Find Ancestors

Top tip - using the Genes Reunited community

Welcome to the Genes Reunited community boards!

  • The Genes Reunited community is made up of millions of people with similar interests. Discover your family history and make life long friends along the way.
  • You will find a close knit but welcoming group of keen genealogists all prepared to offer advice and help to new members.
  • And it's not all serious business. The boards are often a place to relax and be entertained by all kinds of subjects.
  • The Genes community will go out of their way to help you, so don’t be shy about asking for help.

Quick Search

Single word search

Icons

  • New posts
  • No new posts
  • Thread closed
  • Stickied, new posts
  • Stickied, no new posts

BMD India in 1940's

Page 0 + 1 of 2

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. »
ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 20 Mar 2015 10:51

I suffer from insomnia sometimes, so good to have something to distract me ;-)

jimarg45

jimarg45 Report 20 Mar 2015 10:49

Thank you so much Kucinta.

You have been up half the night doing this for me.
I am very grateful.

I have PM'd you showing how this fits with little I already knew.

Many thanks again

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 20 Mar 2015 02:42

Electoral register entries:

Name: Genevieve T Stephenson
Year: 1963
County or Borough: Willesden
Ward or Division/Constituency: Kilburn
Street address: 55 Stafford Road
Reference Number: MR/PER/C/1139

Leslie J Stephenson was also living there.

In 1965 they were both living at 6 Bridgewater Road

Name: Genevieve T Stephenson
Year: 1965
County or Borough: Wembley
Ward or Division/Constituency: Brent
Street address: 6 18'j
Reference Number: LCC/PER/B/3081

NO other Stephensons, but age of adulthood was 21 back then, so any offspring may still have been too young to vote.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 16:24

I've pmed a few 1940s Stephenson births in India (for privacy as they are hopefully still living), but as no mother's maiden name is recorded, and Stephenson is a common name, no way of knowing if any relate to a child or children of Genevieve and Leslie.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 15:04

Kenneth S Sheppard was heading to England with wife Kathleen, and three other Sheppards, Miss Kathleen aged 31, Mr Kenneth H. aged 20 and Miss Pamela H.aged 18, all from India:

Name: Mr Kenneth S Sheppard
Birth Date: abt 1891
Age: 56
Port of Departure: Sydney, Australia
Arrival Date: 26 Apr 1947
Port of Arrival: Southampton, England
Ports of Voyage: Bombay
Ship Name: Asturias
Search Ship Database: Search for the Asturias in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: Royal Mail Lines Ltd

They were heading to North Walk House Chulmleigh Devon.

Death?

Name: Kenneth Stuart Sheppard
Birth Date: 8 Nov 1890
Date of Registration: Mar 1980
Age at Death: 89
Registration district: Barnstaple
Inferred County: Devon
Volume: 21
Page: 0788

and wife Kathleen nee Marsh (see marriage record posted previously)

Name: Kathleen Agatha Sheppard
Birth Date: 6 Sep 1893
Date of Registration: Mar 1975
Age at Death: 81
Registration district: Barnstaple
Inferred County: Devon
Volume: 21
Page: 0896

Her birth/baptism in India:

First name(s) Kathleen Agatha
Last name Marsh
Baptism year 1893
Birth year 1893
Place Bangalore
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) Emma Jane
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) Charles George
Father's last name Marsh
Baptism date 24 Aug 1902
Birth date 06 Sep 1893
Archive reference N-2-92
Folio 136
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 14:55

Arthur Sheppard came to England, traveling with wife Florence M and a Margaret T Sheppard born 1922:

Name: Arthur Sheppard
Birth Date: 12 Feb 1883<<<<<<<<<<<<
Age: 72
Port of Departure: Sydney, Australia
Arrival Date: 10 Jul 1955
Port of Arrival: London, England
Ports of Voyage: Bombay
Ship Name: Strathaird
Search Ship Database: Search for the Strathaird in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: Peninsula and Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd
Official Number: 8211/01

They were heading for 350 Long Lane Bexley Heath Kent.

Arthur's death in England:

Name: Arthur Henry S Sheppard
Birth Date: 12 Feb 1883<<<<<<<<<<
Date of Registration: Dec 1969
Age at Death: 86
Registration district: Chelsea
Inferred County: London
Volume: 5a
Page: 1780

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 14:24

Another son of Jane and the elder Robert Stuart Sheppard, who therefore might be a potential father to Genevieve. Her baptism or marriage record should confirm her father's name. If you got the baptism record from the British Library, it MIGHT also have have her date of birth, to compare with that given on the Luton death posted previously.


