My maternal grandfather, JOHN BAIN GARDNER, (b. 1881 Markinch), moved to the GUILFORD area c.1930 after his first wife (my grandmother) died. He was originally from East Wemyss in Fife Scotland, and worked for some time at a Golf Club in the Guilford area from all accounts. He married an ETHEL COOPER and they had no family.
JBG was an ex WW1 Royal Garrison Artillery soldier and was in convalescence in the Guilford area in a house given over for the treatment of wounded soldiers around 1917. He returned there and worked in the house which is where he met Ethel, and my mother left Scotland to work 'in service' as a young lass, returning in the late '30's to live back here in Wemyss.
He died before I was born in 1951 and I'd dearly love to find his final resting place. I only found out where my grandmother is buried at the beginning of the year and I'd like to tie up the loose ends of my life before it's too late.
I have a two week break in September and will happily travel south to have a look at the grave if I can find it.
Can anyone help me trace it?
JOHN BAIN GARDNER, buried GUILFORD area? .....
Moderator: Global Moderators
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Jake Drummond
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 11:00 pm
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MaryE
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 6:53 pm
Hi Jake
A Google search for Guildford cemeteries brought up the following address and phone number:
Guildford Crematorium and Cemeteries
New Pond Rd
Godlaming
GU7 3DB
01483 444711
I'm sure that if you were to ring them up they would either have the burial records there or would be able to tell you where you could access them. They would also be able to tell you about other possible burial grounds nearby.
It's possible he was buried in a churchyard in which case you might have to write to likely churches. A similar Google search ought to bring these up.
You could also do a yellow pages search - www.yell.com - for undertakers in Guildford and try phoning them to see if they have records for the period.
Mary
A Google search for Guildford cemeteries brought up the following address and phone number:
Guildford Crematorium and Cemeteries
New Pond Rd
Godlaming
GU7 3DB
01483 444711
I'm sure that if you were to ring them up they would either have the burial records there or would be able to tell you where you could access them. They would also be able to tell you about other possible burial grounds nearby.
It's possible he was buried in a churchyard in which case you might have to write to likely churches. A similar Google search ought to bring these up.
You could also do a yellow pages search - www.yell.com - for undertakers in Guildford and try phoning them to see if they have records for the period.
Mary
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Wee Ina
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:36 am
- Location: Devon UK
Hi Jake,
Do you have a death cert for JBG im only asking because i cant see a death for a JBG in Guilford for 1951 the closest i could see was in Southwark aged 69. Southwark is only about 30 or so miles from Guilford but it may make a difference in your search.
Also religion - say if he was staunch catholic that could narrow down your search also. Do you know what religion he was ??
Wee Ina
Do you have a death cert for JBG im only asking because i cant see a death for a JBG in Guilford for 1951 the closest i could see was in Southwark aged 69. Southwark is only about 30 or so miles from Guilford but it may make a difference in your search.
Also religion - say if he was staunch catholic that could narrow down your search also. Do you know what religion he was ??
Wee Ina
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sporran
- Posts: 496
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:40 pm
- Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK
Re: John Bain Gardner
Hello Jake,
the vagaries of English meant that Wee Ina interpreted your statement in a way different to me. I read it as meaning that you were born in 1951 and that JBG was already dead.
Working on that basis, but ignoring Gardener and Gardiner, there is only one likely candidate. John B. Gardner aged 62 died in the March quarter of 1943 with the reference being Surrey Mid. E.;2a 236. The Surrey Middle Eastern district is to the north-east of Guildford, with the nearest town in the district being Leatherhead, only 12 miles from Guildford. It is not my money, but it could be worth a £7 gamble to get the certificate. Unfortunately, English death certificates are poor, with no details of parents or spouse, unless she was informant, but the residence at death will help you in the search for his burial or cremation.
Regards,
John
the vagaries of English meant that Wee Ina interpreted your statement in a way different to me. I read it as meaning that you were born in 1951 and that JBG was already dead.
Working on that basis, but ignoring Gardener and Gardiner, there is only one likely candidate. John B. Gardner aged 62 died in the March quarter of 1943 with the reference being Surrey Mid. E.;2a 236. The Surrey Middle Eastern district is to the north-east of Guildford, with the nearest town in the district being Leatherhead, only 12 miles from Guildford. It is not my money, but it could be worth a £7 gamble to get the certificate. Unfortunately, English death certificates are poor, with no details of parents or spouse, unless she was informant, but the residence at death will help you in the search for his burial or cremation.
Regards,
John
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Jake Drummond
- Posts: 98
- Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 11:00 pm
Thanks all for your excellent input; especially you John, who correctly noted my mistaken diction!
I was born in 1951, and JBG died before I was born and I have no paperwork relating to his death. It looks as if John has found my grandfather though, as the 1943 death fits in with JBG's age at that time, and would explain why my older siblings never could recall any mention of thier/our grandfather.
