Marriage Entries vs Marriage Certificates II

In 1848, George Wright PALMER married Mary Ann ALLEN in the parish church of Gillingham, Kent (St Mary Magdalene). George was a gunner in the Royal Navy and Mary was a carpenter's daughter. Here is the certified copy of their marriage entry ordered from the GRO (click on the images to see a larger version):

George Wright PALMER and Mary Ann ALLEN marriage certificate - 1848

The next image is of the marriage entry from the Gillingham Parish Church records:

George Wright PALMER and Mary Ann ALLEN marriage entry -1848

I am lucky enough to be able to view the parish records on the Medway Council's City Ark website. These images have been published as part of the 'Medway Ancestors' project, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. If you have ancestors in the Medway district - it's well worth a look.

Again, I now have my ancestor's signatures, as well as that of Mary Ann's father, William Henry ALLEN. Fortunately in this case, the certificate was an accurate copy of the actual marriage entry. You may however find otherwise. If family historians ever have the opportunity to check parish records, they should. One small transcription error can lead to years of frustration. The information gleaned from these have been known to break down 'brick walls' in the past.

And hey, even if the information is the same, at least you'll have your ancestors' signatures or marks.

Tombstone Tuesday - Broadhembury Stilings

Broadhembury Church

While in Devon I paid a visit to the lovely village of Broadhembury. I had hopes of finding the graves of my STILING forebears to give me some new leads - this wasn't to be. I did however, find the graves of some other Stilings. These Stilings are bound to be related somewhere along the line so I post these photos of their gravestones to help out distant family members who may be looking for these guys.

Affectionate Remembrance of

Thomas Stiling

Died Sep 18th 1848

Aged 38 years

[...] in death

ALSO Jane his wife

Died March 26 1875

Aged 75 years

Thy Will Be Done

ALSO John their son

Died November 27 1892

Aged 63 years

In Loving Memory

Of

William Stiling

Who died March 20 1865

Aged 43 years

*note* - These inscriptions were extremely difficult to read. Most of the last one was deciphered through touch and educated guesswork so may not be entirely accurate.

Member DISconnect

When I log on to ancestry.co.uk nowadays, it shows me 'Recent Member Connect Activity'. Amongst other things, this means I'm notified when people attach records to their trees that I have also attached to mine. I think that's actually quite a cool feature. I can now connect with people who are more likely to be family members .

The idea seems to be to make connections with possible family members, however I think it may have another useful purpose - identifying those who are NOT connected to your tree.

For example, I can see that one particular user has added two of my ALLEN census records to their own tree. One record is for William H Allen but this user has added it to a William G Allen in their tree. The same user has added an 1861 certificate to another person who I do not recognise as a member of this branch.

It is possible that this user has added these records to their tree in error - probably misreading the handwriting (Who hasn't done that?). With this feature, we can make contact quickly and establish whether a mistake has been made so the user does not have to waste any further time, money and energy.

I must confess that I've let my ancestry membership lapse so I can't actually check these tree 'connections'. They may very well be true connections or it is possible that I am the one who is incorrect. Nevertheless, I think it is extremely helpful to find out sooner rather than later that you are barking up 'the wrong tree'.

Wreford Death Notice 1902

While trawling through old newspapers online (loving Papers Past's new search features), I came upon the death of a George WREFORD in Auckland.

Otago Witness - 25 June 1902

George Wreford, aged 48 years, was found dead on the road at Penrose, Auckland.

He had been suffering from consumption.

On the day of his death (21 June 1902), the event was published almost identically in four newspapers of the time.

Mr. George Wreford, aged 48, was found dead on the road at Penrose this afternoon. He had been suffering from consumption (Evening Post [NZ], 21 June 1902).

The detail found in newspapers can be great and even this brief mention holds valuable information for the family historian - date of death, approximate year of birth, place of death and cause of death.

