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Blimey ! I feel absolutely exhausted reading yours, maybe I don't have such a problem on my hands. Its amazing stuff though, I tell you what they were all up to all sorts in days gone by.

I know how it feels ... after nearly three years of looking, my Ernest is just about as elusive still. ;)

You can read all about him ...

http://genesreunited.co.uk/boards.asp?wci=thread&tk=976217

"Ernest Monck - Australia sojourn c 1885-1895"

And that's not the tenth of it. ;)

Yes thanks have sent for James' military file, hoping it will fill in the gaps, but thanks for the Gibraltar address, I will give that a try I have only just started this research about 1 month ago, but I am finding it very addictive, looks like you know what your doing. Its really just this Fred that is illusive!!

I completely forgot one of my usual lines of inquiry -- do you have James's WWI records?

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/archivianet/cef/001042-100.01-e.php

Search for surname Staniforth.

You can view his enrolment forms on line. He gives Annie's residence as Niagara Falls, New York. The form also lists his military service pre-WWI. You can order his complete record from the Archives.

Here's James Robert Staniforth's birth info:

10 October 1879
Gibraltar

taken from his Ontario death record, which I'll send you a copy of if you don't have it, if you PM me your email address.

Name of father: Fred Staniforth.
Birthplace of father: Don't know
Maiden name of mother: Annie -
Birthplace of mother: Don't know

Name of Informant: Mr. A.W. Kaye
Relationship: none
Address: Soldier's Aid Commission

Date of Death: May 1, 1925
Myocardial failure


Basically, you know all that, but in case you didn't have his precise date of birth, that should be it.

I'm in Ontario, but not near Hamilton. Curious how you ended up back in England!

I poked around at www.figis.org for Staniforths. There are some, but no way to tell what connection, if any. Their records are quite spotty, and I've forgotten what the other Indian records site someone posted here is ... you could inquire at the Records Office board maybe, if you want to take a look around.

Gibraltar?? Gimme a break! But google knows:

http://www.bmd-certificates.co.uk/gro.html

GIBRALTAR
Civil Status and Registration Office
Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages
Joshua Hassan House
3 Secretary's Lane
Gibraltar

Tel:00 350 51725
Fax:00 350 42706
Email: [email protected]
Website address: www.gibraltar.gov.gi


Don't know what details you'd have to have, but you could ask! Looks like the best avenue of inquiry.

any ideas how to get marriage and birth certificates from Gibraltar?

Hi, no I live in England, but I am so intrigued by James' life, but his father is very illusive, I wondered about Fred born in India too, but I haven't been able to find anything to make it more certain yet, so am keeping an open mind. Have lots of info on Annie and she is on Olive's Birth certificate (Olive is James' sister) Where are you in Canada ? James is buried in Hamilton Cemetary, Ontario

Hi Pamela -- you here in Canada?

Were Fred and Annie married in Gibraltar? Seems to be no record of a marriage in the GRO; I assume you got her name from a birth cert.

Olive does give his name as Frederick on her marriage record, in case that helps:


Name: Olive Staniforth
Birth Place: Chatham Eng
Age: 19
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1882
Father Name: Frederick Staniforth
Mother Name: Annie Dunstan
Spouse Name: Oscar Weaver
Spouse's Age: 24
Spouse Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Spouse Birth Place: On
Spouse Father Name: Henry Weaver
Spouse Mother Name: Mary Clark
Marriage Date: 6 Mar 1901
Marriage Place: Lincoln
Marriage County: Lincoln
Family History Library Microfilm: MS932_104


Annie Dunstan Staniforth's record in the 1911 Cen census gives a birthdate:

Name: Annie Staniforth
Gender: Female
Marital Status: Widowed
Age: 61
Birth Date: Apr 1850
Birthplace: England

and in 1891 she reports born in St Georges Barracks, Lincolnshire, but there doesn't seem to be a birth record to match. It does seem she may have been an army brat, though, so it's quite likely she and Fred married in Gibraltar, I'd guess. Sure can't find her in the 1851 census or any later, though.


You know who I like for the job, just on plain hunch?

In 1851:

Name: Frederick Staniforth
Age: 6
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Catharine - fundholder
Gender: Male
Where born: Calcutts

In 1861:

Name: Fred B Staniforth
Age: 16
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845
Relation: Pupil
Gender: Male
Where born: India

Civil Parish: Tormoham
Town: Torquay
County/Island: Devon
Country: England

Registration district: Newton Abbot
Sub-registration district: Torquay

Civil Parish: Walcot
Ecclesiastical parish: St Swithin
County/Island: Somerset
Country: England
Registration district: Bath
Sub-registration district: Lansdown


Likely born in India to a military father, and in the military himself by 1871. The boarding school in 1861 is operated by a clergyman taking private pupils, and appears to be in a very upscale neighbourhood.


That's my theory!

Fred was a Sapper in RE in 1884 when his daughter Olive was born in Gillingham, Kent
Married to Annie Dunstan - not sure when but in 1891 she was a widow on the Census
Sons William (1878 - ) and James Robert Staniforth (1879-1925) sent to Fegan childrens home in 1891 and sent to Canada to work on farms in 1892 Annie and Olive joined them in Canada in 1901

James Robert Staniforth was my grandfather he was born in Gibraltar (I am unable to find his birth cert.) but died when my mother was 18 months old in Canada.

So many Fred Staniforths and yet I can't find which he is, any help would be apprecuated,