The 'Swedish Sailor'

[micksharp]

My great great gran Rachel Polson (née Armstrong) is listed in the 1911 census at Front Street, Monkseaton. In 1877 she married a 'Swedish sailor' named as Frank Wilhelm Polsson in the marriage registers in Newcastle upon Tyne. They originally lived in Jarrow, where Frank worked in a steelworks.They moved to Monkseaton between 1901 and 1911, where this branch of the Polsons all seemed to live.

The family story goes that Rachel had seven kids (including my great granda Francis William) and Frank Wilhelm left her to return to Sweden.

Does anyone know how I can maybe find out more about Frank?

Many thanks

Mick

[micksharp]

Sorry, they married in 1887!

In the 1901 return, Frank is listed as being born in Sweden, but a British Subject. I'm waiting for a copy of the marriage cert to see if it might give a place of birth in Sweden!

Thanks

[Michael Dixon]

 The Newcastle Register Office site has them marrying in St Stephens, Elswick
 within the area of the ancient parish of St John.

Michael

[micksharp]

Thanks Michael

I've never looked at that site before. Funnily enough, I used to live up the road from St Stephens.

Regards

Mick

[Michael Dixon]

micksharp,

 An opportunity for you to test the accuracy of your " family story".

 On the 1911 census how many children does Rachel. nee Armstrong say she had ?

 I can see at least 10 birth registrations, if I have right Polson family !

Rebecca, Frank W, Frank W again, Rachel,  Ernest , Rebecca again, Sarah,  Dora, Phyllis and John.

Dora was first of the bunch to be registered in Tynemouth Registration District, in Sept qtr 1903. (Whitley , Monkseaton etclay within Tynemouth Reg Dist.) So the family likely moved to north side of the Tyne in mid 1903.

 England/Wales Marriage certs then did not show birth places of the spouses !


Michael

[2zpool]

The Swedes have some excellent sites.  Some are free some are not.  Just do Google searches to find some sites.  The people had to register with the police at the docks when they left the country.  These usually contained their birthdates and where born.  You only need to learn to recognize about 10 words in Swedish (don't have to know how to pronounce them) to read their records.  There are also very helpful pople on some of the sites that help with translation.  If you know roughly how old Your Frank was you might be able to find him leaving the country. 

There were quite a few iron foundries in the southern coast of Sweden.

Janis

[micksharp]

Michael, sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. I had to do some work or we would have been evicted!

This is what the 1911 Census says:

Rachel POLSON 40  Widow(!!!)
Frank William  19   Miner
Ernest  14  Miner
Rachel  16
Sarah  111
Dora  7
Phyllis  5
John  4

She had 8 children, 7 survive. There is a Rebecca recorded as having died, aged 7, in 1896. However, there is also a Frank who died in 1891, aged 0.

As Rachel is described as a widow, can we definitely assume Frank died? I'm wondering if she might have remarried.

I recently received a little info about a Frans Wilhelm Påhlsson, born in Karlshamm, Sweden, in 1861. He was illegitimate, mother Ingrid. Listed as a sailor but missing from the area from late 1880s! I think this might be him.

Thanks

Mick

[JosiahS]

My great grandmother called herself a widow in 1901 but her husband had gone to the USA in 1897 never to return!  Maybe he had died before 1901 but I can't find out. 

Either way it doesn't explain the child she had in 1899.....

[jamcat95]

I recently received a little info about a Frans Wilhelm Påhlsson, born in Karlshamm, Sweden, in 1861. He was illegitimate, mother Ingrid. Listed as a sailor but missing from the area from late 1880s! I think this might be him.

An old post. I looked him up here in Sweden:


1900
Pålsson, Frans Wilhelm
Seaman

Born: 1861 i Karlshamn (Blekinge län, Blekinge)

Unmarried man, alone.

Address: Penningbergslyckan
Karlshamn (Blekinge län, Blekinge)



I am sorry to disappoint but this man is not your Frank. He was living in Sweden in 1895 too.

Ian