The Auckland City Libraries have this burial in the Otahuhu with the note, "buried 21 June 1902 Baptist, labourer, lived Onehunga, died Penrose 21 June 1902, 48 years, born Devonshire"

When I first came across this reference, I wasn't sure if this George WREFORD was part of my bunch. I knew it wasn't 'my' George WREFORD because of the age and dates given but I'm now quite sure this is my George's son who was born 1853 in Tiverton, Devonshire.

My reasoning:

• George and Harriet (and family) settled in Auckland and eventually died there
• Born 25 April 1853 means he would indeed be 48 in June 1902
• The cemetery records mention the deceased's birth place as Devonshire

I only have one source to contradict this but I believe this 'evidence' combined outweighs that source (to be discussed in another post).

I have decided to post the details of the other people published in the two casualty sections referenced here. Not only because I find the detail given in old papers fascinating but in the hope that it may help any descendants who stumble across this blog in the future.

Evening Post, 21 June 1902

ACCIDENTS and FATALITIES

AUCKLAND, 20th June Mr. R. Hellaby, of the well-known firm of R. and W.Hellaby, Limited, wholesale butchers, died suddenly today.

CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. An elderly man named John Roberts was found dead in his chair at a boardinghouse last evening.

Otago Witness, 25 June 1902

CASUALTIES.

Mr Hesson, of Alexandra, had the misfortune to lose a valuable horse and trap on Thursday last. While driving near the bridge at Alexandra the horses became unmanageable, and backed over ih& bank. Mr Hesson, fortunately, managed to unhitch the leader, which was saved. The other horse and trap went into the river, and were never seen again.

A young man named Daniel Berry dislocated his shoulder on Wednesday while loading a lorry in Cumberland street. He was treated at the Hospital, and afterwards was taken home.

The Western Star report that Horace Church (53), a rabbiter living at Wild Bush, is supposed to have been drowned in the Pourakino or Aparima Estuary on Sunday. He left home at 3 p.m. to go to Riverton by boat, his intention baing to attend church in the evening. Since then he has not been seen, while the boat was found on the flats, whither it had drifted. The missing man was subject to fits, and the supposition is that he may havo been seized with one and fallen into the river. Of course he may have gone somewhere, and the boat may have broken adrift. The missing man has a wife and three children.

On Saturday, 14th inst., a visitor from Kaipara, named Grey, was drowned while taking a bath at Kamo Springs, near Wliangarei. Deceased was recovering from an attack of pleurisy and congestion of the lungs, and was in a weak state. Deceased was secretary of the Kaipara Agricultural Soeiety.

A little girl named Queenie Ellison, six years of age, living in Athol place, was received at the Hospital on Friday morning suffering from severe burns about the face, caused by her clothes taking fire while her mother was attending to the washing. She is getting on satisfactorily.

George Wreford, aged 48 years, was found dead on the road at Penrose, Auckland. He had been suffering from consumption.

Mrs Eliza Hunsley, a middle-aged woman, died suddenly on the Papanui road whilst waiting for a tram. She had been suffering from heart disease.

The body of Hugh McPherson was found in the Matukituki River on Sunday night, 35th. McPherson, who was a runholder, was last seen driving a dray and two horses along the road, which follows the river bank. The dray was found on Monday night upside down, and covering the body of deceased. Death was apparently due to an accident.

Annie Griffiths, a widow, aged 65 years, was found dead in her dwelling in Wellington on Wednesday. The cause of death was failure of the heart, accelerated by exposure and alcoholism.

Thomas Dryden, supposed to be from Dunedin, who attempted to commit suicide at Invercargill on Sunday, died on Tuesday evening, 17th. from the injuries inflicted.

A very serious and painful accident befell William Bishop the engineer of the Champion dredge at Beaumont on Friday. Bishop was oiling the screen bearings, and while in a stooping position his coat was caught by the machinery. His cries at once attracted attention, but before the engine could be stopped his arm. together with all the large muscles and adhering flesh of his neck, breast, and shoulders, was torn away from his body. Dr Nowell was telephoned for, and he informs the Tuapeka Times that tliere is little hope of the unfortunate man's recovery.

