Find Ancestors

I need to view the records at Kew for the above but live so far away .
I am looking for details on my grandfather who died at sea approx 1935 when his son (my Dad) was 18 months old leaving very little family history.
His name was Joseph Mckenna from Liverpool, I do not know his date of birth only that he married his wife Mary in 1925.
He had 2 sons, Joseph and Vincent before he died at sea during his time with the merchant navy.
His youngest son, Vincent (my Dad) carried the clipping from an old Liverpool Newspaper regarding his death and has sadly lost this, so I am trying to find out as much as we can about his Dad for him.
I dont know if he had siblings or what his parents were called. My Dad however says the family came from Ireland at some point.
We are hoping his Navy records will shed more light on him, possibly even a picture as he has never seen a picture of his Dad.
Any information or help at all will be very much appreciated

for ref only the marriage of joseph & mary


Marriages Jun 1925 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dunn Mary McKenna Liverpool 8b 75
McKenna Joseph Dunn Liverpool 8b 75

A marriage cert would help , Your Dads birth cert should give her maiden name for a start,

From that you should find his age and fathers name and occupation and possible witnesses might be relatives.

Have you tried Marine deaths on Find my past. I found my grandfathers death ref on there and was able to order a death cert. It comes as a certificate from Marine Records.
Once you know the name of the vessel from the cert then you may find the actual vessel log at Kew but this would need an actual visit as its not a record available online, Many Merchant Navy records are not a Kew but In Newfoundland BUT Kew do have some still where there was an incident such as a death etc.
Again i got the ships log for my grandads vessel from 1910 when he was lost overboard and am able to read about the incident even gives the longitude & latitude and time when he was lost

Shirly, thats great!
I would love to read up on my grandfather, anything even something small!
The story my Dad was told is that his Dad Joseph Mckenna died of burst appendix whilst at sea. I dont know where this was so unable to apply for death certificate.
Looks like the marriage cert is only way forward.

I want to join find my past but its quite expensive after just paying gold membership here, Research is expensive.

Does anyone have a membership on find my past where they could possibly have a little search for me.

Thanks for all your help and comments All!

I will look on FMP for you.
viv

Viv is a star for all the lookups she does with her subs!

I know someone who is a pro, who can do searches at Kew. It would mean a fee (I don't know her rates), but it could be worth it. See what Viv comes up with, and if you decide you would like to look into having something looked up at Kew, drop me a line (click on my name - but only for that!) and I'll direct you.

Once you have the date of death though, if Viv is successful, you might be able to get a copy of the newspaper article from a public library in Liverpool, which would have it on microfiche.

This is the Newfoundland archive Shirley referred to, for info:

http://www.mun.ca/mha/

I'm afraid I've never had any success getting that site to do anything for me, but it may be a useful reference at some point.

Viv, thank you so much!

I just tried to order the marriage cert on Gro website and on form it states red by info I must supply and it asks for marriage date in DD/MM/YYYY formatt.
I dont know that onfo only year, and possible mnths!

May as well get my moneys worth Janey!

There was a Charles J Mckenna also ,you can have details if you think it might be him?
The only Joseph Mckenna I can find on any Army /navy or overseas deaths is this one,but prob not yours.


Joseph Mckenna
A/CPL.(TY)
41st R.M Commando
1945 7 2469


When you go to order page on GRO tick the "yes"box where it asks if GRO refs are known and then they wont want all the dates,just the year.

Thomas, when you went to order the cert at the GRO site, you probably made this mistake.

When it asks whether you have the GRO reference, you check "Yes".

Then you just need the info Jacky gave you:


Marriages Jun 1925
Dunn Mary McKenna Liverpool 8b 75
McKenna Joseph Dunn Liverpool 8b 75

apr-may-jun quarter 1925
registration district Liverpool
volume 8b
page 75

Order in the name of one party alone, to minimize possible errors.



Oh, Viv, you edited. ;)

Janey,
I know there was a article in a Liverpool newspaper as My Dad was very upset when after years of carrying it around in his wallet, he lost it!
It said something like "Liverpool man dies at sea". I have been in touch with Liverpool Libary and will pop up to look as they said they have all papers from then, but warn me it will be a long search without the date

This is the person Viv found, from the CWGC site - unfortunately no age or family member stated:


Name: McKENNA, JOSEPH
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Corporal
Regiment/Service: Royal Marines
Unit Text: No. 41 R.M. Commando.
Date of Death: 15/02/1945
Service No: PO/X 111077
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Row 7. Grave 6.
Cemetery: WERKENDAM PROTESTANT CEMETERY


Just for info as likely not yours.

Yes I did it wrong, try again!

Viv, see I cannot confirm if he had another name so it could well of been him, what information does it give on there for him?
again, thank you!

Thomas - hold off a bit until you get the marriage certificate. It will give you his age and father's name and then you'll have something to check other records against.

Marine deaths for the years 1936-1937

Charles J Mckenna age 43
ships name..Tunisia
Page 195.

Interesting about the names, Thomas - this is your dad:

Vincent McKenna Oct Nov Dec 1933 W Derby

but the other two births in W Derby with mother Dunn are:

Joseph McKenna Apr May Jun 1926 W Derby
Margaret McKenna Jan Feb Mar 1928 W Derby

-- No John. Was Joseph called John? It may indeed have been a family tradition. ;)

I have ordered it now, only have to wait 15 days! lol oh and then the strike! hehe

Viv, Thank you so much will update here when I get further information.
It will mean so much to me Dad if I can find something

Joseph was his older brother and Margaret was his sister, Joseph was always called Jo, But I am told his middle name was John
My Dad always called himself, Vincent John, every thing he had driving licence ect had this on, but his birth cert does not have John on!?

Does that awnser your query, I am not sure what you mean??

Just that at the beginning you said:

"He had 2 sons, John and Vincent"

but that should be Joseph and Vincent?

It was just looking like the McKenna men were whimsical about their names. ;)