Marriage:

Name: Kenneth Hubert Stuart Sheppard
Birth Date: 1890
Age: 24
Spouse's Name: Kathleen Marsh
Spouse's Birth Date: 1894
Spouse's Age: 20
Event Date: 27 Jun 1914
Event Place: Bangalore, Madras, India
Father's Name: Robert Stuart Sheppard
Spouse's Father's Name: Charles George Marsh

However as Robert Stuart Sheppard senior had a father named William Stuart Sheppard on his marriage record, the Stuart Sheppard connection might go further back, and Genevieve's father might turn out not to be any of these brothers, but maybe a cousin?

If you can confirm Genevieve's parentage and some siblings, you may be able to encompass their descendants in your search, to see if they have knowledge of Genevieve and any offspring she may have had.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 14:19

The two potential Stuart Sheppard fathers I've found so far, Robert and Arthur henry, are brothers, son of another Robert Stuart Sheppard and wife Jane.


First name(s) Robert Stuart
Last name Sheppard
Baptism year 1879
Birth year 1879
Place Vepery,St Mathias
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) Jane
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) Robert Stuart
Father's last name Sheppard
Baptism date 12 Feb 1879
Birth date 02 Jan 1879
Archive reference N-2-60
Folio 16
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms

Father 1st Asst High School.

First name(s) Arthur Henry Stuart
Last name Shepphard
Baptism year 1883
Birth year 1883
Place Bangalore
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) Jane
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) Robert L
Father's last name Shepphard
Baptism date 10 Mar 1883
Birth date 12 Feb 1883
Archive reference N-2-64
Folio 43
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records

Father an Inspector of Salt Revenue.

Marriage of the elder Robert Stuart Sheppard to Jane. he was already a widower at age 24, and a school master according to the image. Bride 'James' is actually Jane Lavina on the image:

First name(s) Robert Stuart
Last name Sheppard
Marriage year 1878
Marriage date 12 Feb 1878
Spouse's first name James Lavina
Spouse's last name Matcher
Place Trivandrum
Presidency Madras
Groom's age 24
Bride's age 19
Groom's father's first name William Stuart
Groom's father's last name Sheppard
Bride's father's first name Charles Archibald
Bride's father's last name Matcher
Catalogue description Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras, : 1698-1948
Archive reference N-2-59
Folio number 104
Entry number -
Record set British India Office marriages
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records

Jane and Robert also had other children.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 10:10

You said her husband was a British serviceman, on the offchance he was the Leslie Stephenson who came to the uk in 1943 as a Bevin's Boy but went back as a fitter in 1944, this may be his birth in India:

First name(s) Leslie Joseph
Last name Stephenson
Baptism year 1920
Birth year 1920
Place North Black Town,St Francis Xavier
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) -
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) -
Father's last name Stephenson
Baptism date 1920
Birth date 1920
Archive reference N-2-128
Folio 39
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain

I know he had no middle name on the marriage, but Genevieve did not have her second name of Theresa on the transcript either.

????

Name: Leslie Joseph Stephenson
Birth Date: 12 Apr 1920
Date of Registration: Jun 1978
Age at Death: 58
Registration district: Brent
Inferred County: Greater London
Volume: 11
Page: 0588

Apologies if this is a complete red herring.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:42

I have pmed some Stephenson, mother maiden name Sheppard births in the Luton area, but as it's getting very late/early, I haven't looked for other Stephenson/Sheppard marriages that might account for some or all of them.

Also, being post war, some women may be nee Sheppard, but have married their Stephenson groom as a widow, using their first husband's name, so the marriages may not be obvious, if they exist.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:33

Not sure if this is Genevieve's Leslie, he is the right age. he is with a batch of other young men described as Bevin Boys, many of whom have Indian names:

Name: Leslie Stephenson
Birth Date: abt 1920
Age: 23
Port of Departure: Bombay, India
Arrival Date: 25 Nov 1943
Port of Arrival: Glasgow, Scotland
Ports of Voyage: Suez
Ship Name: Nea Hellas
Search Ship Database: Search for the Nea Hellas in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: Anchor Line
Official Number: 146307

This may or may not be the same chap travelling back.If so, he is now a fitter. he and the other men have their UK address as Indian Trainees Hostel , The Peoples House, Letchworth, Herts.

Name: L J Stephenson
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Birth Date: abt 1920
Departure Date: 20 Jul 1944
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination Port: Shripad
Ship Name: Modasa
Search Ship Database: Search for the Modasa in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping line: B I S N Company, Limited
Official Number: 146272
Master: A Drummond

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:26

I'm afraid I haven't really helped with your original question about children. There are some Stephensons born in India, though records tend to peter out after Independence in 1947, but as no maiden names are given for the mother, hard to connect any with Genevieve.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:23

If you really want to identify Genevieve's parents, you need to see if the baptism register is in the India Office collection at the British library:

