Help finding Great Great Grandfathers Grave

Post by **Smudger** » 30 Aug 2010 21:42

Hello folks.

This is my first post on your site, so please be gentle with me!

I have a copy of my Great Great Grandfathers death Certificate. His name is Peter Humphray and he died on 26th Dec 1902 at the Borough Hospital, Bootle.

At the time of his death he was living at 29 Granville Road, Seaforth.
The death certificate Registration District is shown as West Derby.

He was originally from the Isle of Foula in the Shetlands and came to Liverpool with his wife to seek work as a mariner.

As I am pretty new to the addictive world of genealogy, could anybody advise me how I go about finding out where he was buried?

Many thanks in advance

Smudger

Post by **Hilary** » 30 Aug 2010 22:14

A possibility would be Bootle Cemetery. Their records are held at Thornton Crematorium their number will be on the Sefton website - just noticed you're in Formby so try the yellow pages. If the family was RC another possibility would be Ford. Crosby library holds a copy of their records on microfiche.

Hilary
Ed Officer

Post by **Smudger** » 30 Aug 2010 22:19

Hilary,

Many thanks for replying so quickly. I will certainly give them a call.

Best wishes

Dave

Post by **Katie** » 31 Aug 2010 10:06

Bootle Cemetery was not opened till 1913. He could be in St Mary's Bootle or one of the other cemeteries that Hilary has mentioned you could ring Liverpool direct on 0151 233 3000 and they may be able to assist you

Post by **Tina** » 31 Aug 2010 11:34

Hi
Do you know what religion they were?
Tks
Tina
Just to add in census they were listed as Humphrey which has been changed to Humphray, in Anc..1891 but not in 1901.
I've submitted a change to Anc##

Post by **Smudger** » 01 Sep 2010 22:30

Hello Katie & Tina,

Many thanks for taking the time out to assist me with this one. My Great Great Grandfather was christened Peter Umphray and was born in the Shetlands around 1850.

He started to use the surname Humphray rather than Umphray circa 1870, however this was sometimes transcribed as Humphrey.

As for religion I think he was C of E as he married Ann Halcrow (also from the Shetlands) on 28th April 1874 at St John the Baptist Church of England, Toxteth.

Apparently he came to Liverpool to seek work as a mariner and at his time of death was registered as a dock labourer.

As I said earlier, I'm quite new to this game and have been having difficulty locating his burial site.

Thank you both for the info, I will certainly follow it up.

best wishes

Dave

Post by **Smudger** » 02 Sep 2010 14:40

Hello Katie,

I followed your advice and contacted Liverpool Direct. They have advised me to write to Allerton Cemetery Lodge in the hope that they can assist me.

I'll keep you updated.

Thanks again,

Dave

Post by **Hilary** » 02 Sep 2010 16:31

You could ring them

Allerton Cemetery Lodge
192 Woolton Road
Liverpool
L19 5NF

Telephone
0151 233 3004

Email
cemeteriesandcrematoria@liverpool.gov.uk

Hilary
Ed Officer

Post by **Hilary** » 02 Sep 2010 16:40

Crosby library have copies of St Mary's Church Bootle registers. It might be worth checking to see if he was buried there.

Hilary
Ed Officer

Post by **Smudger** » 02 Sep 2010 19:16

Thanks Hilary,

That was the number I was given today when I phoned Liverpool Direct. When I rung they advised that I write in.

I'll try to get to Crosby Library either tomorrow or Monday as I have a few days off work.

Can I just say, that I have only been a member of this site for four days, and I have received more help and information than I could ever have hoped for in that time!

Many thanks, and I'll keep you posted.

Cheers

Dave

Post by **Hilary** » 02 Sep 2010 21:13

I'd give Crosby a ring first to check they have the dates you want. They have a lot of Bootle photographs which you may find interesting.

As you're in Formby you may be interested to know that there's a Southport group of the society you may like to come along to one of the meetings some time. Click on the logo and then on the main page go to groups and then Southport.

Hilary
Ed Officer

Post by **Smudger** » 02 Sep 2010 22:02

Hilary,

Once again, I really can't thank you enough for your assistance & advice.

As for the Southport Group, that sounds very interesting indeed. I'll certainly look into that.

Best wishes

Dave

Post by **Smudger** » 03 Sep 2010 13:57

Success!!

Well folks, my quest to find my Great Great Grandfathers grave was accomplished today. Armed with the information received from this site I paid a visit to Crosby Library, where I had the pleasure of meeting a very knowledgeable gentleman who assisted me immensely in finding the information I needed.

My Great Great Granddad was indeed buried in St Mary's Church, Derby Road, Bootle on 30th December 1902, and the ceremony was performed by the Rev William W Mason.

Sadly the church and graveyard no longer exist as the Luftwaffe put paid to that during the May blitz of 1941.

The churchyard was reconstructed as a garden during 1959 - 1960, but not before all of the details of the graves were recorded in a book which is held at Crosby Library.

I spent some time going through the book, but alas I could find no details of his gravestone. I think the reason for this is that they were probably too poor to afford one. On his death certificate his wife Ann signs with an X as she is unable to read or write, so was probably not working or was in low paid employment.

In April of 1973, the remains of 1138 souls were moved from St Mary's church, Bootle, and reinterred at Bootle Cemetery.

So, today I was able to visit the grave of my Great Great Grandfather, Peter Umphray at Bootle Cemetery, and to pay my respects to him in my own little way.

Whilst it was incredibly satisfying to finally achieve what I had set out to do, it was also tinged with some sadness. Sadness, because for some years now, I had harboured a romantic notion of finally discovering a somewhat neglected tombstone in the corner of a graveyard inscribed with Peter Umphray's name. A tombstone that I was to tidy up and care for, for years to come.
Instead, I have found he rests, in a mass grave with 1137 other people. Not quite what I had in mind I'm afraid.

Still, on a positive note, in what has only been five days since I joined this site, I have accomplished what I set out to achieve.

I really can't thank you all enough, for your advice and guidance, for without it I could never have achieved what I did in such a short time.

Thanks again to all concerned.

Smudger

Post by **MaryA** » 03 Sep 2010 14:00

Well that brought a tear to my eye, I'm so pleased that you have a great result.