Find Living Relatives

Wow, I'm so impressed with your excellent research work Gritty. I am Duncan's daughter. The only thing that was incorrect was the fact that my father never went to S.Africa at all. He arrived in N.Z from about 1945 or sometime after and died in 1988, Te Teko NZ. I couldn't find any shipping records for him, so he probably travelled illegally. I would like to try and get in touch with the Bird side of my family. Winifred Victoria Bird b. 1898. My grandmother's family could hold some very important information about Joan. I never got the chance to meet her and would like to see a photo of her and my grandparents. Would you be able to assist, somehow?

Cheers
Bronwyn :-D

Birgit, that's wonderful, I'm so pleased you were able to make contact. I do hope that together you are able to find out a little more about Joan's life.

Have a lovely Christmas,
Best wishes

Hello,

with Gritty's great help I've been able to contact Joan Winifred's niece in New Zealand.
We are going to do further research together - especially about the event in Prahran.

Thanks to everybody but especially to Gritty :-)

I'll pm some other information as it contains details of living people. it's a bit muddled but I hope you can wade through it- any problems let me know.

EDIT: Have also sent you facebook links to possible relations- I hope you are able to make contact. If they are not connected let us know- at least we can eliminate them, and I'll have another look.

So after South Africa it looks as though Duncan moved to New Zealand.

On the 1963 NZ electoral registers:

Te Teko, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Duncan William Edgar George, Decorator

also living at Te Teko:
Teauraki George, Forrester.
-------------------------------------------------------

Teauraki is an unusual name- possibly Maori name??
Death posibly related?:
Teauraki Turori George
Birth Date: abt 1921
Death Age: 55
Death Date: 2 Jul 1976
Burial Place: Auckland, New Zealand
Cemetery: Mangere

Although in 1978 there is a Teauraki George, a Gas Worker, is living at 142 Vincent Street, Auckland- but no Duncan at this address.
------------------------------------------------------

However, for 1978- 1981 I did find (with matching occupation):

25 Farmer Street, Mangere, Auckland
Duncan W George, Painter
Anzac George, Housewife

I believe Anzac and Duncan George had at least one daughter.

Morning Birgit,

D. George
He and his wife travel to Cape Town South Africa in 1956
DOB 5th March 1928
Occupation: Insurance Official
Wife's DOB 8th September 1928

They give address 28 Teesdale Avenue, Birmingham.

Looking at the electoral registers his contact at this address was John & Mavis Banner.

John Banner was also an insurance official and had traveled to South Africa previously in 1955 (giving his address as 28 Teesdale Ave.). John L (b.1915), Mavis H (b1920) and his children (b. 1948 &1953) returned and moved to South Africa in 1959.

John and Mavis may have returned to the UK- did you ever try to make contact with them or their children for information on Duncan?

Ancestry has the electoral registers and Joan Winifred George is listed as a clerk living at 84/ 25 King Street, Prahran in 1977-1980 (same address as on death notice in the gazette)

Googling the address it states 25 Kings Street is a highrise for people over 50- no idea if it was built for that purpose, or used in that way in 1981 though.

Yes, Gritty, - the last passenger list IS from 1964 but YOU only discovered it today and not me before posting my request.

And yes,DetEcTive, I'm going to find out more about the dead woman in Prahran.
Gosh, poor soul, >> approx. 18.11.1981 - she must have been found days after her death.

This is the only entry I can see- her year of birth is given as 1923, but the death is registered under Winifred Joan George- but same place (Prahran). It's registered 1982- possibly delayed through inquest and lack of family members??:

Victoria Deaths 1836-1985 Transcription
First name(s) Winifred Joan
Last name George
Age 59
Sex Female
Birth year 1923
Death year 1982
Father's name -
Mother's name -
Death place Prahran
State Victoria
Registration number 9167

I think you can apply for a copy of the probate- although having had a quick look it seems quite complicated- but that maybe just me!

You could try writing to neighbours? There may still be people that knew her closeby.