Later news says: — Bishop died on Sunday. Bishop was oiling the screen bearings, and while in a stooping position his coat was caught in the machinery. His cries at once attracted attention, but before the engine could be stopped his arm. together with all the large muscles and adhering flesh of his neck, breast, and shoulders was torn away from the body. Dr Newell did everything possible for the unfortunate man, but from the first his case was considered hopeless.

Frederick Irwin, master of the scow Hawk, was very badly crushed between two logs, and died at Auckland on Saturday.

John Roberts, an elderly man, was found dead in his chair at a boarding-house in Christchurch on Friday evening.

Wimberley, secretary of the Hot Lakes Steam Navigation Company, was found drowned in Rotorua Lake on Sunday morning.

KILLED ON THE ANDERSON'S BAY ROAD.

A lad, 14 years of age, named James Bruton, whose parents reside at St. Kilda, met with so serious an accident on the Anderson's Bay road on Saturday afternoon that he died from his injuries about two hours afterwards at the Hospital. He was in the employ of Mr Thomas Lunn, farmer, of Anderson's Bay, aud was left in charge of a horse and trap, used for carting vegetables, outside the Bay View Hotel, Mr Lunn in the meantime going round to the back of the hotel with vegetables. The boy was told to take the horse to a drinking-trough in front of the hotel, to give the animal a drink, and it would seem that the animal took fright at something, and bolted in the direction of town. Mr Lunn was informed of the occurrence, and on going along the Anderson's Bay road a short distance he found the lad lying on the road, apparently badly injured. An express happened to be passing at the time, and in this Bruton was taken to tbe Hospital, where he expired ehortly after admission, the immediate cause of death being a fracture of the base of the skull. The only eye-witness of the accident was Mr Thomas Smith, butcher, of South Dunedin, who states that he saw tbe boy Bruton standing on the off-side of the horse and trap, on the road, in front of the Bay View Hotel, about I o'clock. The horse started off in tho direction of town, and then turned. As it was turning, Bruton attempted to get on to the step, and in doing so he slipped and got hold of the shaft. He held on for some time, till the horse broke into a gallop, when he lost his hold, and fell between the wheels, one of which struck him on the head.

Marriage Entries VS Marriage Certificates

I have been writing a lot about my WREFORDs lately, particularly with regard to George WREFORD and his bankruptcy woes. However, his wife would have also been sharing these worries with him. Also missing from the 1861 census, perhaps she had travelled to Exeter for his court hearing.

In 1845, Harriotte STILING married George WREFORD in Cove Chapel (in the Pitt quarter of the parish of Tiverton). Both lived in Tiverton at the time and both of their fathers were farmers. I know this (and their father's names) because of the information recorded on their marriage certifcate.

This is a copy of their marriage ordered from the General Register Office (my first ever certificate ordered):

George WREFORD and Harriet STILING marriage certificate - 1845

A lot of people assume that the signatures on these certificates are those of their ancestors when first starting in genealogy. However, this is only a 'Certified Copy of an Entry of Marriage' (as stated on top of the document). Someone (with authority) has basically just copied the information into another book.

This is the actual entry for their marriage in the Cove Chapel parish registers:

George WREFORD and Harriet STILING Marriage Entry - 1845

There is no difference in the information given except I now have the actual signatures of George WREFORD, Harriotte STILING and her father John STILING!

A Philip CHAVE was also witness to the marriage - he may be a relative, close friend or just someone there on the day.

You may think, why bother?
Well, sometimes the information can differ from the copy but I have to admit, it gives me a little thrill to see the actual signatures. In the absence of photographs or other memorabilia, it can be as close as you may get to 'touching' your ancestor. I can imagine having access to the actual parish register book they would have written in would be even more thrilling. It may be sad but I'm sure other family historians out there know what I'm talking about.

