archives.....I'm boring myself with the list!
But you get the general picture??? LOL !!!!
My one and only hope is the 1921 Census (by the way I'm not one of the campaigners for early release even though the wait is killing me) . I know he was living in London UK in 1921 because that's the year he married my grandma. IF he appears on that census, it should give his birthplace. THAT would be a huge help, I ask for nothing else.

When will I be happy with my tree -
- well, I am happy (apart from him mentioned above, cos he makes it so lopsided!!) but on the whole I am happy with my tree.
But I never ever tire of looking for more, and putting flesh on the bones.

What records would I like to see on-line next -
- whatever they want to give us. Bring it on!

Nice thread, SRS....good one!

K

My most frustrating brickwall has got to be my GG grandmother.

Edith Mary Williams born 1879 in Canning Town. According to her marriage cert, father's name is David Williams born Wales.

I cannot find her birth or either the 1881 or 1891 census. She marries in 1898 and turns up in the 1901 census. Sadly she dies in childbirth 1902

Best breakthrough was finding my half brother two weeks ago,brilliant,and my lappy has been red hot emailing him.

Worst brick wall,my maternal Grandmother who seems to have landed here from Mars.

Biggest brickwall ?
Still searching for parents of 3 x great grandfather who was born c. 1812. He states the same birthplace in each census, but I've found no hint of a baptism in that village or any in a 10 mile radius. Have also looked just prior to his marriage in a nearby town.
Been looking over 12 years now....*sigh*

Gwyn

I am thinking of joining Ancestory to get more padding to the bones of my tree.

I have got back to 4x Great Grandparents, the furtest is a ancestor Grandpa born in 1822 who confirms the family story that we once had relatives in Linconshire. I got a wedding cert last week confirming this which was exciting.

I believe you can subscibe for one Month to Ancestory which may be enough if I work fast enough!

Teresa

What's your biggest breakthrough lately? What's the brickwall that you most want to come down? What do you want to achieve, when will you be happy with your tree? What records would you like to be online next?