Genealogy Chat

Thanks everyone for your kind suggestions. It has crossed my mind that the suicide could have been a "cover story" but my dad (who is still alive) remembers seeing a death cert when he was a boy. He wasn't particulary close to his father and was brought up by several different relatives on his father's side who are no longer living. They never talked about his mother, maybe because suicide was a taboo area in those days? and my father knows nothing about her or any of her relatives. Anyway I'll take up all your suggestions and hopefully I'll find some more info. Again, many thanks for all your help. xx

I don't mean to add to your difficulties but are you confident that she died then? Could it be that she left the family home for some reason and this was a cover story. Perhaps local papers of that area would have reported her death.

Hi Kate A suicide would possibly have been reported in the local paper. It's worth a call to Birmingham Record Office to check the copies they hold for the area. Regards Eileen

Hi Kate something i tried once was contacting hospital's in the area,they wont alway's give detail's of age and personal detail's but they did give me date and place and from that info you can normally get a cert. Shan

Hi Kate, I would suggest that you extend your search a bit further date-wise - it is always worth taking any info with a pinch of salt and searching an extra few years. Also have you actually seen your dad's birth cert to confirm his date of birth?? You could also have a look for their marriage just as a checkpoint. There should be a library in your area with the same info as 1837 online, only it will be on microfiche and is free to view. Maz. XX

Thanks Kathleen, I'll give it a try!

You could try just ringing Birmingham register office. Some of them are really good and will check a couple of quarters for you, others are not prepared to do this. Just depends who you get on the day. It's worth a phone call though.

Hi Sammy. Yes I did find a few Ensors and I have checked under Elisabeth, Lilian, still no luck. It seems really odd why I can't find it, especially as my dad remembers seeing it when he was small. Thanks anyway for your suggestion!

Did you find ANY Ensor deaths Kate? Maybe Lily was short for something or not even her christian name, a middle name maybe? Elizabeth's are very often called Lily Sam

My father's mother, Lily Ensor nee Thomas committed suicide when my father was around 6 months old. My dad's dob is 11/10/43 and was born in Birmingham. I have tried searching on the 1837online site and could not find anything for the last quarter of 1943 or any of 1944. My dad has never seen any wedding photos of his parents so I also searched under Thomas just in case they never married. My dad has no relatives that can be contacted for further info so I have reached a brick wall already. I am a complete novice so any suggestions would be gratefully received. My father vaguely remembers seeing her death certificate when he was a small boy so it must be out there somewhere!