NOTE: I remember reading somewhere that an X (or mark) as a signature didn't always mean the person was illiterate. Sometimes women especially would use an X so as not to show up their new husband.

I like to visit places which played parts in my ancestors' lives so we drove up to Cove through very narrow, winding hillside roads. I believe this photo is of Cove Chapel. It is fenced off with a PRIVATE sign right next to someone's home so we stuck around long enough just to get this photo. I have been unable to find much information on Cove Chapel so if I'm incorrect, please let me know.

Cove Chapel, Tiverton parish as it was August 2009

Black Sheep Sunday

Hobart Town from the New Town Road by J.S. Prout (1844)

via NotoriousStrumpets.com.au

Carrying on from last week's Black Sheep Sunday post. I have managed to have find some more snippets of information of my Black Sheep duo - George WHITE and Elizabeth ALLEN.

World Vital Records offered free records until the 18th (tomorrow) so I took them up on their offer. I must say, I do find the site a bit of confusing. Searches for records of specific places (such as UK, Australia and New Zealand) tend to also include the American records in the results. This may be something an experienced user can combat but for me, time is of the essence!

Tucked away in the Hobart Town Gazette of 1844 were 2 references for each of my beloved convicts.

Hobart Town Gazette - 8 March 1844

Elizabeth Allen, Margaret, to Zachary Pocock, Hobart

Hobart Town Gazette - 16 August 1844

George White, George III., from J. & R. Meikle, Murray-street,

to Thomas Allcock, Hobart Town.

Hobart Town Gazette - 12 November 1844

George White, George the Third, by Thomas Allcock, Liverpool-street,

2 months, 21st ditto [October]

Hobart Town Gazette - 8 October 1844

Elizabeth Allen, Margaret, by George Lewis, Restdown, 1 month, from 10th ditto [September].

These snippets refer to whose private service they entered as a passholder.

From 1840 convicts usually served an initial period of "probation" in government work gangs, before becoming "passholders" who competed in the labour market. In the context of high unemployment, this meant that thousands of serving convicts joined ticket-of-leave holders and emancipists to roam the island in search of work. The sight of these workers, who by necessity or choice often lived rough in the bush, horrified and frightened the free settlers... (Source: Van Diemen's Land by James Boyce - found via Google Books).

Next steps:

• Search for other issues of the Hobart Town Gazette
• Research the employers listed for some background information

Curious George

I have returned from my holiday/family history mission in Devon. While there, I located the homes and farms of my ancestors, visited their churches and in some cases burial grounds and generally got a feel for the layout of the places they lived.

I also got to spend some time in the West Country Studies Library in Exeter - 4 and a half hours worth of time to be precise! I looked through parish records to firm up some sources and dates and browsed through some microfiche of the Exeter Flying Post to get a bit more detail.

I'll be posting my findings over the next few days to help me collect all my information and thoughts. To start, I think I'll flesh out the story of my bankrupt ancestor George WREFORD.

Exeter Prison (August 2009)

George may have been an inmate here in 1861

Last month, I discovered my 3rd great grandfather, George, was not found in the 1861 census partly because he was in jail for bankruptcy. You can read the story so far in my post Ancestor Found (almost).

Unfortunately, I have still not been able to locate him on the 1861 census. After eventually finding Exeter Gaol in the census records, I also found the prisoners were listed by initials only. 'A-ha!' I thought, 'That explains why I couldn't find him through a name search' - but I couldn't find any prisoner with the initials G.W. Not to be deterred, I then combed the entire list of prisoners by their age and birthplace looking for suitable or even approximate matches but I have still not found George WREFORD.

I am aware there was a debtor's prison in Cowick Street but I learned on the Exeter Memories site that "the last prisoners were moved to the County Gaol in January 1855 and the facility was closed" - 5 years before George was held.

But I did find some nuggets of information in the Exeter Flying Post.

