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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Durham => Topic started by: Swampduck on Tuesday 17 February 09 23:08 GMT (UK)

Title: Missing Grandad
Post by: Swampduck on Tuesday 17 February 09 23:08 GMT (UK)
Hi everyone,

My grandad George Robert Ayre was born in Stockton on Tees in July 1864. I have him on the 1871 and 1881 census', still living in Stockton, but then he disappears until 1905 when he married my grandma in New Wortley, Leeds.
My grandma was a widow when they married but he was described as a bachelor aged 40.  Even so, I have checked to see if he did in fact marry when he was younger - but found nothing.    He was an iron moulder by trade.

I've used various spellings, swapped his names around and searched the whole of England but still drawn a blank.   I've even tried looking at the local jail census but still nothing.  Where was he???   Can anyone help.. if so it would be greatly appreciated!!!

regards
Swampduck
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: CaroleW on Tuesday 17 February 09 23:33 GMT (UK)
The 1881 shows surname as AYRES - can you confirm correct spelling as your message shows Ayre
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: CaroleW on Tuesday 17 February 09 23:40 GMT (UK)
The incoming passenger list shows a George Ayres arriving Liverpool September 1904 from Philadelphia,  No birthyear shown occupation labourer.  No other Ayres on the same list
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: Swampduck on Tuesday 17 February 09 23:53 GMT (UK)
Hi Carole,

Usually it's spelt Ayre but sometimes an 's' is added. There are many variations -  I found George's mother's death under the name of Hares!  

That's interesting - I had wondered if maybe he had tried his luck abroad but no-one in the family has ever mentioned that.  Do know how I could find out if and when he did sail to America.

Many thanks for your help.

swampduck
 
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: CaroleW on Wednesday 18 February 09 00:09 GMT (UK)
Hi

Ancestors Onboard only starts from 1890 and their free index shows no trace and there is nothing on the Ellis Island website.  I don't have access to any other passenger lists
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: Swampduck on Wednesday 18 February 09 00:43 GMT (UK)

Thank you anyway CaroleW.

Could you tell me how and where do I get access to passenger lists and which would you suggest I try?  Sorry to be a nuisance but I've not searched in that direction before.

Swampduck
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: CaroleW on Wednesday 18 February 09 00:59 GMT (UK)
Hi

Unfortunately - neither have I apart from the Ellis Island website.

I think you have to have the Premier/Worldwide Ancestry membership but to be honest - I'm not really sure

www.findmypast.com have a register of passport applications covering the period 1851-1903

You could try posting a request on the Emigrants to USA board asking for a passenger list search and a 1900 census lookup
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: mim on Wednesday 18 February 09 08:18 GMT (UK)
Hi,

You can search entry into the US free on the following sites:

http://www.castlegarden.org/

http://www.ellisisland.org/

mim
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: Swampduck on Thursday 19 February 09 00:36 GMT (UK)

Carole + Mim,

Many thanks for these links - let's hope I can now find Grandad and fill in the missing 24 years!


swampduck.

Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: 2zpool on Saturday 21 February 09 19:00 GMT (UK)
I think this George Ayres returned to the US on the same ship when it left Liverpool.  He was English and lived in Pittsburgh most of the time on a trip for business.  In reentering the US gives that information.  I see him on several voyages back and forth.  There is some documentation for 1 Sept 1884 and indicates he is a US citizen now issued in Cleveland Ohio. Date of arrival 9 Oct 1904.  Also states he is single and an Enginer and deals in paper products. 

I don't know if this is your guy or not.

Janis
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: Swampduck on Saturday 21 February 09 21:40 GMT (UK)

Hi Janis - thank you for this information.  It does not sound like my grandad, although I never knew him - he died long before I was born, but at this stage I am ready to consider anything.  Can anyone suggest what else he could have been doing for 24 years? 

To miss one census is bad enough, but to miss two is a bit thoughtless of him!!

swampduck
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: mim on Sunday 22 February 09 10:33 GMT (UK)
Hi,

I know you mentioned that you had noticed variations on the surname and just wondered if this is a possibility for George in 1891?

4 Albert St Stockton RG12/4050 77 9

Mary Hutchinson head wid 71 bn Yks West Witton
Margaret Shotton dau wid 47 bn Yks West Witton
Christopher Ripley gd-son 27 Metal cleaner bn Stockton
George HAYES lodger 26 Metal cleaner bn Stockton 

mim

Census Information is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: Swampduck on Sunday 22 February 09 14:54 GMT (UK)


Hi Mim,

That's certainly interesting!  I've checked and cannot find a George Hayes born in Stockton (either Durham or Nth Yorkshire) in 1864.  In fact, according to Free BMD and the LDS sites, there were only two around that time - one in 1860 and one in 1869, neither of them being born in Stockton.

I'm almost certain that all his siblings had married by this time and I know his mother had died, so he may well have been living in lodgings.  I thought he might be somewhere with his father, Ralph, but drew a blank on that one.  Incidentally, his father disappeared after the 1871 census and I've only managed to find him when he died in c. 1893.

Thanks again mim, I'll see what more I can dig up on George Hayes.  If this is my grandad, I wonder what his name was in 1901?

swampduck

Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: mim on Sunday 22 February 09 15:18 GMT (UK)
Hi Swampduck,

Do you mind if I ask the name of the person your grandad married in 1905 in Leeds?

Perhaps he was already in the Leeds area in 1901?

mim
Title: Re: Missing Grandad
Post by: Swampduck on Wednesday 30 December 09 21:25 GMT (UK)

Hi Mim,

So sorry but I never saw this last reply to my original post - however I am still looking for my grandad!

In 1905 he married my grandma, a widow,  Charlotte Elizabeth Wharfe (nee Lonsdale).  She was born in Ripon but the family later moved to Thirsk - she was in domestic service when she was 14.   I wondered how they came to be in Leeds but later found that her brother in law lived there, Charles Wharfe, so maybe that was why Charlotte and her first husband moved there. The Wharfe's came up from Thetford in Norfolk.

swampduck