Islay Cousins

Post by **AnneM** » Fri May 12, 2006 5:37 pm

For as long as I can remember my mother has spoken with enthusiasm of holidays she spent on Islay as a child, staying with relatives. It must have been a very happy time for her.

Once I started researching family history I worked out who the Islay people were. They were relatives of her father's grandmother who raised him as his mother was unmarried.

Mum always wanted to know what became of one particular girl in the family called Katie. She seems to have been a particular friend. Having been to Islay and seen some gravestones, I had some idea of who the family were and the time before last I was in NRH I found Katie's BC. I could not however find a marriage or death for her. I did however find her father's DC and from that her brother's marriage and fairly recent death. I was delighted to see that the informant was his son who has a recognisable family name.

Finally I got around to checking whether he was at the same address as that given on the DC and plucked up the courage to write to him. Just a couple of days ago I got a reply from his mother, the sister in law of my mother's friend. It was a lovely letter. It turns out that the friend and one of her sisters moved to NZ in 1957 and that neither married. Sadly Katie died a couple of years ago but her older sister is still alive and she passed on her address for Mum to write to her. She also enclosed a photo of both sisters.

Though it was not a totally happy ending I'm really pleased I did this as my Mum now knows what became of her cousin/friend and I've made contact with another branch of the family.

The moral of the story is I think nothing ventured nothing gained and most people are really friendly and helpful. If in doubt go for it!

Anne

dstew · Post by **dstew** » Sat May 13, 2006 12:17 am

Anne,
Thankyou you have given me the courage to phone a second cousin once removed who i have had his phone no for a while now ,and not knowing his response have neglected to try . Thankyou Anne i will ring him tonight and will see what eventuates.
Dstew (Darren)

wini · Post by **wini** » Sat May 13, 2006 11:23 am

Darren

Go ahead and contact your cousin.

I have recently been in touch with a cousin I haven't heard of for 40 years, she was thrilled to hear from me as she and the rest of her family always wondered what had happened to me. Her Mother is still alive and they have been able to help me fill in quite a few gaps.

wini

Post by **joette** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:00 pm

Yes & hope you have such a warm reception as I got from my 2nd Cousin whom I had never met.
I found his name on Ancestry & being the impatient person that I am tracked down his phone number & gave him a call.
We haven't met yet but phone regularly& exchange data& we have tracked down another 2nd cousin in Canada!