Genealogy Chat

The two daughters that I've posted baptisms for are on the 1911 census, which states that they'd had 3 children but only two living. This must be the little mite that died:

West Yorkshire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
Name: Ruby Byers
Birth Date: 20 Sep 1906
Parish: Rashcliffe
Baptism Date: 29 Sep 1906
Father's Name: Andrew James Byers - labourer
Mother's Name: Beatrice Gladys Byers

Living Victoria Road.


England & Wales, FreeBMD Death Index: 1837-1915
Name: Ruby Byers
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1906
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1906
Age at Death: 0
Registration district: Huddersfield
Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume: 9a
Page: 244

I think Hazel should definitely get Beatrice's death cert to see who informant was and if anything on marital status.

.. and another:

West Yorkshire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
Name: Gwendoline Byers
Birth Date: 12 May 1908
Parish: Marsden, St Bartholomew
Baptism Date: 18 Jul 1908
Father's Name: Andrew Byers
Mother's Name: Gladys Byers

Living 8 Hard End, Marsden

You might be right MC and heres us casting aspersions on poor Beatrice!


England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
Name: Beatrice G Byers
Birth Date: abt 1883
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1959
Age at Death: 76
Registration district: Huddersfield
Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume: 2b
Page: 646

Baptism of a daughter:

West Yorkshire, England, Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910
Name: Beatrice Myrtle Byers
Birth Date: 1 Jul
Parish: Marsden, St Bartholomew
Baptism Date: 29 Aug 1909
Father's Name: Andrew James Byers - a dyer
Mother's Name: Beatrice Gladys Byers

Living at Low Mount

I think that the 1921 marriage in NSW is a red herring. There was an Andrew Joseph Byers born in Victoria in 1895, I'm leaning towards that marriage being his.

The ER records I found are for an Andrew JOSEPH and Evelyn May Byers.

I think the tree owner on Ancestry may have accepted the marriage hint as a match without verifying.

Although the birth year is a little out, I think this death is worth checking:

England & Wales, Death Index: 1916-2006
Name: Andrew Byers
Birth Date: abt 1882
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1956
Age at Death: 74
Registration district: York
Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume: 2d
Page: 745

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>youre not fast enough to catch me :-D


Wondered if the mothers name might help find Andrews death


Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950
Name: Robert Howard Byers
Spouse Name: Annie Todd
Marriage Place: Victoria
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration Year: 1880
Registration Number: 4266

Aye maybe Gins - but I can still give a nasty bite so watch it!

Thats more teef than youve got MC ;-)

No Gins - can't find a death.

First enlistment:

British Army Service Records 1760-1915 Transcription

First name(s): Andrew James
Last name: BYERS
Calculated year of birth: 1886
Parish of birth: St Phillips
Town of birth: Sydney
County of birth: NSW

Age at attestation: 18 years 6 months
Attestation date: 6 May 1903
Attestation corps: King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
Attestation soldier number:
Discharge rank: Private
Discharge corps: King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry)
Discharge soldier number: 7371
The National Archives reference: WO97 / 4472 / 172

On attestation gave his occupation as "Seaman". Nok father Robert Howard of Little Arthur St, Sydney and two elder brothers Edward and Robert of same address.

He had 31 sound teeth and an anchor on his right forearm.

He was discharged 1905 as medically unfit, having served in Crete and Malta.

His conduct was described as indifferent. He had been tried and convicted twice for using insubordinate language.

Seems he was a bit of a lad!


Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922
Name: Evelyne M Mudie
Birth Date: 1903
Father's Name: Alexander C Mudie
Mother's Name: Mary
Birth Place: New South Wales
Registration Year: 1903
Registration Place: Bemboka, New South Wales
Registration Number: 19441

MC can you find a death for him??

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920
Name: Andrew Byers
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1886
Age at enlistment: 22
Birth Parish: Sydney
Birth County: Australia
Document Year: 1908
Regimental Number: 114
Regiment Name: Bn W Res Reg
Number of images: 8

Enlisted 2 June 1908, stating had previously served 3 years with Yorks Light Infantry.

Very little info on the records. He had a speech impediment.

Gives nok as his father Robert of 14 Little Walker Street, North Sydney, NSW.

Why didn't he give Beatrice as nok? - they were already married.

The signature is the same as on the 1906 marriage.

Oooh MC just spotted the occupation for the father!

Brilliant, it looks like the same Andrew then

Yeah, thats exactly what I was thinking or its a different Andrew :-S

Gins - if she had a child with another chap it would be registered as Byers I think?

His brother was also admitted to the Sobraon:

New South Wales, Australia, Entrance Books for the Vernon and the Sobraon, 1867-1911

Name: William Byers
Birth Year: 1887
Birth Place: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Date Received: 5 Oct 1899
Ship: Sobraon
Father's Name: Robt H Byers - A FIREMAN !!
Mother's Name: Annie Byers

He was habitually wandering and begging. His parents lived apart and had 11 children.

Well Beatrice was still having children when the Andrew Byers married in Oz


Births Sep 1911 (>99%)
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BYERS Sydney Hamer Huddersfield 9a 597


Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Births Sep 1914 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Byers Stuart W Hamer Huddersfield 9a 579

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Births Mar 1922 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Byers Violet M E Hamer Huddersfield 9a 445

This looks like the marriage for the couple on the 1911:

West Yorkshire, England, Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935

Name: Beatrice Gladys Harner, spinster of Victoria Road
Birth Year: abt 1882
Age: 24
Marriage or Bann Date: 16 Apr 1906
Parish: Rashcliffe, St Stephen and Primrose Hill, etc·
Father's Name: Charles Harner - mechanic
Spouse's Name: Andrew James Byers, age 26. Goods porter of Rashcliffe Hill.
Spouse's Father's Name: Robert Byers - Fireman

Witnesses: Charlotte Ann Broadbent and Frederick ?????

Well, the father's name fits .......

The Vernon and Sobraon were not sailing ships at that time, they were used as Industrial Schools for lads in trouble. More info here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/state-records-nsw/3682708463/

Having read the details in the entrance book he was being admitted to the Sobraon for correctional education.

It's unlikely that Andrew actually sailed anywhere at that time (well, not on those ships).