"We offer a remote ecclesiastical search service for enquirers who are unable to visit our reading room. The Ecclesiastical Returns (copy registers of births/baptisms, marriages and burials of European and Eurasian Christians in India, Burma and territories controlled from India) held in this collection are not complete. We estimate that 20-30% of the returns are missing. Therefore with any search conducted there is the possibility of failure. Certified copies, i.e.. an official copy with the seal of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, can also be provided. The fees for Ecclesiastical Searches and Certificates are as follows:
£36 per search for enquirers of EU countries (includes VAT)
£30 per search for enquirers of non-EU countries
£18 per certified copy"

http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/familyresearch.html#search

I think the info on the baptism I posted above can be reformatted asN/2/125/111
so you would only have to pay £18 for the cert copy, not for the search as well, but it might be best to ring the number on the form linked below, 0207 412 7642, or email at the address given on the form, to check that's ok, and ask any other questions you may have.

http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/ecclesiasticapplication2010.pdf

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:14

Too late for parents' details on transcript:

First name(s) Marie Therese Stuart
Last name Sheppard
Baptism year 1918
Birth year 1918
Place Royapuram,Mater Dolorosa
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) -
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) -
Father's last name Sheppard
Baptism date 1918
Birth date 1918
Archive reference N-2-125
Folio 290
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms
Collections from Great Britain

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:12

Another belonging to Florence and Arthur:

First name(s) Reginald Evelyn Stuart
Last name Sheppard
Baptism year 1909
Birth year 1909
Place North Black Town,St Francis Xavier
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) Florence Mildred
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) Arthur Stuart
Father's last name Sheppard
Baptism date 20 Nov 1909
Birth date 03 Nov 1909
Archive reference N-2-106
Folio 167
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:10

Oh dear, Stuart Sheppard, but with different parents, so can't be sure who Genevieve belongs to:

First name(s) Robert Stuart
Last name Sheppard
Baptism year 1911
Birth year 1911
Place Mylapore,San Thome
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) Grace Clara
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) Robert Stuart
Father's last name Sheppard
Baptism date 11 Jun 1911
Birth date 13 May 1911
Archive reference N-2-109
Folio 82A
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Births & baptisms

Father an Act Inspector Salt Dept.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:08

Another Stuart Sheppard?

First name(s) Joan Margaret Stuart
Last name Sheppard
Baptism year 1920
Birth year 1920
Place Bangalore,St Patrick
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) -
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) -
Father's last name Sheppard
Baptism date 1920
Birth date 1920
Archive reference N-2-127
Folio 52
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 02:06

Baptsim of Gerald Joseph Stuart was over 100 years ago, so parents are listed. Father was a telegrpher on the baptism register image.:

First name(s) Gerald Joseph Stuart
Last name Sheppard
Baptism year 1911
Birth year 1911
Place Mylapore,Mae de Deus
Presidency Madras
Mother's first name(s) Florence Mildred
Mother's last name -
Father's first name(s) Arthur Henry
Father's last name Sheppard
Baptism date 4 Nov 1911
Birth date 24 Oct 1911
Archive reference N-2-110
Folio 190
Page -
Catalogue descriptions Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras
Record set British India Office births & baptisms
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 01:52

Wondering if this might be a sibling?

First name(s) Marie Stuart<<<<<<<<<<<
Last name Sheppard<<<<<<<<<
Marriage year 1942
Marriage date 1942
Spouse's first name George Anthony
Spouse's last name Paulie
Place -
Presidency Madras
Groom's age 23
Bride's age 23
Groom's father's first name -
Groom's father's last name -
Bride's father's first name -
Bride's father's last name -
Catalogue description Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras, : 1698-1948
Archive reference N-2-170
Folio number 351
Entry number -
Record set British India Office marriages

and another possible?

First name(s) Gerald Joseph Stuart<<<<<<<<<<<<
Last name Sheppard<<<<<<<<<<<
Marriage year 1942
Marriage date 1942
Spouse's first name Mary Enid
Spouse's last name Welsh
Place Royapuram,Mater Dolorosa
Presidency Madras
Groom's age 30
Bride's age 31
Groom's father's first name -
Groom's father's last name -
Bride's father's first name -
Bride's father's last name -
Catalogue description Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras, : 1698-1948
Archive reference N-2-170
Folio number 280
Entry number -
Record set British India Office marriages

Purely speculative based on the 'Stuart'.

Kucinta

Kucinta Report 19 Mar 2015 01:50

Got it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was her.

Here's the marriage:

First name(s) Geneviere<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Last name Stuart Sheppard<<<<<<<<<<<
Marriage year 1943
Marriage date 1943
Spouse's first name Leslie<<<<<<<<<<<
Spouse's last name Stephenson<<<<<<<<<<<
Place Madras
Presidency Madras
Groom's age 23
Bride's age 24<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Groom's father's first name -
Groom's father's last name -
Bride's father's first name -
Bride's father's last name -
Catalogue description Parish register transcripts from the Presidency of Madras, : 1698-1948
Archive reference N-2-173
Folio number 397
Entry number -
Record set British India Office marriages
Category Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records
Subcategory Marriages & divorces