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Research in Other Countries => Australia => Topic started by: missbee on Tuesday 26 April 11 17:56 BST (UK)
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Hello!
I'm hoping someone may have some advice on how to start finding Thomas and Elizabeth Mckenzie in Australia.
He was born in 1885 in Tain, Scotland. He married Elizabeth Hall in 1919 in Scotland. In 1927 they travelled to Melbourne, Australia on the Largs Bay. Both aged 41, no children. And thats where I lose track of them!
My main problems being: I'm a beginner at this, lots of the records seem to be pre-1927, they both have common names and no middle names, as far as I can tell there are no children to track.
Any advice would be appreciated,
Thanks!
Belinda
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Hi
You presumably have their respective parents names from the 1919 marriage cert. This should help to narrow down any search for their deaths in Australia
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Hi,
Thanks for your quick response!
Yes, I have their parents names. His were John and Mary, hers were Henry and Mary. I have found a Thomas J Mckenzie died 1928 Newtown NSW, parents John and Mary. Not sure about the middle initial though, no middle name on birth or marriage certificates. And an Elizabeth Mckenzie died 1932 Gundagai NSW, parents Henry and Mary. Those are the only 2 I could find with the correct parents names, but there are some with no parents names.
Is it best to start by ordering those 2 certificates? I'm guessing there's no other way to narrow it down further.
Belinda
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Can I order them from England?
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You could try searching the newspapers for their death notices and see if family members match
(starting with those possible death dates to narrow it down)
http://trove.nla.gov.au/
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You can order the NSW death certificates online
http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au/familyHistory/familyHistory.htm
Somewhere on that site they give transcription services which are quicker and cheaper.
(Where are all the experts? I'm usually still processing the question when all the solutions start popping up. They must be sleeping off a hard Easter weekend)
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Hmm, unfortunately there are lots of people with those names. I think it less likely that they died in NSW if they were ticketed to Melbourne - however ??? (Each State keeps their own BMDs)
Electoral rolls - each of these has a Thomas Pearson and an Elizabeth Pearson at the same address. The rolls do not show relationships so they could be siblings or parent and child etc. occupations of the women are all home duties, I have included the occupation of the men
1931 at 70 Pearson St, West Brunswick, Victoria. Occupation; machinist
1936 at 171 Union St, Newtown NSW - he is a labourer, she a machinist
etc etc
This death looks a possible - is this his mother's name?
1970,
Thomas MCKENZIE
parents: John, Mary MUNRO
aged 85.
Place of death HUGH
Registered Victoria #11527.
I see a cremation which appears to match this:
http://www.deceasedsearch.com/index.php
At SPRINGVALE BOTANICAL CEMETERY
THOMAS MCKENZIE
Religion NONE
Date of Service 29/05/1970
Location Details BANKSIA, WALL NICHE SINGLE, WALL BJ NICHE 03
Sommeone may be able to do a newspaper look up to see if there is a death notice.
I could not find an appropriate death that matched Elizabeth.
Judith
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Searching slowly through the electoral rolls I did find in 1930
Thomas McKenzie in 175 Union St, labourer
Elizabeth Mcenzie in 175 Union St, machinist
Does this sound like them?
Now this is after 1928 but I guess that names stay on electoral rolls until explicitly removed.
regards,
Ros
(sorry I see Judith posted this while I was still typing)
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It may well be him -
The Sun, Friday 29 May, 1970 (Melbourne)
DEATHS
MCKENZIE - Thomas, passed peacefully away on his 85th birthday, beloved husband of the late Elizabeth, loved uncle of Andrew (dec) harry, Mary, Betty and Heather.
The only death entry I can see anything near to Elizabeth is this one:
1969
Elizabeth Middle MCKENZIE
Parents: John, Mary Hill ALLISON
Place of death: Fitz,
Registered Victoria #12241
looks like there may be transcription errors ::)
Judith
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Hi ros and judith!
Thanks for your replies, lots to think about!
I was obviously looking in totally the wrong places!
The 1970 death looks very promising. His mother was Mary Paterson Munro, and the age is correct.
I have no knowledge of the nieces and nephews, but I haven't researched her family, and was only tracking him in Australia while following up on a family rumour!
As for occupations, he had been an apprentice printer, a music hall artiste, and a storeman!. She was a cook at the time of their wedding.
Belinda
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And his birthday was 28th May!
Looks like you found him for me!
Thanks!
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Hi,
I was fascinated to find this string re. Thomas McKenzie following his 1919 marriage as I've been trying to discover what happened to him after that for many years. I believe he was in the army from approx. 1915 to 1919. Does this match with the information you have about him prior to his 1919 marriage?
Simon
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Hi!
Sorry for the late response, I somehow missed your post!
I don't have anything that I'm sure about on Thomas McKenzie between the 1901 census and his marriage in 1919. I have his passenger record for the journey to Melbourne, Australia on the Largs Bay on 10th May 1927, with Elizabeth. I am sure that it is his death record from Australia. On the record it states:
He was 85 years old at his death in 1970.
He was born in Ross, Scotland, to John McKenzie, Shoemaker, and Mary McKenzie(nee Munro).
He married Elizabeth Hall at the age of 28 in Glasgow, Scotland.
It also states that he was a widower at the time of his death, had no children, and had lived for 45 years in Victoria, Australia.
Have you found him in the 1911 Census?
Did you find his Military records?
Belinda
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Hi,
Not a problem! Thanks for getting back to me.
I haven't found him on the 1911 census, but I was able to locate his military record, which was the "missing link" that showed he was the same Thomas McKenzie who was my great-grandfather. We had always known that his "marriage" to my great-grandmother in 1913 was not a legally valid one and that he had not in fact been killed in the First World War as she claimed, but had survived. I had long suspected that he had gone on to marry Elizabeth Hall in 1919, but the military record provides the confirmation because it gives his address on demobilisation as the McLelland Street, Glasgow address that is listed on his marriage certificate to Elizabeth. His address on enlistment was the address in Newcastle-upon-Tyne at which my grandmother was born in 1915. His military record also refers to my grandmother as his daughter. On her birth certificate he is shown as the father and his occupation is given as "Music Hall Artiste". We will never know why his relationship with my great-grandmother came to an end or why he played no further part in my grandmother's life, but it was very interesting to find out what happened to him later, especially since I emigrated to Australia myself in 2005 and know Melbourne well!
How are you related to him? Are you descended from one of his siblings?
Simon
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My Great Grandfather was Alexander McKenzie, Thomas' brother. ( Or at least Alexander raised my Grandmother as his own, we're still debating a few legitimacy issues! - he's not named as the father on her birth certificate, although her 1st name was Alexandra and middle name McKenzie, and he never married or lived with her mother, he was married to someone else at the time. Nothing straight forward!)
Thomas' last address in Australia was in Huntingdale road, south oakleigh, maybe you know it?
I only knew he went to Australia after following up on a family story that "uncle" Thomas went to Australia and was never seen again!
Belinda