Offer: Emmanuel St James Church Didsbury, Manchester

[AnitaWellard]

Hi I have some records from Emmanuel and St James Church, Didsbury, Manchester. If you are researching family who may have been baptised or married their from 1900. Contact me with the names. I cannot guarantee I will have them, but it is worth asking.

Regards

Anita

[kafdxb]

Anita,

I'm trying to find details on a marriage that took place at Emmanuel and St James Church, Didsbury that took place Q1 1898.  Bride is Ellen Cantrell and Groom is William Wolter.

If you are able to find this marriage I would very much appreciate hearing any details that you might have.  William Wolter was actually Wilhelm Heindrich Eduard Wolter.  Sadly he died in 1918 in a Alien Internment Camp located at Vernon, British Columbia Canada.  On the registration he may be registered as a hairdresser.

Thanks very much,

Heather

[AnitaWellard]

Hi Heather,

Apologies for the delay in answering your email. I am sorry to say I only have records from 1900. I am also wanting baptism records, but I am unable to locate the registers pre 1900. I emailed Manchester Central Library and it would appear that the record books have not as yet been deposited with them. I also contacted the Emmanuel Church  to be told they did not have them. The secretary thought they were at Manchester Central Library.

I will email and  the Emmanuel and request she has another look in the archives as we know all too well these things can get hidden under other books etc.

I have visited a number of churches, libraries etc  during my 8 years of research and all the staff have been very welcoming and helpful. Non of the wanted payment, but I did leave donations at the churches. I cannot say the same for the Secretary at the Emmanuel. She wanted a cheque for £19 before she would even take the books of the shelf. I travelled over 300miles to view the books and was informed that the first hour there would be no charge, but every hour after would incur a charge. Perhaps she doesn't like family historians LOL

Have you any details on the grave in Canada. If not I have a relative in BC who may be able to help. Can't promise anything though.

Happy researching

Kind regards

Anita

[kafdxb]

Hello Anita,

Thank you kindly for your detailed response and your information regarding Emmanuel! Ellen has proven to be a bit of an elusive figure (she died in Derbyshire only a year after their marriage – very little luck finding any burial record, either!) but Wilhelm himself has been a bit easier.  He was originally buried in the internment camp cemetery in Vernon, and because he was technically considered a prisoner of war and thus a charge of the Canadian forces, his circumstance of casualty has been indexed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.  By that time he had remarried, and his second (as far as I know...) wife is listed as his next-of-kin.  In 1971, all the German graves were relocated to Kitchener, Ontario by the German War Graves Commission.  Thank you for the offer, though: I appreciate it very much!

Best regards,

Heather

[AnitaWellard]

Hi Heather,

On checking my records I found a photo I had taken of a marriage certificate for a family member from 1898. Therefore the record book is still at the church. I have emailed the church requesting they deposit records pre 1900 to MCL. I have records I am wanting from the period and as a member of MLFHS they will do look ups for me at the library. Which is great as I am not in the UK at present. If the records are deposited at some time in the future then maybe someone at the MLFHS help desk will look up the marriage details for you. The only other alternative would be to visit the church. Where in the UK are you?

[kafdxb]

Hi Anita,

I am in Canada so it would be a plane ride and then a drive to get to Emmanuel St James Church
So for now I'll perhaps try a postal letter to the church to see if that might draw a little attention.
Thanks very much for your help Anita !

Heather