"GEORGE, JOAN WINlFRED, late of Flat 84, 25 King Street,. Prahran, pensioner, found dead on 18 November 1981. "

http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1982/V/general/35.pdf

Last passenger list was 1964

Have you considered Gritty's post @ 19:13 about probate?? Was this something you were aware of or had you previously rejected the idea?

Hi to everybody,

I had thought that "whereabouts... after the year 1959" would indicate that I've got information about the years before, leave alone the generations before and that I really need only news after that time.

After some remarks here I've realized that I didn't express myself clearly enough. So:

I checked all the obvious data banks - in UK, NZ and Australia. If I hadn't done so I wouldn't have dared to ask for help...
And indeed the last trace of Joan Winifred is the passenger list of 1959 which Gritty mentioned.

It seems that I'm looking for people who met either Joan Winifred or Duncan George or his kids or who have been in contact with them somehow.

Once again sorry that I put my request into such unprecise sentences and
for any inconveniences.
Birgit

and then this:

Australia, Victoria, Index to Probate Registers, 1841-1989

Name: Joan Winifred George
Occupation: Pensioner
Death Date: 18 Nov 1981
Event Place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Residence City: Prahran
Event Date: 02 Apr 1982
Series Number: 901
Record Number: 878
Digital Folder Number: 004108898 , Image Number: 00084

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12336-67216-12?cc=1393345

A wee bit more info until 1964!! see bottom passenger listing :))

I know you have these details but just for my reference-

On 1948 New Zealand Wellington passenger list Joan is 26
Address:18 Netherall Gardens, Hampstead N W 3.
Occupation: Clerk.
Country of intended future permanent residence: New Zealand

On 1949 arrivals to Australia Joan Winifred aged 26
Occupation: Clerk

Possible on returns from New Zealand in 1952
Joan aged 29
Occupation: Nurse
Intended UK address: 7 Greenhill Park, N W 10

On 1959 passenger list to Melbourne Joan's DOB is listed as 14th August 1922
Address: 21 Warwick Square, London, SW1
Occupation: Telephonist
Country of intended future permanent residence: Australia

1964!!!
Miss Joan Winifred George
Departed Southampton travelling to Melbourne
Address: 28 James' Ave, Croydon, Victoria
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12423-75903-43?cc=1609792&wc=MP72-RM8:119260801,119033802,119034003

Hello Birgit,

Have you considered that she may have been living in the UK? There's a Joan W George listed until 2013 living in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire.

EDIT: I've pm'd the address in case you think it's worth writing to.

EDIT: Reply from Birgit- possibly not this one as it could be a Joan W that was born in Hemel Hampstead

Why don't you try to get in touch with the other GR members?

And it would have been helpful if you'd told us ALL you knew at the start.

Hello to those who replied my post and thank you very much for every answer.

I know that Joan W. George migrated to Australia in 1959 hence the question about her whereabouts after 1959.

I know she belongs to the Bird-Family from her mother's side. Actually I've got a lot of information about her family tree BUT after 1959 she disappeared somehow.
Is she dead? We assume so although in nobody's family-tree there is a year of death...

I also know that Duncan migrated to S.Africa. I was told that he's got children.
At least one of them is a daughter - so I was told. I was also told that he died in 1988 although I've got no proof for that and don't know the place of death.

Birgit

Have you looked for info anywhere, Birgit?

Have you tried search trees on here?

Winifred is in at least EIGHT trees other than yours

Duncan is in five.................presumably with the required permission, if he is alive

Same for Joan...........

Try making contact...........and good luck

1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
124, Wenlock Street, Luton, Luton Urban, Bedfordshire, England


First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
Walter Bird Head Married Male 37 1864 Cattle Dealer Leagrave, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Emma Bird Wife Married Female 36 1865 - Clophill, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Annie Bird Daughter Single Female 15 1886 - Luton, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Walter D Bird Son Single Male 14 1887 - Luton, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Sidney Bird Son Single Male 10 1891 - Luton, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Henry Bird Son Single Male 8 1893 - Luton, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Winafred Bird Daughter Single Female 3 1898 - Luton, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Albert Bird Son Single Male 3 1898 - Luton, Bedfordshire, England Transcription
Florrie Bird Daughter - Female 0 1901 - Luton, Bedfordshire, England