Genealogy Chat

I would just like to say a big thank-you to all of you for your thoughts and ideas. Given me plenty to think about. I'm going to go back to Mum and try and find if there is something we've missed. Before she died she was in hospital, So I'm going to start by finding which one, to see what area it's in. It's just so frustrating. When I know Doris Ivy May Harnden was born 1907 in West Ham, Married in 1950 ( Hugh O Owen ) in Sodbury but died ???????........I've even tried looking at her picture and asking her for the answer !!!!!! Thanks again Estas

No birhs or deaths at all on the Wiltshire BMD

Esta Can you not remember where, the Chippenham area is big and takes in a lot of parishes. What you could do is go and look at the Elec rolls in Trowbridge (By the sea Road) sounds lovely doesn't it, they are in Alpherbetical order by Parish so if you gpt a couple of books then you will pick her up, you will then get her address. It may be worth a trip just to find this. Irene

If you know where she is buried then ask the cemetery for her details, she may have died outside and that should tell you. When looking in the church burials, they have where died its amazing how far they will be sent back to be buried with their families. When we were looking for my granddad's family we ask the cemetery for all the Simpkins buried in the Cemetery, we didn't realise how many of the family stayed around there and it really did help us link everyone as they gave the plot numbers as well. Even my granddad Uncle who married 4 times, found his 1st and 2nd wives buried together. How odd I hear you say, but it was over 10 years apart. He is buried with the 3rd and the 4th is on her own. If the Cemetery will not help then ask the local family History centre if they have the details of the burials. Irene

Hi Esta Is your mum not around to check with? If you know where the funeral took place, you could try asking the local cemetery if they can find it Beth :)

Hi Esta For almost a year I was looking for the death record of my grandad. He died in 1947 6 weeks before my Nan. They lived in Woolwich all their lives and she died there and I easily found her record. Couldn't understand why I couldn't find grandads. I went to the Local Council Offices who look after all the cemetery records. They told me that he actually died out of the Parish, in fact about 20 miles away in Sidcup. Bexley Council were very helpful, found me the record and sent the cert. The record had not been transcribed unfortunately. So it does happen. You never know, might be the same with your aunt. Doesn't help you find her I know but since you know where she was buried, worth asking the people who keep the cemetery records what they have. Good luck Jan :-)

Are you saying that your Nan later lived in Doris' house for a while? Is there any way of checking that address to narrow your search. Can anyone tell you this, or could you check old electoral lists? Don't forget that if she was in a hospital when she died, the death registration could be far from her home area.

You haven't given name or birth details, would you rather not, or do you want some help? I know you cannot find her, but another pair of eyes might Regards Sam

What a 'pain' Aunt Doris is being for me !! Thanks for your ideas but I'm sure of my details on this lady. I've been able to narrowed the time scale down as I actually remember her ( very slightly ). As my Mum took my Nan to Doris' funeral then my Grandad must have died, or he would hav gone. ( 1980 ). After doris died my Nan inherited most of her belongings including her house and I remember visisting Nan a couple of times. I'm pretty sure I was still at school ( 1985 ) and that's the 5 year time scale. I've actually checked right up to 2000 !! My only slight doubt is Chippenham but it would definatly have been Wiltshire. Esta x

Esta Jane may have the answer, when she says about the wrong surname. My father's Aunt Harriet was 'A Maiden Aunt' and my mother remembers visiting her in Sussex. Extended family who I've since made contact with near there, also remember her. It was a shock to all of us when we discovered that she had married in 1893. Her death was therefore found under her married name, so SOMEBODY had been told the truth.

Esta, A sticky one! Have you thought about her surname being the wrong one? Or maybe that she wasn't in Chippenham? Is there someone who remembers her, they might be able to steer you more accurately with dates/places. I usually find that mine popped off just outside of the time frame I have searched! Good luck, Regs Jane

Not sure what to do now and just need a bit of advice please. I know when my great aunt was born and I have her marriage cert but I can find no record of her death on the Civil Registration Index anywhere. I can narrow down the the possible date of her death to about a 5 year period and have checked the index way past this time scale, but nothing. She died in the Chippenham area ( Wiltshire ) would the records held locally be worth checking ?........Are people missed off the Civil Registration Index sometimes ?.......She died in the 1980's, which is quite recent, but finding her death seems to be harder than finding ones from 1880's !........LOL. Help Esta

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