help locating Grandfather

[trishabroszek]

have been trying to locate details of my grandfather for many years and wondered if anyone could help me?

The only document I have is his death certificate. He died on 2nd October 1950, aged 62, at 57 Shetland Road, Blackpool. My grandmother was present at the death. He was a lodger in this house, for unfortunately not under the electrol register.

It is very sad but my Grandmother did not put George Browne on my father's birth certificate because she was not married to him.

I'm clutching at straws, i was wondering if there was national insurance contribution or tax records that can be located because his occupation was a 'canvasser' although i'm not sure what that is. I was even thinking of a medical centre he would have been registered at to visit his doctor?

Hope to hear from anyone with some assistance.

Many thanks
Trisha

[simone]

Hi Trisha

Welcome to the boards

did grandad have any siblings do you know if he enlisted at any time what christian names did he give his children was he siad to have been born in Liverpool any little stories that could give clues

don't give details of anyone living though

as much info as you have can help the crew on here who are brill, but realise you may not have that much

Simone x

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I know it's not easy to make a start when you know so little, but I wonder if his date of birth was on the death certificate - generally speaking the informant is asked if they know it and it is entered. You could then ask the GRO to do a check for you to discover his birth certificate which would help enormously.

Am I right in assuming that he never married anybody? or perhaps he had been married to somebody else before the birth of your father?

His age was given as 62 in 1950, so looking at +/- 1 year around 1888
Edited to remove incorrect entries

Is there anybody still living who may have known him? could he have spoken with an accent?

[dickiesam]

Hello Trisha,
When and where was your father born and what name was he registered under? And, have to ask, but how do you know this George Browne is your g.father?

I see the 'crew' here have already asked lots of questions but you never know because a bit of a snippet of info could be that vital clue as to who George was.

Brian

[trishabroszek]

Thank you so much for your replies.

My grandfather was the 'supposed' father of my Dad. On my father's birth certificate, the father section has been left blank which is so frustrating.

My grandmother was never married. I am hoping that George Browne met my grandmother in Liverpool as that is where she and my father were both born and they didn't move around a lot in those days.

On my father's birth certificate it shows that my grandmother was living and working at 12 Montpelier Terrace, Liverpool. My father was born in Sefton General, Liverpool.

There is no date of birth on George Browne's death certificate which is not helpful It just gives the residential address (which was rented). His surname is more complicated by the fact that it states on the death certificate 'Browne' otherwise as 'Broom'. His occupation is stated as a canvasser (printing).

My father has said that he recalls seeing a photo of him in naval uniform but i'm not sure how true that is? He was a heavy smoker. He seems to think that he had lots of brothers but i'm also not sure if that is a true fact, things can be somewhat different when you're a child.

Before my Grandfather's death, they rented a room within a house of which i have the name of the landlady and i wondered whether i should pursue down the route of this lady because at one point, she wanted to adopt my father! Unfortunately, the landlady was registered for voting but my Grandfather wasn't so i was unable to find him under the electrol register.

Trisha

[MaryA]

Sorry I mistakenly used the wrong index - call it a blonde moment but maybe "senior" might be truer!

There is in fact one George Christian Browne born in the Liverpool area at about the right time. Q4 1888 Toxteth Park 8b 189

I know we mustn't jump to conclusions but perhaps you could file this census entry until later to see if we can find more clues to confirm him.

1891 95 Moses Street, Toxteth Park
George C Browne Head M 37 Dock Gateman (Harb) Norway
Sarah E Wife M 28 Liverpool
George C Son 2 "
Florence E daur 4 "
Thomas Browne Lodger S 23 Sailor (seas) Australia
Thomas Cottrell " " 21 Clark CC Liverpool
RG12; Piece: 2930; Folio 24; Page 41

[simone]

Hi

Have i missed ... but what was your grandmother's name

Simone x

[MaryA]

The family in Toxteth Park have moved to the Wirral by 1901

Thelwall Lane, Grappenhall, Cheshire
George C Brown Head M 46 Lock Master Ship Canal Norway (British Subject)
Sarah E Wife M 41 Leasowe Cheshire
George C Son 12 Liverpool Lancashire
Violet M daur 8 " "
RG13; Piece: 3332; Folio: 77; Page: 32.

I suppose it's far too early to have any clues as to whether he/they moved to Blackpool.

later on the father is with Sarah Ellen and Violet Marion in Runcorn, while there is a George Browne (with e) age 23, in the West Derby district of Liverpool.

[Hilary]

Just a few thoughts

To me the occupation canvasser implies someone moving around which would account possibly for him being in Blackpool.

Did your grandfather and grandmother live together or just visit? If they lived together does your father know of any other places they lived?

Then we have the bit about Browne and Broom he apparently was known by two different surnames.

Have you checked to see if he left a will?

Hilary
Ed Officer

[trishabroszek]

Hi

My Grandmother's name was called Mary Smith, born 12/2/1905.

Interesting about his occupation and as far as i know, my Grandfather had been living with my Grandmother for 14 years.

Their previous address at the time when my dad was born was 12 Montpelier Terrace, Liverpool and my father was born at Smithdown Hospital, Liverpool.

The landlady's name at my Grandfather's last address was called Mrs Beatrice Clark and her husband was called Thomas. They had 3 children, the eldest being Malcolm. I'm wondering if i could locate this family and perhaps they could have some information?



Hopefully this should help.

[MaryA]

It might be very difficult to trace the people at the last address after all this time, however, if you checked the electoral registers it might be possible at least for a while, then if one name vanished before the other it might indicate a death of one or the other of them.

You might also try the local newspapers with a "looking for" column and see if you get any response.

my Grandfather had been living with my Grandmother for 14 years.

Was this before his death or earlier? and did she live in Toxteth Park directly before this, meaning that your father was only 14 when his dad died?

Then we have the bit about Browne and Broom he apparently was known by two different surnames.

Have you checked to see if he left a will?

Any information about these two queries?

[dickiesam]

There's also the possibility of finding a report on his funeral in a 'local' newspaper. If there is one it usually gives the names the main people/relatives etc who attended.

Also, you have mentioned the possibility that he was already married when he and your g.mother came together. There are only 3 George C Browne marriages and only 1 George C Broom marriage between 1907 [when he would have been old enough to wed] and 1937. I think the all-ready-married scenario is quite likely given the high cost of divorce in those days. Do you happen to know if he was RC?

And, if you know where he is buried you should be able to find out which undertaker company arranged the funeral. If they are still in business they may still have records and might be able to throw light on the Browne/Broom names.

As Hilary has already asked, have you checked for a will?

Brian