Exeter Flying Post - 10 April 1861

Another reference to his upcoming hearing at the county court at first seemed identical to the notice in the London Gazette EXCEPT, it claims he was a journeyman baker in Chulmleigh - this may be another lead or a Victorian typo. (The London Gazette referred to him as 'Journey-man Butcher', which is more likely).

More importantly, upon rereading, I noticed that it mentioned George was "to be holden at the Castle of Exeter". This could explain why he was not in the County Gaol on the 1861 census! Census night was 7 April 1861 - this excerpt was from the 10 April 1861 edition of the newspaper.

The next 'clipping' concluded what must have been a very difficult time in my ancestor's life.

The insolvent was supported by Mr. Laidman, and, being unopposed, he was declared entitled to the benefit of the act, and ordered to be discharged.

I am aware that the laws surrounding bankruptcy changed in 1861 but if anyone can explain simply to me what the change was, I would love to know. I would also like to know what being supported by someone meant. I have a feeling, old George was quite lucky to have his case heard in this particular year.

Exeter Flying Post - 24 April 1861

Next steps:

• Search the 1861 census for 'the castle' and its inmates
• Find a simple explanation for the Bankruptcy Act

Black Sheep Sunday

Some more details of two of my family's black sheep:

I first mentioned George White and Elizabeth Allen in my post, Woman of my Conviction. Both were transported to Tasmania, Australia (then known as Van Diemen's Land) for their respective crimes in the early 19th century.

Convicts in Tasmania were not allowed to marry each other or a 'free' person without approval. I discovered that the Archives Office of Tasmania has a free record service for records not available online and requested a copy of the original page with George and Elizabeth's Convict Application to Marry.

George White & Elizabeth Allen - Convict Application to Marry

The entry gives their names, and the ships they arrived on - George the 3rd and Margaret. It tells me the application was sent on the 22 March 1845 and was approved.

George White & Elizabeth Allen - Marriage Record

The pair were subsequently married the next month on the 28th of April. Nothing is mentioned about their convict status and I wonder how long they had to answer to the authorities.

From Peterhead to Grave

Northern Cemtery Dunedin via Flickr

Sometimes as genealogists we have to wait years for answers.
Waiting for the required records to become available.
Waiting for the chance to visit somewhere that may hold the key. Waiting for some kind of miracle.

But by some extraordinary stroke of luck, I didn't have to wait long at all (or do much work) to find the answers to the puzzles I listed on my Emigrating to New Zealand post.

As I searched for more information on the Rimutaka (there were a few ships with this name), I came across The Northern Cemetery site. This site, I'm told on the home page, "brings together information from many different research sources to offer you a unique view of one of New Zealand's most interesting cemeteries". On this site I found excerpts from the book "From Peterhead to Passchendaele" written by Roy Buchan, who also turns out to be one of my distant relatives.

It also contains the following transcribed monumental inscription for some members of this family buried in the Northern Cemetery, Dunedin:

Monumental Inscription

(1)
In memory of

CHARLES BUCHAN

1830 - 1910

and Wife

JANET BUCHAN

1830 - 1915

JESSIE RITCHIE BUCHAN

1888 - 1908
JOHN BUCHAN

1858 - 1926

and Wife
JESSIE BUCHAN

1860 - 1910
Arrived in NZ on ship Rimutaka, 1893

from Peterhead, Scotland

and lie buried here.

(2)
In loving memory of
ROSEMARY ANN BUCHAN

Died 5th June 1988

Aged 41 years.

(3)
In loving memory of

ANNIE ROSS BUCHAN

Dearly loved wife of ROBERT

And loved mother of

LORELEI, ROBIN and ROSEMARY

Died 22nd March 1972.

Also ROBERT BUCHAN

Died 4th January 1995

Aged 90 years.
"Keep a green bough in your heart,

And God will send you a singing bird."

