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I was just reading a posting from a lady trying to help her father find his father a grenadier guard who he had never met, I was very impressed and touched on the help she has been receiving that it has prompt me to try and see if anyone would be kind enough to help me as I have been struggling with my puzzle for years, so hear goes...

Looking for Charles Wilson c1889 who is said to have come from the Bahamas and married Nellie Sparrow in Oldham, Lancs in 1920 at St Mathews Church in Chadderton, lived at 39 Garforth Street, Chadderton, Oldham. On the marriage cert. It states his father was Michael Sparrow who was deceased at the time marriage was registered and his occupation was a Master Mariner (bahamas presumably) Charles occupation was a ships fireman and was said to frequent Salford/Manchester docks. He is said to have worked in this country on the building of some local roads? Charles and Nellie had a daughter 1921 April Hilda and we believe Nellie lost her life in 1923 sometime after this Hilda was told that Charles had returned to his home country to find permanent work and was eventually advised he died at sea although no legal documentation was ever forwarded or belongings.

Any information from anyone would make me the happiest person in the world as this was my Great Grandfather and my Grandmother died trying to find him.

Many thanks

Joanne

poss nellies death?
a/m/j 1923 oldham. nellie a wilson vol 8d page 828

Hi Jen

Thanks that would be her, I dont suppose you can help in anyway with Charles????

Many thanks

Jo

sorry cant help with charles . someone on here will be able to point you in the right direction. good luck finding him..

Hi

Just checking - was his father Michael Wilson (rather than Sparrow?)?

May be worth contacting the Bahamas archives - details on this link: http://www.bahamasnationalarchives.bs/index.html

There is an email address so they may be able to suggest where your search could best be focussed.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Su

LOL, Captain Sparrow!

But getting back to your chap, I am assuming he is a Wilson?. A ships fireman was a stoker. You also say he worked on the roads in this country?

When was he back in this country? Is he on any census? On the cert for his marriage did he have a second name? Shame he wasnt a Sparrow, would cut down the possibilities.

I cant find anything on the seamans registers on National Archives docs online. You could try deaths at sea on find my past or familyrelatives.org - both pay to view. But it does make you wonder if that was a true story doesnt it? I mean he wouldnt travel back as a passenger to the West Indies, he would have worked his passage, probably as a stoker so youd think there would be some documentation or even insurance compensation. I wonder - not much good as transatlantic geog - would he appear on the shipping lists to USA?

Many thanks to you all for your information and guidance, sorry for the delay, I have been ill for the last few days therefore, not checking the computer.Jen wanted to say thanks for trying, Susan, yes he was definately a Wilson and Michael was his father. I will check out the link!
Heather - Thanks for the description of the fireman, I never knew that, always helps to know the true job description, I have checked census and he does appear, trouble is on his marriage cert. he states his address as my great grandmothers address therefore, not giving us any idea as to his original birth town, can only go off the information passed by my grandmother, would there be any trace due to him possibly being employed here especially as he would have been classed as alien registration?? - we did have a marriage photo but not to bore you with the details we lost a few members of the same family within 18 months and it has somehow got lost along the way (im truly gutted!!) I believe his father being a master mariner was of Captain rank so im told therefore would you know how to check this???Presumably in those days you would have to come from a good family to have that kind of qualification. I am trying to obtain information via find my past but also trying to cover close to home also, it frustrates me how someone can disappear like that, I am aware there were lots of skeletons in those days, but is my story due to the lack of information going to prove to difficult do you think???I suppose like anyone else, just a little speck of hope would raise my confidence!!! Many thanks for reading my waffle, lol and any help would be gratefully received.

Hi Joanne,

Im a little confused, you say he married Nellie Sparrow, but HIS father was Michael Sparrow.

I have found one Charles Augustus Wilson b 13/01/1886 in Barbados parents are William Wilson and Elizabeth West. This seems more feasible

Vanessa

Sorry vanessa must have got carried away his father was definately Michael Wilson, Charles married Nellie Sparrow at St Mathews Church Chadderton Oldham.

Joanne

His father was down as deceased at the time of his marriage 12.5.1920.