Mystery of Great Grandfather Mc Laven

[Tees]

Hi Ragna,

There was a Mclay family in Battlesea area (at 69 Tenneyson St) in 1881!!

One daughter has three forenames just like your Stanley--HOWEVER, this family were headed by two different parents.

Still searching...back to Fred Mclay--noticed that he was working in Westmister area---wondering if there is his family living nearby??

Kind regards,

Tees

[Rian]

Hi Ragna
Would it be worth writing to the managemnet of the national club to see if they have staff records (just in case it is your Sydney/Fred who was working there in 1891)?
Here's a link to the wikipaedia entry
http://www.answers.com/topic/national-liberal-club
Rian.

[Ragna]

Hi there again  .

I can sit today and go through the indexes for births for 64/65/66/67. What excites me about Fred Mclay is that I can find no birth for him and he is not on any other Census which makes me conclude that its a transcription error. Im unsure about the others although there is always a possibilty.

I will get in contact with with the club, what excites me about this is that my Mum mentioned a while ago that he worked one time at a Gentlemens Club..Is this it Hope they will more helpful than Claridges who never even bothered getting back to me.

Keep fingers crossed that my other relatives get in contact as they have some vital imformation. Can Just imagine it now...."oh yeah we have his birth certificate lol" AGGHHRRR.

The very helpful woman at the Metropolitan yesterday said it might pay me to go in there and check through the parish registers for Births Baptisms in the Marylebone area.

Still awaiting for their phone call back
Still awaiting for the irish link to email me back

Thank you 

Will keep you informed.
Ragna 

[Christopher]

Hi Ragna,

Claridges was founded in 1812 as the 'Mivart's', the hotel became 'Claridge's' in 1854 when William and Marianne Claridge acquired the hotel. Source: The Best Afternoon Teas in London
© 2001-2007 Elegant-Lifestyle Ltd.

I wonder who founded the hotel and what's the story of it being sold to the Claridge family. Could your Great Grandfather Mc Laven have been related to the original founders of the hotel or even to the Claridge family? Maybe his family lost their wealth and the well to do members didn't want to know them. The reference to the ownership of Claridges on his medical records is strange as I feel that the doctors would have verified the facts. If they didn't I feel that your Great Grandfather must have been reasonably well known for that type of information to be entered on to his records.

I've linked the McLAVEN's in Ireland thread to this one.

Hi Ragna
Have you seen this one in the 1891 census?
Does anyone know if you had to be a qualified teacher to be a school inspector?(I don't even know if the teachers had to be qualified). Is there a record of inspectors somewhere and when/where they worked? If he went down in the world and became a hotel assistant later.......
Rian.

Rian,

I couldn't see a reply to your query re School Inspectors. I think the situation may have been much the same as today ... Learn Direct ... Careers Advice ... Schools Inspector.

Christopher

[Ragna]

Thank you so much Christopher, for helping but also giving me the push to start my search again. 

I havnt posted for months, and after banging my head against a brick wall decided to give it a few months off, but back again to continue this search.  I have spoken to many members of the family, and no one has been able to shed any more light on our elusive Sydney McLaven. 

In light of everything, I am convinced of a few things. (but not 100%)

1. that he was most likely British decent because of the names of his children (and most likely Scottish?) ?  Douglas/Howard/Frank/Laurence - names of his children.

2. He was never in a good job, the family were poor, he was a hotel porter at the age of 37, so most likely did this sort of job all his life. He had to go to the poorhouse hospital when he was taken ill.

Thank you again for everyone that brought me on so far last time I attempted to find out more.

I've joined up with Ancestry again, but a little confused because I dont appear to be able to attach documents ...(is it just me, or is anyone else having this problem)

Off to have a read at recent posts, and put some input into this great site.

Ragna 

[Ragna]

To all the past McLaven Detectives 

Two and half years later and I've only just found out some more information after giving up for a while. 

After checking the 1911 census (Sidney himself had died in 1907) I found his wife working at Cox's Hotel, Jermyn Street in London. Her two eldest sons (this was a shocker) were a Boys Home in Kingham Oxford. My grandfather Frank was living with her sister, but I can not find the other son Laurance. i contacted Kingham Oxford who were kind enough to look through their records and this week they sent me the admission document. It gave me some really interesting information.

Sidney Frederick George McLaven worked as a night porter at the Cecil Hotel in the Strand. (up until he was ill in Dec 1903)This was a huge hotel from the sounds of it with over 800 rooms. However I am unable to find him on either the 1901 or 1991 census. But ...if he was night porter i guess he would not be there but in bed sleeping somewhere ?

So finally i know where he worked - although I've never got any further finding his birth or anything

[carol8353]

Hello Ragna,

Long time - no speak 

Glad that the 1911 has helped a little. I think we've all found that.

I have the baptism of Frank Ernest McLaven- parents Sydney George Frederick and Fanny.
It was on 5th August 1904- Frank was born on 23rd May 1904.

It says dad was a porter and the family's address was 27 Surrey Lane.

It took place at St Mary's Battersea.

Regards

Carol

[Ragna]

I am a little excited by what I may have found.

After finding that both Sidney and Douglas (Sidneys sons) were transcribed as McLaren I thought I'd go down that line.

I have found a Sandy McLaren of the same birthdate in Wandsworth prison and it says he comes from Scotland and is a cook.  Sidney was a Hotel Porter though. (grasping at straws maybe here)  If this is so, and he had a Scot accent could Sidney sound like Sandy ?  I've tried to find if Sandy comes up on any of the other census but can't find anything that fits him perfectly.  However, the only thing here that bothers me is that it's unlikely that he would have got such a good job at Cecil Hotel ? or perhaps he lied ?

[MonicaL]

Hi Ragna

Sandy is normally a common variant for Alexander in Scotland.

Monica