If you would be so kind as to advise me where I can obtain the certificate John I'll gladly pay the fee required and chance my luck, as I'm pretty sure that you have traced him. Can I ask where you found the clue?
The 'Guilford area' was as near as I could trace his last known place of residence to. That was a clue from an older cousin who has vague memories of visiting his widow, Ethel Cooper, and I must assume that she too will be buried in the same area.
My trip south is now almost assured, and hopefully he was buried as opposed to creamated and his final resting place will have some mark.
I cannot thank you all enough.
Jake
I was born in 1951, and JBG died before I was born and I have no paperwork relating to his death. It looks as if John has found my grandfather though, as the 1943 death fits in with JBG's age at that time, and would explain why my older siblings never could recall any mention of thier/our grandfather.
If you would be so kind as to advise me where I can obtain the certificate John I'll gladly pay the fee required and chance my luck, as I'm pretty sure that you have traced him. Can I ask where you found the clue?
The 'Guilford area' was as near as I could trace his last known place of residence to. That was a clue from an older cousin who has vague memories of visiting his widow, Ethel Cooper, and I must assume that she too will be buried in the same area.
My trip south is now almost assured, and hopefully he was buried as opposed to creamated and his final resting place will have some mark.
I cannot thank you all enough.
Jake
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sporran
- Posts: 496
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 11:40 pm
- Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK
Re: death certificates
Hello Jake,
thanks for your kind words.
English and Welsh BMD indexes are on several sites, and fiches can be searched at Record Offices, some libraries, and the South Room in NRH. In my opinion, the best site for online searching is 1837online (pay site), but Ancestry is currently displaying BMDs free, albeit with some bizarre indexing. It is a matter of slogging through each quarter and writing down likely results.
Certificates can be obtained from the district where the death was recorded. They are usually by return of post (sae appreciated), the index reference is not needed (just full name and year), but tend to be typed or handwritten. Addresses of all offices are at http://www.fhsc.org.uk/genuki/reg , and following yours leads to the East Surrey office in Leatherhead.
A centralised service is run by the ONS at Southport, and the online starting point is http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/deaths . You will need to quote the GRO reference, quarter and year given in my earlier post. Payment can be by credit or debit card, and the record is normally a scan of the original entry. However, I believe that you will be charged £4 for effort if the record is not found, so double-check the reference.
Personally, I prefer to see the original entry, but local offices tend to be a lot more helpful than the central service, and often will search a few years either side of a given year to narrow down yours. For example, you could have an idea when John Smith married and there are several to choose from, but his father had a distinctive name.
Lastly, I am sometimes down in that area (father-in-law lives in Aldershot), so if you have a strong lead for a particular cemetery then let me know. No promises, but I may be able to help.
Regards,
John
thanks for your kind words.
English and Welsh BMD indexes are on several sites, and fiches can be searched at Record Offices, some libraries, and the South Room in NRH. In my opinion, the best site for online searching is 1837online (pay site), but Ancestry is currently displaying BMDs free, albeit with some bizarre indexing. It is a matter of slogging through each quarter and writing down likely results.
Certificates can be obtained from the district where the death was recorded. They are usually by return of post (sae appreciated), the index reference is not needed (just full name and year), but tend to be typed or handwritten. Addresses of all offices are at http://www.fhsc.org.uk/genuki/reg , and following yours leads to the East Surrey office in Leatherhead.
A centralised service is run by the ONS at Southport, and the online starting point is http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/deaths . You will need to quote the GRO reference, quarter and year given in my earlier post. Payment can be by credit or debit card, and the record is normally a scan of the original entry. However, I believe that you will be charged £4 for effort if the record is not found, so double-check the reference.
Personally, I prefer to see the original entry, but local offices tend to be a lot more helpful than the central service, and often will search a few years either side of a given year to narrow down yours. For example, you could have an idea when John Smith married and there are several to choose from, but his father had a distinctive name.
Lastly, I am sometimes down in that area (father-in-law lives in Aldershot), so if you have a strong lead for a particular cemetery then let me know. No promises, but I may be able to help.
Regards,
John
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Wee Ina
- Posts: 72
- Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2006 1:36 am
- Location: Devon UK
John,
Certs can be obtained at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/deaths/ for the sum of £7 that includes UK p&p for a standard delivery. Priority service will cost you £23.
This i have found to be the best place to get English certificates.
They seem to be currently working at approx 10 days from online order to delivery.
Wee Ina
Certs can be obtained at http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/deaths/ for the sum of £7 that includes UK p&p for a standard delivery. Priority service will cost you £23.
This i have found to be the best place to get English certificates.
They seem to be currently working at approx 10 days from online order to delivery.
Wee Ina