Finding one of my Great Grandfathers

[Creeping_Snail]

Hello all
Re-starting my family tree research by trying to knock down a brickwall.  I would welcome any ideas as to how I could find my Great Grandfather.  My Grandfather was illegitimate, birthday always given as 26th July 1889, possibly in Manchester.  His birth was not registered and he was not on the 1891 census.  No records of his mother having asked for contribution to his upbringing.  So a complete dead end.  Would a DNA test for me be of any help, and how do I go about it?  This is one area I have not yet researched, so would welcome help from anyone who has tried this route.  Thanks for reading this.

[jorose]

If his birth was not registered in 1889, he would be part of a very small % indeed; there's a good chance that it was registered, but under a different name (perhaps the same name he went under by in the 1891 census).


DNA testing could help, yes, although it depends on who else have tested and how many surviving relatives there are. If there are any male-line descendants, Y testing would be useful in this case, but general autosomal testing might yield results too.

[Pheno]

Ancestry has the biggest DNA database so wait for the next DNA sale and purchase one.

Pheno

[decor]

If you're looking for an unknown great-grandfather, taking an Ancestry DNA will give you a very good chance of at least getting closer to finding out his identity. I recommend it 100%.

[CaroleW]

Welcome to Rootschat

You say his birthdate was "always given" as 26.7.1889.  Apart from the 1939 register & possibly his death cert - what other docs show that birthdate?

I am assuming there is no fathers name on his marriage cert. 

Is he on the 1911 or 1921 census as that will confirm if his birthplace was Manchester?

[Dundee]

..... and he was not on the 1891 census.

This is probably a good clue that he was not recorded with the surname that he later used.

Debra 

[Creeping_Snail]

Thanks everyone.
Father's name on marriage certificate was given as Thomas Roberts, although Thomas was never married to Joseph's Mother.  At the time Joseph was supposedly born, Thomas was with his family in a different county.  My Grandpa, Joseph, had to use a Labour certificate as his only form of Id and I know he had a few problems getting his old age pension because his birth wasn't registered.  Despite Grandpa knowing he wasn't registered, I still bought several birth certs for a Joseph Roberts in 1889, that I hoped might be him, and searched with his mother's surname with no success, and none of them supported any of the other info I had. There is no DOB on the Death Certificate.  Not with his Mother in 1891 and not found with either surname anywhere else.  Haven't found him for certain in 1911, Manchester birthplace was given in 1901 and 1921, but place of birth wasn't part of the 1939 register.  He had no siblings, neither did my Dad, so there are no surviving ancestors.  I spent 20 years trying to find who GreatGrandpa might have been, which is why I am now thinking of DNA.  Thanks to those who have given me pointers for the DNA test.

 I haven't used Rootschat for 20 years and it's so nice to know it's still full of lovely, helpful people 

[Andrew Tarr]

If there is a solid connection with Manchester you could try asking the local FHS - <www.mlfhs.org.uk> .

[Creeping_Snail]

Thank you, but I've already tried that and multiple other places. It really is an absolute dead end, unless DNA can show otherwise.  Having said that, I've looked at Ancestry and I don't think I can justify spending £60, plus registration fees with them - I'd rather give it to my Grandson.  Look to the future, rather than the past maybe?