Genealogy Chat

Lindy, if any of the rellies in question were self-employed, you may find them in a trade directory. There aren't many online for the period in question, but you could try looking here: http://www.historicaldirectories.org/

Thanks Heather, will do Will post an excellent message when I find the answer. Lindy

Lindy, Ask about postal directories too. Good luck, Heather

Thanks Heather, I feel a phone call to St Marylebone library coming, probably on Tuesday. If this is the case and they do have records for dates before WW1 it would help immensly - I may have to take a trip to london to find out. Without sounding corny, I really don't know what I would have done without everyone's help - I can see there are some bad experiences, but on the whole people are so helpful. kind regards

Hi Lindy You were asking about electoral rolls. Our local town library has them on film for dates before WW! and they're in book form later. I don't know if they would have had them for the war years though. Heather

thanks Heather, I found your comments really interesting - I have learnt that families didn't talk about relatives, hence its taken me so long to find adoptive family! - yes, I have gone back and can't see any obvious connection - adopted family are from Dorset and my family name appear to be from Hertfordshire! It would help if Queen Charlotte's Hospital come back with some info, but the 100 yr rule applies there, so I'm not too hopeful. I will try these other options tho and am more than grateful for suggestions. kind regards

Hi Lindy, Can you dig back a bit further with both families? My husband's aunts knew that their father lost his mum when he was quite young and they also knew the christian names of two unmarried ladies who helped raise him and his siblings. What they didn't know was that the two ladies were his mum's cousins. The connection was sisters born before 1820.. Keep going...you might find the link further back. Heather

Thanks Phoenix and Helen for your suggestions - I will follow up what you suggest - families living in St Marylebone in 1901. Would I need to go to the local library for this information? Also, I was told that electoral roll info didn't start till 1927 - is this correct? I've not heard of Medal card index before, but will certainly have a look at this. Thanks guys for giving me some hope. Seems ironic we can go back to 1841, but cannot find out what happened in 1916!

I see Phoenix got in before me, but I think we're saying the same thing. There are records, but its not likely you will find much online. Good luck. nell

You can look in the electoral registers to see if both the families stayed in the same street. Any eligible men of the right age in 1914-1918 might have fought in WW1 so you could check medal card index on The National Archives site and/or the Commonwealth graves site for deaths. Any clues in the occupations of head of household - might they be listed in a trades/commercial directory? Teenage members of families in 1901 would be getting married so you could check marriage indexes. nell

Hi Lindy Is this on your doorstep, or the other side of the world? If you could get to the relevant local studies library, you could look for street directories and voters lists to find out addresses for the families. School records can give addresses for the pupils and guardians' names. Grown up sons may have served in WW1 and service records would give addresses and next of kin.

I'm at a loss where to go now and am so frustrated I don't know where to turn, everyone has been so helpful in the past but I need to talk to someone, so over to you guys if you have any suggestions please? I've spent, and really enjoyed the last 18 months looking for my dad's adoptive family (born 1916/17). I have now found them in 1901 census living a few doors away from a family with my dad's surname. Because there is no 1911 census I can't connect the two (or find dad's mum). Do I just have to give up do you think? (I'm having withdrawal symptoms now I've found them!) so sad....