(4)
In loving memory of

Henry J.D. SCRYMGEOUR

Dearly loved husband of LORELEI

Loved father of ROSS, MURRAY & ALISTAIR

17-11-1926 - 6-1-1999

(5)
CHRISTINA BUCHAN

1894 - 1978

The information I found on this site allowed me to answer the questions I had on my Emigrating to New Zealand post :

* Which Jessie and John are recorded above Alex's family and how do they link to my family?

Jessie is Alex's sister and John Buchan is her husband - I would now like to find out if John's family were closely connected to Jessie's.

*What happened to Alex's sister Jessie (is she the Jessie mentioned above) and brother Charles?

Jessie also travelled to New Zealand on the Rimutaka (see answer above). It appears Charles stayed in Scotland:

"Four of their children were: Peter (1858), Jessie (1860), Alexander (1862), and
William (1872). These sailed with their parents to New Zealand, but there is
thought to be at least one other who stayed behind".

* Which Jessie Buchan is buried in the family grave with Charles and Jessie (born Janet RITCHIE)?

"Their daughter Jessie died at the age of twenty in 1908 of meningitis and is buried in the same plot with her mother, who died two years later in 1910".

* Who is Master John? I've had no record of this person so far - is he Charles and Jessie's son?

He is John & Jessie's son, apparently just tagging along with his grandparents.

I also now have more family members to fit into the tree.

NOTE: I did find an error in this information, which should be a warning to all of us NOT to accept all that we're given without question. It appears the author confused Janet/Jessie Buchan (1833) with her daughter Jessie Buchan (1860) when he writes that her maiden name was also Buchan. I have much evidence to prove that her maiden surname was RITCHIE.

Thank you to all the people involved in sharing the information I found on The Northern Cemetery site - it is VERY much appreciated.

Image on left: "From the Road to the Northern Cemetery" by George O'Brien found on Auckland Art Gallery

R.I.P. Rose

On Thursday night at 9pm, my husband's grandmother Rose died.

I only knew her for a few years but would have liked to have known her more. She had a great sense of humour and many stories to tell.

Although she was 83 and having some health problems lately, it came as a surprise to us. Mainly because she never really complained about how she was. My husband joked that they probably asked her how she was at 5 to 9 and she would have replied, 'I'm fine'.


Goodbye Rose - you'll be missed.

Rose Ebbans (nee WHEELEY) on right.

Rest In Peace

26 Mar 1926 - 6 Aug 2009

Murder Most Foul

While combing New Zealand newspapers for mentions of my ancestors on the magnificent Papers Past site, I came across a terrible tragedy. I can't help but think that this is somebody's family history waiting to be discovered.

In what seems to be the typical journalistic style of its time, the descriptions are quite graphic.

3 December 1896 - Star

SHOCKING TRAGEDY.
A MANIAC MURDERS HIS WIFE.
[Per Press Association.]
WELLINGTON, Dec. 2.
A shocking tragedy happened at Pangatotara, near Motueka, last Saturday night. John Grooby, who, a fortnight ago, was released from the Nelson asylum on probation at the request of his wife and sons, who undertook to take care of him, about halfpast five o'clock on Saturday evening took an axe used for cutting firewood, and attacked his wife.
Mrs Grooby was, at the time, in the act of drawing bread from an oven. She apparently held up the bread tin to ward off the blows, as the tin was found cut right through.
The unfortunate woman was apparently then forced to the ground, and as she lay there helpless the maniac knelt down and with the axe completed his murderous deed. The whole of the front and sides of the head were cut and beaten into a
fearful and unrecognisable mass. After finishing the deed Grooby washed his
hands and face, laid the axe beside the house and walked to and fro beside the
body. He told one of his sons that he committed the act with a tomahawk, and he
subsequently said that the devil did it.
Grooby's sister, who was close by, heard screams and rushing in saw her brother chopping at his wife's head. She spoke to him but he did not reply, and she then sent for help. The murderer was subsequently arrested by the police, and at the inquest a verdict of wilful murder was returned against him. Grooby has since been brought before the Magistrate's Court, and stands remanded. The family is well known in the
district.

