Thomas Gillan/Gillen

[Wee Ann]

After much searching for my great grandmother's (above named)brother and his journey to Australia, I have found an Able Seaman on the Afton, who would fit the description.
The ship left Glasgow and arrived in Sydney on the 12th November 1877. On board was Thomas Gillen AB aged 26.
I know (from much esteemed help from people on this forum)that he passed away in Sydney in 1914, but cannot find anything between these dates that refers to him, or if he ever brought his wife and family out here.
Would anyone be able to give me a hint as to finding out further information on him?
Many thanks in anticipation
Wee Ann

[trish1]

Hi WeeAnn

Have you bought/considered buying a copy of his death certificate (or a transcript of same which is cheaper). Anything known about him at the time of his death would be included. NSW death certificates at that time include details of

parents
marriage
children
burial details

I assume this is the death registration
9700/1914 GILLAN THOMAS HUGH JANE SYDNEY

given that the informant knew the parent names, the remaining information should be available.

Transcription agents - about $AU15 - 7 pounds - for the transcript, sent by email, usually quicker than a certificate. At least one has online credit card payment - I use LaurieTurtle, but I don't think he has online credit card payments(I buy so many he has my details on file!!)
http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory ... ptionAgent

Trish

Edit: Sorry I just noticed you are in Australia - you probably know about the transcription service

[Currie]

Hello Wee Ann,

I had a good look around for him in NSW but couldn’t see anything useful. He may have been one of those many people who lived many years of their life without leaving so much as a ripple of a paper trail.

But when he died the records he generated then may contain clues as to his previous life. If you know the date of death from a death certificate or if you can get to a library or an LDS Centre where his death date may appear on a NSW Probate fiche you could check the Sydney Morning Herald microfilm to see if there is any useful information in a death and/or funeral notice etc.

If you cannot go down that track you could wait until next year when the Sydney Morning Herald Archives 1831-1954 is due to come online free for all. Death and funeral notices can often be very useful but make sure to check for both of them, often published a day or so apart. http://www.nla.gov.au/ndp/index.html

Hope this helps,
Alan

[Wee Ann]

Thank you Trish and Alan for your swift and helpful replies!

I am indeed in Australia, but until recently, thought I was the first of my family to come here, so know little about searching for relatives here.

You did find the right entry for his death, and as you say, if someone was there who knew his details, then maybe they knew more than was contained in the short entry we found.

How does one choose a Transcription Agent?

Do I just click on your link and try one of the names?

Dare I hope?

Best regards

Ann

[Currie]

Hello Ann,

The only time I’ve needed a NSW certificate since the Transcription Services started I forgot all about them and paid the higher price. It looks like the other two agents accept a credit card but I haven’t dug deeply enough into the sites to see exactly how that works. A cousin of mine has been using Joy Murrin and I haven’t heard of any problems. Just click on the website address of the one you want to use and see how you go from there.

Alan

[trish1]

I'm sure whoever you choose will be fine. I orginally phoned Laurie & sorted payment & have had no complaints. I think they are all quicker than the certificate service. Laurie seems to take no longer than a week - depends when he goes to the registry - sometimes I have the transcript in a couple of days


If you are in Brisbane, once you have a date of death, the State library has the SMH on microfilm & also an index to NSW wills & NSW inquests.

Trish