RootsChat.Com

Research in Other Countries => Europe => Topic started by: BamptonHatherleigh on Saturday 25 November 23 11:18 GMT (UK)

Title: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Saturday 25 November 23 11:18 GMT (UK)
Hi,
I know my great Aunt Beatrice Kate Snell worked for the United Nations in Geneva from 1920 to 1939 and again briefly in 1942. Family legend is she was a translator, but UN records says short hand typist but she was working for promotion and I dont know what she did in 1942.
I have her living with her sister in 1948 in Stroud Green London so know she was still alive then... and at that time in the UK.
 
Beatrice Kate Snell b 1887 St Pancras London
Parents William Henry Snell born Bampton Devon 1855 & Alice Palmer nee Davey b1856 London.

The family also had German connections ( Ulm)  who went to live in Argentina in 1920 ( I dont believe she went there but stranger things have happened).

I just have an idea she may have moved abroad... maybe back to Switzerland. Absolutely no evidence to support that!
So any help any of you can offer to help me through my brick wall?
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
Post by: rosie99 on Saturday 25 November 23 11:37 GMT (UK)
Probate index has a Beatrice Kate Snell dying 28 Aug 1962 probate in 1963, have you discounted that one

Ignore that one she was married to William Edward Snell
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Saturday 25 November 23 12:42 GMT (UK)
Probate index has a Beatrice Kate Snell dying 28 Aug 1962 probate in 1963, have you discounted that one

Ignore that one she was married to William Edward Snell

yes, sadly its unbelievable how many people have that on their ancestry tree as her death!
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
Post by: Erato on Saturday 25 November 23 12:55 GMT (UK)
"worked for the United Nations in Geneva from 1920 to 1939 and again briefly in 1942"

The United Nations was founded in 1945.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for UN Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Saturday 25 November 23 13:03 GMT (UK)
"worked for the United Nations in Geneva from 1920 to 1939 and again briefly in 1942"

The United Nations was founded in 1945.
Apologies for the inaccuracy, it was of course the League of Nations prior to 1945, the United Nations have supplied me with information from her file.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: pb_devon on Sunday 26 November 23 08:06 GMT (UK)
If she did move to Switzerland then she would have had to register with the local authorities. These registers are held at Canton archives, So I suggest you write/email Geneva Archives https://ge.ch/archives/# (email address on the right). They will undoubtedly deal with an enquiry in English.
Her time with the League of Nations will of course be as a diplomat, then if she did return, it would be as an ordinary person. I say this as there might be different registration systems. They will know.
If nothing there, then start widening your search to Canton Vaud next door. However Geneva is almost surrounded by France, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: pb_devon on Sunday 26 November 23 08:35 GMT (UK)
The 100 year rule may apply, so you might have to proove the family connection to get anything.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: pb_devon on Sunday 26 November 23 13:02 GMT (UK)
I’ve done a very basic search on some online Swiss newspapers websites without obvious success.  You may wish to try a more in depth search.

http://www.bcu-lausanne.ch/livres-articles-video-audio/archives_presse/
https://doc.rero.ch/search?cc=PRESS&ln=fr
https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?l=en


Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Sunday 26 November 23 17:15 GMT (UK)
I’ve done a very basic search on some online Swiss newspapers websites without obvious success.  You may wish to try a more in depth search.

http://www.bcu-lausanne.ch/livres-articles-video-audio/archives_presse/
https://doc.rero.ch/search?cc=PRESS&ln=fr
https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?l=en
Thank you I will give it a try… though my German is rather limited.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Sunday 26 November 23 17:36 GMT (UK)
The 100 year rule may apply, so you might have to proove the family connection to get anything.

Thank you! That is a good idea. I hope there isn’t a 100 year rule! I know a very little about Swiss Cantons and registrations but wasn’t sure if it applied then.
Im already ahead of myself! Its only guesswork /gut feeling that she was not in the UK. The now UN records office was clear that she was shorthand typist, but on her career path for promotion I do not think she ever achieved diplomatic status.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: wilcoxon on Sunday 26 November 23 17:46 GMT (UK)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Switzerland_Civil_Registration

It may be difficult.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: pb_devon on Monday 27 November 23 08:21 GMT (UK)
https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Switzerland_Civil_Registration

It may be difficult.

….but still worth a try 😁

I would still ask Geneva archives if they can find anything. I’ve had success with a similar enquiry in Lausanne, who tracked down a relative in their residents registers, though it was in the 1910s. All conducted in English!

There are other lines of enquiry. This Swiss genealogy forum has some very helpful members, and English language enquiries are readily dealt with. https://www.geneal-forum.com/phpbb/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=48
Joining instructions are in English.


Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Monday 27 November 23 08:57 GMT (UK)
Thank you so much for this glimmer of hope.
Seeing your name... this branch of my family originated in Devon.. Chulmleigh then Hatherleigh then Bampton. ;) :)
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: pb_devon on Monday 27 November 23 13:37 GMT (UK)
I’ve done a very basic search on some online Swiss newspapers websites without obvious success.  You may wish to try a more in depth search.

http://www.bcu-lausanne.ch/livres-articles-video-audio/archives_presse/
https://doc.rero.ch/search?cc=PRESS&ln=fr
https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?l=en
Thank you I will give it a try… though my German is rather limited.

Geneva is in the French speaking part of Switzerland. All Swiss websites have multi-language options (German, French, Italian, plus a goodly number with English as well), so look for a language option usually top right of the home page.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Monday 27 November 23 14:29 GMT (UK)
Thank you, hopefully I will turn something up.
Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: pb_devon on Monday 27 November 23 21:09 GMT (UK)
Good luck….and let us know how you get on.

Title: Re: Tracing missing Great Aunt, once worked for League of Nations Geneva,
Post by: BamptonHatherleigh on Monday 27 November 23 21:37 GMT (UK)
Thank you, all of you, this is an amazing resource.