Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I've received some rather puzzling information from some newly discovered but never met relations. They have provided me with a rough draft of a family tree done by another relation with whom they have now lost touch. It is dated 1993 and hand written. On it is the following:-

Margaret Roberts born c. 1846 Died 1918 (Spanish Flu). Buried St.Peter Paul RC church, Waterloo.

As well as the above I also have been given a photocopy of a grave certificate paid for by Mr. Roberts. There is unfortunately no first name so it could have been any one of his three sons. The certificate cost him £2 - which I think is a bargain. It is a handsome document with a picture of the church and it is the S.S. Peter & Paul Church.It states it was "for the Right of Burial in the Family Grave numbered as above on the occasion of the interment of the late William Roberts."

Unfortunately there IS no grave number though there is a space for it. Nor is there a year. It has simply been omitted.

Now then, I have looked up the burial index for the church and luckily for me it has been transcribed. Margaret Roberts is there so I now know when she died Nov. 7, 1918 aged 75. This has obviously pleased me - not her death but the precise date. I'd searched for the death of a Margaret Roberts but there were so many after 1901......! It makes me think the 1993 researcher knew his stuff.

Now the sticky bit. I know her husband was William Matthew Roberts. I have him and his wife and family in all the censuses, their certificates so I don't need help there. From FreeBMD I have him dying in the March quarter of 1889 (not yet sent for the certificate but I will at some point....) When I looked at the transcription for his death I can find no William Roberts of the right age (he was born 23.8.1839 in Gt. Crosby).

What does the team think? Would there be a grave number? If not do I simply search the whole cemetery (that is when I can eventually get there sometime in the future)?

Sorry for the length of this but I thought you'd need the context.

Ken

Do you mean St Peter and St Paul RC church Little Crosby?

I should look the actual register to see if he has been left out. It's easy to do when transcribing.

The certficate you have as it has no doubt or grave number could belong to another family member called William Roberts.

Is there a gravestone and if so is William mentioned?

Education officer

Ed.Off.

To answer your questions.....

First of all I take your point that it could be a different William Roberts.

It IS as you have suggested St. Peter & Paul RC Church in Great Crosby even though I was using the EXACT words on the grave certificate bought by Mr. Roberts. There it IS written as being in Waterloo.

I don't actually know if there is a grave stone. I have only just obtained this material. I imagine there must be one because there is a transcript of Margaret's details which have been incised on it and perhaps her husband's?

Ken

Yes I've found the church now and I drive past it regularly but didn't know it's name. I suppose it could be described as Waterloo!

Have you tried Ford Cemetery for William? That is the big RC cemetery in the area.

Education Officer

Education Officer wrote:Have you tried Ford Cemetery for William? That is the big RC cemetery in the area.

That's definitely worth a thought and some of our members have found them very helpful, even by phone - 0151 522 1017

Thank you Mary and Ed.Off.

I'll ring them tomorrow and see what results. I'll report back. I have other enquiries looming too....

Ken