I've recently obtained the death cert of my mum's uncle from Australia (New South Wales). I had identified a possible marriage and death for him in the indexes previously but only just got around to obtaining the death certificate for him to confirm this. All my mum really remembered was that he went to Australia and had one son, which I have now confirmed. Part of me thinks i should leave any further searching as I have now traced the fate of my last missing great uncle. However, I am intrigued to know if there is anything I can do to trace the son? He is potentially still alive having been born c1931, so I'm not disclosing any names or details, particuarly as the family name is relatively uncommon. I have checked all the available BDM indexes, the Ryerson index, general web searches, immigration records, and found the relevant records, but nothing that would help with the son and his possible marriage/family. I also looked at the telephone directory but I'm not sure I'm ready to write speculative letters to evry possible link.
Is it possible to trace more recent BDM events in Australia or are these restricted? Any suggestions, even on how I could narrow down my telephone directory finds would be appreciated. As I said, I might stop now - as my mum is no longer alive, I don't have the same impetus to find a missing close relative. However, i still have that nagging doubt that maybe they would have some of the missing family photos...............
Lindsay
Australia advice
Moderator: Global Moderators
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trish1
- Posts: 1320
- Joined: Mon Dec 26, 2005 3:38 am
- Location: australia
Re: Australia advice
Hi Lindsay
BDMs in Australia are restricted - you would have seen online the limits within NSW (although the only change is that births are available on CD until 1918). If your man married it must have been post 1959 if not included in the index. As in Scotland the online NSW indexes get updated by 1 year at the beginning of each year. He may, of course had moved to another state - Most have more restrictive access to BDMs than NSW especially in relation to marriages/deaths - although Victoria has deaths to 1985 available.
Have you found the death of the Uncle's wife - burial/funeral notice may provide some additional information. Did she outlive her husband?
Your man born 1931 should be on the 1954 electoral roll at ancestry - which may give an idea as to which area to check for telephone records - later electoral rolls are available at libraries/archives in Australia but they are not name indexed - you need to know where the person was living.
If the name is relatively unusual, contacting people via the telephone list may quickly determine any available details. I'm not sure of your costs calling to Australia but for me to call UK it is relatively cheap and a few short phone calls may save waiting for mail contact for which a reply may never be received. Only thing I find when phoning, you have to be quick to explain who you are - otherwise the receiver thinks it is a spam call.
Apart from the uncle's death certificate - was the death listed in the Ryerson - do you have a copy of the newspaper death/funeral notice - these sometimes give locations for children and/or names of children's spouses and grandchildren. If he died outside of the Sydney area, there are local family history societies in many areas throughout NSW and most libraries (run by local councils) are quite responsive to enquiries.
There are many sites with burial/cremation information across NSW (and Australia). If you start with this one - you can search the localities of interest - although it is indexed by the name of the Cemetery, not always the town/location.
http://www.australiancemeteries.com/
This one has a name search across hundreds of cemeteries
http://austcemindex.com/cemeteries.php but does not include the main Sydney cemeteries, some of which have online data. The main Sydney memorial without online access is the Northern Surburbs crematorium - I live in hope for that one.
If you haven't browsed the online newspapers at the NLA, or the National archives for war service/immigration records these are the links
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home - The papers only go to 1955 but as your family name is not common - probably worth a search
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/record ... index.aspx
If it is likely that the son was in the services post WWII - there are nominal rolls for Korea, Vietnam at the War memorial
http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/n ... /index.asp
I believe the Sydney newspapers (SMH and Daily Telegraph) have columns where one can advertise for "missing" family
Trish
BDMs in Australia are restricted - you would have seen online the limits within NSW (although the only change is that births are available on CD until 1918). If your man married it must have been post 1959 if not included in the index. As in Scotland the online NSW indexes get updated by 1 year at the beginning of each year. He may, of course had moved to another state - Most have more restrictive access to BDMs than NSW especially in relation to marriages/deaths - although Victoria has deaths to 1985 available.
Have you found the death of the Uncle's wife - burial/funeral notice may provide some additional information. Did she outlive her husband?
Your man born 1931 should be on the 1954 electoral roll at ancestry - which may give an idea as to which area to check for telephone records - later electoral rolls are available at libraries/archives in Australia but they are not name indexed - you need to know where the person was living.
If the name is relatively unusual, contacting people via the telephone list may quickly determine any available details. I'm not sure of your costs calling to Australia but for me to call UK it is relatively cheap and a few short phone calls may save waiting for mail contact for which a reply may never be received. Only thing I find when phoning, you have to be quick to explain who you are - otherwise the receiver thinks it is a spam call.
Apart from the uncle's death certificate - was the death listed in the Ryerson - do you have a copy of the newspaper death/funeral notice - these sometimes give locations for children and/or names of children's spouses and grandchildren. If he died outside of the Sydney area, there are local family history societies in many areas throughout NSW and most libraries (run by local councils) are quite responsive to enquiries.
There are many sites with burial/cremation information across NSW (and Australia). If you start with this one - you can search the localities of interest - although it is indexed by the name of the Cemetery, not always the town/location.
http://www.australiancemeteries.com/
This one has a name search across hundreds of cemeteries
http://austcemindex.com/cemeteries.php but does not include the main Sydney cemeteries, some of which have online data. The main Sydney memorial without online access is the Northern Surburbs crematorium - I live in hope for that one.
If you haven't browsed the online newspapers at the NLA, or the National archives for war service/immigration records these are the links
http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/home - The papers only go to 1955 but as your family name is not common - probably worth a search
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/record ... index.aspx
If it is likely that the son was in the services post WWII - there are nominal rolls for Korea, Vietnam at the War memorial
http://www.awm.gov.au/research/people/n ... /index.asp
I believe the Sydney newspapers (SMH and Daily Telegraph) have columns where one can advertise for "missing" family
Trish
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Alan SHARP
- Posts: 612
- Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 9:41 pm
- Location: Waikato, New Zealand
Re: Australia advice
Greetings Lindsay,
from New Zealand.
There are many active Genealogy Society branches through out NZ and Australia. Most give over space in their publications to enquiries between members re interest in SURNAMES for a given time frame, and in the case of immigrants, the area from which they emigrated. This includes both the living and the dead. Some will publish a research interest from a non member, if you are prepared to give a return contact address or email, with your enquiry. There may, or may not, be a charge.
Remember most are keen to help reunite families, as they themselves have been helped along the way. What goes around, comes around.
Just a simple - My Gt Uncle Joe BLOGS ex Cathcart Lanarkshire, emigrated to NSW after WWII and contact was lost. Interested in renewing family contact - etc. Basic stuff.
Best of luck, all is not lost.
Alan SHARP.
PS Don't forget there are some very experienced Australian members, of this site, who may be able to help, through a direct private message, naming names - dates - places.
from New Zealand.
There are many active Genealogy Society branches through out NZ and Australia. Most give over space in their publications to enquiries between members re interest in SURNAMES for a given time frame, and in the case of immigrants, the area from which they emigrated. This includes both the living and the dead. Some will publish a research interest from a non member, if you are prepared to give a return contact address or email, with your enquiry. There may, or may not, be a charge.
Remember most are keen to help reunite families, as they themselves have been helped along the way. What goes around, comes around.
Just a simple - My Gt Uncle Joe BLOGS ex Cathcart Lanarkshire, emigrated to NSW after WWII and contact was lost. Interested in renewing family contact - etc. Basic stuff.
Best of luck, all is not lost.
Alan SHARP.
PS Don't forget there are some very experienced Australian members, of this site, who may be able to help, through a direct private message, naming names - dates - places.