Robert Stevens photographer

[BettyBoops]

Well, what an exciting morning.
Firstly, I've heard from the George Heyne connection. And she will be sharing the tree so that I can have a look-see. She is related through Avice's line.
FIBIS - has now been passed to someone in Australia. Yet to hear from her.
www.deceasedonline.com is where I obtained Colin's Death details. It gives the grave number and the fact he died in the hospital and was buried in consecrated grounds.
I'm not able to access indexes.records.nsw.gov.au. It may be that I'm on the main computer and not my laptop. I'll try again shortly.
Thank you for those exciting tit-bits. I'm hoping that we can find a link between the families, but the Seale name didn't seem to leap out at Diane, so maybe it is from Kathleen's side. Or, then, as things seem to be in my case, not related at all!!!!!  Cheers, Betty

[rosball]

Here's the home page to NSW RO https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/  Can choose indexes from there and keyname search (at top of the indexes).

What is the thinking now Betty?   And others?

I can race off tomorrow to records office to photograph George HEYNE probate (and land record) if it is likely to throw up some clues.  But I would prefer to leave it till Monday if it's a long shot. 

[BettyBoops]

Ros, we've waited this long, please, it can wait a few more days. We're all a patient lot, aren't we peoples? (not speaking for myself, of course. lol ) I say don't do a special trip. I know now what the city traffic is like!! I for one would be interested in the will. Same as for Colin. But that's another story. Cheers, Betty

[cupoflife]

What is the thinking now Betty?   And others?

I can race off tomorrow to records office to photograph George HEYNE probate (and land record) if it is likely to throw up some clues.  But I would prefer to leave it till Monday if it's a long shot.

I say leave the SRO copying for your usual visit as George HEYNE probate and land record would not likely involve Robert STEVENS.... unless he was an executor. It is more out of interest to know a little about George HEYNE (the man Robert STEVENS worked for) and what (if any) past connection is revealed.
Of more interest would be tracking the whereabouts of Colin SEALE (confirmed son of Walter and Kathleen) and finding birth/baptism record of a son Robert SEALE to Walter and Kathleen.
I still believe that if Colin and Robert were brothers, we would see some evidence of them on each others Army or marriage records, just as other members of the family are named. One would expect two brothers who travelled together, would be close and likely be best-man/witness at each others marriages, like Colin was a witness on both his sisters marriages.

CoL

[BettyBoops]

I've heard from the Australian FIBIS researcher and supplied her with the details that we are chasing.     Betty

[BettyBoops]

I've also sent in a request to the British Library regarding the wills. This may be the start to putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Betty
Adding - Why not just email the archivists at the BL and ask them to check the wills card-index? They will sometimes do quick lookups for no charge, especially if the enquirer is overseas.

[BettyBoops]

Not encouraging news I'm afraid. It's the response from the FIBIS researcher.

As you live in Australia you are able to access the following websites at your local library.
Familysearch which is free and contains indexes and brief transcriptions of the 70% of the Ecclesiastical records copied sent home to England from India up to 1947 when India gained its independence. The remainder of the ecclesiastical records remain with the churches/missions in India if they still exist.
Findmypast which is a pay to view website and has a small selection of India office records including indexes and digitised records (including that 70% of ecclesiastical records)
FIBIS Families in British India Society which has approximately 1.5 million transcribed records in its database.
BACSA British Association of Cemeteries in South Asia
It is not always possible to find a record of a baptism/marriage or burial but one can sometimes find a newspaper notification of an event if said event was in fact advertised.
Looking through Findmypast there is no evidence that either Walter or Kathleen left a will, neither was there any probate documents for them in the UK. https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills
There is no evidence that they had a child named Robert (Henry/W)

I let her know that there was an extensive search for the family of Walter and Kathleen and how we came to be in india. She also gave me a link to search for Wills. Trouble is it only affects Wills after 1996!!
I also mentioned that we've just about exhausted the websites she mentioned.

I do really hope that just by pure luck, someone at the British Library uncovers something. Cheers, Betty

[cupoflife]

Hi Betty,
There are Three tabs below "Find a will" https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills
Wills and Probate 1996 to present         Wills and Probate 1858 – 1996         Soldier's Wills

Had previously looked. India Office Records requires a manual search. http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/willsandadministrations/willsadmin.html

[muss]

Hi  Betty

   In post #29  you stated your father had been left money in a will. Could the will have been Colin's ?.
   Muss