The next source mentions how Grooby was remanded so that the family, who were witnesses to the event, could attend the funeral that afternoon.

Apparently, mental health issues ran in the family. John Grooby's sister, who is mentioned only by her husband's name is recorded in the same edition of the Colonist (2 December 1896):

"Mrs Joseph Graves, who was formerly committed to the Lunatic Asylum, but was released some two or three years ago, has again exhibited strong symptoms of insanity. It is rumored that she left her home on Monday night, and was wandering about the whole night".

John Grooby and his sister ended up in the asylum together. The whole affair is indeed "a most sad one".

Emigrating to New Zealand

R.M.S Rimutaka

via NZ Shipping Company Association

Going through the cemetery records yesterday inspired me to look further into my family's immigration. The Dunedin Cemetery Records often include the (original) nationality of the deceased as well as how many years they had been in New Zealand.

My Buchan family immigrated to New Zealand from Scotland in the late 19th century. For years, I'd only had a scrap of paper with family names scrawled on it, said to be from the ship my family sailed on - the Rimutaka (1893). The scrap was given to me by my grandmother, who had been given it by someone else. Although I believed the information to be accurate, any good genealogist knows the original source should be consulted. Luckily findmypast.com has made outgoing UK passenger lists between 1890 - 1960 available online. Although, not the same as the feel and smell of using the actual records themselves, it's certainly a lot better than transcriptions (these are available too).

Shipping Schedule of the Rimutaka 1893

Despite having this information for my great grandfather Charles (and his parents and siblings), I wasn't sure how his grandfather, also Charles Buchan, made it over to New Zealand.



Charles Buchan was born in a small fishing village in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1830. I have used the census to trace Charles through his life. A fisherman, and sometimes ship carpenter, Charles and his family were last seen in the 1891 census in Peterhead, Aberdeen but I knew he died in New Zealand. A search on findmypast.com discovered him on the same ship as his son and grandchildren!

Buchan, Mr Chas; Mrs Jessie; Mr Peter; Mr William; Master John

The first and last pages of the document were provided for free which fortunately contained my 5 year old great grandfather Charles with his parents and siblings!

Buchan, Mr Alex; Mrs Agnes; Master Chas; Master Alex; Master James

So, in 1893 Charles Buchan (Sr) moved with his wife, children and grandchildren to New Zealand.

I now have a few new puzzles to solve:

• Which Jessie and John are recorded above Alex's family and how do they link to my family?
• What happened to Alex's sister Jessie (is she the Jessie mentioned above) and brother Charles?
• Which Jessie Buchan is buried in the family grave with Charles and Jessie (born Janet RITCHIE).
• Who is Master John? I've had no record of this person so far - is he Charles and Jessie's son?

Dunedin Cemetery Records Online

image via flicker

I have just spent a fascinating day researching.

The same distant relative I mentioned in my last post, had sent me digital copy of a cemetery record print out (to tie up some loose ends). At the bottom, I noticed the source was a website and a previously locked door was opened!

The Dunedin City Council website has an online search facility of the city's cemeteries. The results are more detailed than I'd expect - death date, burial date but also last address of the deceased and sometimes occupations. It also links to others buried in the same plot. This in particular has enabled me to discover people and links to other people, I wouldn't otherwise have connected.

I don't know how long this has been available for but I am so pleased I have finally discovered it. I know have some more pieces to help fit this puzzle together.

Tombstone Tuesday

Alexander Ritchie Buchan

Born August 9th 1862

Died December 2nd 1896

Aged 34 years

Agnes Buchan [nee Findlay]

Born August 18th 1866

Died November 25th 1939

Aged 73 years

TO MEMORY - EVER DEAR

(Port Chalmers Cemetery, Dunedin, New Zealand)

I received this photo (via email) only a few days ago from a distant relative.
I look forward to working with her on my BUCHAN branch.