Birth and marriage help please!

[ivanidea]

Downham is probably Downham Market, Norfolk or could be Downham or Little Downham, Cambridgeshire (both near the city of Ely, Cambs).

Ivan

[ivanidea]

Rachel

Joan/Shelia seems to have changed her "first" name to suit circumstances or whim! Joan when she married; Shelia when she died!

The forenames "Temple" and "Blackwood" could be "referred names", i.e. surnames of ancestors. Did "Grandma" ever mention the origins of these? Any idea where in Ireland and Scotland Joan's/Shelia's parents came from?

Ivan

[~Rachel~]

Yes I had no idea Joan was ever a first name for her until I looked for the marriage record! I wonder if the person who recorded the death didn't know either... in the family she was always just known as Sheila.

Also the names Temple & Blackwood don't mean anything to me yet. They could well be ancestors though, as they're both quite unusual.

I don't know where in Scotland Mr Macdonald came from, but Bridget was apparently from Dublin.

It's all quite frustrating!

[PaulineJ]

If he was a doctor, then what are chances are that he served overseas WW1 as an officer?

Maybe his service record appears on somewhere like Ancestry?

Pauline

[ivanidea]

Hello Rachel

If you decide to send for Joan's death certificate and thus ascertain the date of her death it might be an idea to then check the local newspapers of the time to see if there is an obituary for her. Her social standing and life story may well have merited more than just a few lines by the local reporter!

Ivan

[Annie65115]

I've found details of Hugh Leonard William Sixsmith for you, specifically addresses at which he was registered with the GMC:

1939 and 1943 -  Pant Glas, Coldbrook Rd, Barry, Glamorgan

1947 - 1959:  Lynton, East Lane, West Horsley, Leatherhead, Surrey - and he is listed as having an OBE from 1947 onwards.


So presumably that will give you some idea of where Shelia lived at different times

[~Rachel~]

Hello everyone, thanks for the replies.

Pauline - I've had a look on ancestry but there's too many Alexanders to narrow it down successfully.

Ivan - that's a great idea about newspapers, I've ordered her death certificate now so will take it from there and hope there's lots of info.

Annie - thanks for that, I wonder what her got an OBE for!

Hopefully when the 1911 census is complete I'll be able to find Bridget & Alexander and that will give some more clues too.

[jendor]

From the London Gazette 23rd Match 1944

Appointments to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of gallent and distinguished service in Sicily_

Major (temorary Lieutenant-Colonel) Hugh Leonard William Sixsmith M.B.E (116968) Royal Army Medical Corp (West Horsley, Surrey)

So! he already had an M.B.E. before the O.B.E. if the OBE was for service, possibly the MBE was as well?

Jen

Anything else will probably be in the Times index but can't get to it at the moment, both links from Bournemouth Libraries and Dorset Libraries are down!

[jendor]

Found another way of getting to it!

Hugh's father's death is listed... April 4th 1936, Charles Frederick Gilborne Sixmith beloved husband of Muriel of Barry, Glamorgan aged 74... he was an old father? could this be Hugh's G. father... wrong side at the moment but will keep looking

Jen