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have you looked for his departure from the UK in "the late 1930s", returning home form that visit that your Mum remembers?




sylvia

Hi All, back again with the results from the death certificate, confirms what found so far, he is the right William Smith, parents check out and so does the wife.

No luck with a name for any children - it stated they had 1 daughter age 26 when William died in Sept.1948, so born 1921/2. There's no local (Ulverston) birth for Smith mmn Shaw, so I assume she was born in NZ, but the death record didn't give her name. My mother was too young to remember the name, just knew they had a daugter when they visited UK in the late 1930s. William died in hospital of cancer (he was gassed during the war, so might be connected) and the death informant was the under-taker so no clue to the daughter there either.

No luck either with passenger lists, I can pinpoint the period to between his army discharge 24/2/1919 and his notification of change of address in 1922 from his service record but haven't been successful in finding their passage.

Think this may be as far as we can go on William's family - would have been nice to connect my mother with her cousin but not to be.

Many thanks to all of you for the help and your time.

Flip

Have sent PM with e-mail address - many thanks for doing this!

There are references to Cartmel on the file, something with horses.

I've condensed the military record into a word doc but it'll be too big to send by pm (about 9mb). If you want a copy send me an email address. :-)

Wow thanks MC, 27 pages? Whatever did they have to write that would take so long.

Rather surprised to see his address is Barrow, I never realised he lived there - the family were all from the Cartmel/Lindale area. Wish I could use the Ancestry free trial, but I've already done that so it won't let me again,

Hi Flip - there's 27 pages:

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
Name: William Mawson Smith
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1890
Age at enlistment: 25
Residence: 10 Allison Street, Barrow in Furness
Document Year: 1915
Regimental Number: 163251
Number of images: 27

I could turn it into a word doc but it would be too big to send via GR messages.

NOK was originally Mary Smith (mother), then changed to wife Emily Jane Smith (nee Shaw) who he married 1 June 1916.

EDIT: Ooh, there's a note from him advising whoever in the military of his new address in New Zealand.

Have just edited opening title as it looks like there is a service record on Ancestry which I can't access.

Hi Flip,

sometimes they do forget and you mention something you find and then they say "I knew that" ....grrr

or it's just enough to jog the memory, I find most time's when you're just talking things come up so I always try to have a pen and paper.

When I was younger and not interested my now husbands grandmother used to tell me things and it would go in one ear and out the other..I could kick myself now.

Hi Cupcakes,

I'll post up what comes back on the death record. But I've spoken to my mother this afternoon, she confirms William married an Emily (but she didn't know details) - they came back to England at some point but only stayed a few months before going back to NZ, the one thing she did know was they had a daughter when they came back, but she doesn't know her name.

Bit of a strange family, grandfather never spoke to my mother about his family - all her knowledge comes from aunts/uncles. Mum is getting on a bit, so getting the info is a bit like drawing hens teeth!! :-D

Hi Flip,

the marriage is a bit too late to check for children being born sorry...

if he did have children named on his death certificate with that link you should be able to check for marriages ect...

but if you have trouble you can always come back to this thread and someone may be able to find more information for you...

will be interested in what you find so let us know.

good luck!

Great, thanks cupcakes!

It would be too much of a coincidence not to be them, I'll get to the RO & check the marriage - if it followed family tradition it should be at Lindale church and the records are on film.

Is there any way of checking whether they had any children in NZ as there's none showing up locally - so I'm thinking they may have gone to NZ soon after their marriage?

added - I've ordered William's death record as it should confirm if it is the right person, that link was great and it looks like the NZ death records give far more info than the English ones.

DEATH...NZ

1967/30178
Smith: Emily Jane
Age: 80Y

Hi Flip,

you may be right? Emily is in the same grave....


Name: SMITH, EMILY JANE
Details: F: died 03-07-1967: aged 80
Place: Otahuhu
Location: Area B Lot No 147

Just checked local marriages, there's an marriage Q2/1916 reg Ulverston - so the right district if William was living with or near his family in Grange.

Marriages Jun 1916 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shaw Emily J Smith Ulverston 8e 1499
Smith William M Shaw Ulverston 8e 1499

I think Emily was born 1887, middle name Jane. I can't see a local birth for a William M Smith 1880-1900 so although this may not be right, I can't find any children born locally to this couple - so a possibility?

Hi Christine & Helen,

Sorry we had visitors - so couldn't get back to this last night.

I agree this certainly looks like him using Mawson as middle name so it fits - thank you both for this.. I'll check out that burial and come back to this if I find out he had a wife or children.

Thanks again

Hi Flip,

didn't find any marriage, but it may be worth getting in touch with the cemetery, to see if he is buried with any one?

if we have a name I can look for you....

Helen.

BURIAL....


Name: SMITH, WILLIAM MAUSON
Details M: died 15-09-1948: aged 58
Place: Otahuhu
Location: Area B Lot No 147

http://www.aucklandcitylibraries.com

DEATH....NZ

1948/30532

Smith: William Mawson

Age: 58Y

Sorry it was Mawson not Mawsen as I wrote so the name does fit.

found a william mawsen smith on the NZ electoral roll 1928 District Thames Region Waikato hes a railway employee, 1935 District Hauraki Region Aukland, Farmer.1946 District Otahuhu Region Aukland ,labourer.As you probably know the mothers maiden name was used as a middle name years ago even if he took on his fathers name some used to still keep their mothers maiden name as a middle name ,does that make sense?Its an unusual name so I think there is a connection dont you,? there are also addresses if you want them regards chris ps its quiet cup final thats why!!