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Ireland (Historical Counties) => Ireland => Antrim => Topic started by: McBiko on Thursday 21 March 13 12:14 GMT (UK)

Title: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Thursday 21 March 13 12:14 GMT (UK)
I have drawn a blank on searching for the death of my G Grandmother; Helena Graham and wondering if anyone has any ideas of how or where I should look. I have searched the death records on Ancestry, FindMyPast, Family Search, Roots Ancestry and the burial records for Belfast City Council; her husband is buried in Dundonald cemetery.

What I know is she was alive in 1929 age was 66 living at Birkenhead, England, and sometime May 1929 onwards, I was told she returned to Belfast.

Facts I know
Born Helena Lyske 1863 Edenderry, Co Armagh, Ireland
Married 1 Jun 1885 to Robert Graham, Co Armagh, Ireland, Robert Graham dies 1st March 1928 and is buried at Dundonald cemetery. His address on the death certificate in 1928 was 3 Coburg St.

Thanks

 
   
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: Elwyn Soutter on Thursday 21 March 13 12:36 GMT (UK)
Northern Ireland death records from 1.1.1922 onwards are not on-line anywhere. You need to contact GRONI, who keep them:

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/gro
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Thursday 21 March 13 12:49 GMT (UK)
Thanks, I presumed they were online.

Looked at GRONI, does anyone know how fexible they are? It says they will search 2 years either side of date specified which unfortunately I don't know.
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: maggieblue on Thursday 21 March 13 13:09 GMT (UK)
Thanks, I presumed they were online.

Looked at GRONI, does anyone know how fexible they are? It says they will search 2 years either side of date specified which unfortunately I don't know.

Hi

It states on their application form for certificates if it likely to be too time consuming they will not undertake the task  :(

GRONI are currently digitising their records and will be available at some point in '2013' online, pay to view.

Maggieblue
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Thursday 21 March 13 13:16 GMT (UK)
Thanks Maggieblue, I will wait until they are digitised as I reckon you are right about it being time consuming, I just don't have enough info to narrow it down.
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: Elwyn Soutter on Thursday 21 March 13 13:58 GMT (UK)
The digitized records won’t be on-line until October and then they will only cover deaths to 1963.

You could try ringing GRONI and sweet talking them into helping you. I have found the staff to be very helpful.

Helena Graham does not look to be a common name in NI. (I can only see 1 birth and 1 marriage in NI since 1845 in the civil indexes to 1922. I’d be surprised if there was more than one or two deaths with that name in their records). With a likely place of death, birth year c 1863 and death dates of say 1929 to 1959, it’s fairly easy for them to search for it. (I have used the public terminals there myself on many occasions in the past. You have to search in batches of 10 years. It would take about 45 seconds to do that complete search). Ask them if they can help you. If they find it, you can pay over the phone by credit or debit card.
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Thursday 21 March 13 14:54 GMT (UK)
Elwyn, thanks will have a try ringing GRONI and see if they can help  :)
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: Elwyn Soutter on Thursday 21 March 13 15:10 GMT (UK)
Let me know either way. If they can't help, I'll look for you next time I am in GRONI.
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: scotmum on Thursday 21 March 13 15:21 GMT (UK)
In case you haven't seen it before, a gravestone picture with the headstone recording the deaths of Robert and Helena's sons, can be viewed on post #19 at:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=153894
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Thursday 21 March 13 16:16 GMT (UK)
Let me know either way. If they can't help, I'll look for you next time I am in GRONI.

Thanks Elwyn for the offer, I phoned and they are going to do a search between 1929 - 1939 so see if anything turns up.

In case you haven't seen it before, a gravestone picture with the headstone recording the deaths of Robert and Helena's sons, can be viewed on post #19 at:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=153894

Brilliant! Thanks scotmum I had not seen that before... Fantastic :)
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: Elwyn Soutter on Wednesday 27 March 13 15:05 GMT (UK)
I was in GRONI today and noted that what looks to be the death you are after was registered in Lurgan. Date of death 25.10.1934 Helena Graham b 1863.
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Wednesday 27 March 13 15:25 GMT (UK)
Elwyn, thank you so much for taking the time to look up her death for me, my Mum told me that at about 1936 her two eldest sisters went over to Belfast to look for her, they didn't find her which now is clear why. 

I have not heard from GRONI yet but it means I am in the date they will search for.
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: Elwyn Soutter on Wednesday 27 March 13 15:38 GMT (UK)
In case they don't find it (though I am sure they will) the GRONI reference is D/1934/172/1021/52/403.
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Wednesday 27 March 13 15:48 GMT (UK)
Elwyn, thanks  :)
Title: Re: Looking for a death; surname Graham
Post by: McBiko on Sunday 07 April 13 11:58 BST (UK)
Death certificate arrived and is the correct one.

Does anyone know which cemetery she may be buried in? She died at Lurgan Infirmary 25 Oct 1934, and she was living at 21 Atkinson Avenue, Portadown, her religion on 1901 census is Methodist, it also looks like it was in 1911.