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Hello, I have recently started looking up my mothers side of my family as a birthday present to her. She has tried many times in the past, but has always come to a dead end as my Grandfather was born in Jamaica.

The information i have so far:

My mother was born Anne Rosemary McLennan in London on 21/10/1952 to John Constantine McLennan and Maria May Ward (Bord Elsie May Ward) who were married on 12/07/1940.

Elsie May Ward was born on 15/01/1912 in Islington, North London to Harry Ward (no other information) and her mother who is still unknown (although the birth record on here shows her mothers maiden surname also to be ward). She died 15/02/1983.

John McLennan was born 19/11/1911 in Kingston, Jamaica to William McLennan (Believed to have been born in Scotland), mother unknown. He had three brothers Donald, Vincent, and Michael (Half brother), and two sisters; Olive and Marjorie. At the age of 18 he left Jamaica to come to england (c1929) as did his brother, Vincent. Donald, Olive & Michael moved to America and Marjorie moved to Canada. John McLennan died 1992.

Any help and information to find out more would be much appreciated.

Any idea when his siblings were born or where in America they went?

Rose

UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
about Mr John McLennan
Name: Mr John McLennan
Birth Date: abt 1911
Age: 18
Port of Departure: Kingston, Jamaica
Arrival Date: 28 Jul 1929
Port of Arrival: Manchester, England
Ship Name: Jamaica Producer
Search Ship Database: View the 'Jamaica Producer' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping Line: The Jamaica Direct Fruit Line
Official Number: 129139

Rose

Vincent:

UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
about Mr V C McLennan
Name: Mr V C McLennan
Birth Date: abt 1917
Age: 35
Port of Departure: Kingston, Jamaica
Arrival Date: 8 Feb 1952
Port of Arrival: London, England
Ports of Voyage: Kingston and Stann Creek
Ship Name: Jamaica Producer
Search Ship Database: View the 'Jamaica Producer' in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Shipping Line: Jamaica Banana Producers Steamship Company Ltd
Official Number: 156140

Rose

Thank you very much for that great information. Im not positive if vincent is correct as that is a long time after my grandfather left jamaica, and i believe Vincent ended up living in manchester not london.

As for the other siblings, all i know is that at some point i had family in florida, and new york.

Thanks for all your hard work, i know there was not alot to go on with the siblings.

Any idea how i can find out when my great grandparents moved to Jamaica from Scotland (only have great grandfathers name) and also how to get hold of my granddads birth info as Im struggling to find his mothers name.

Thank you again

Katie

Here's Vincent's death. His middle initial is C which matches with the passenger records:

England & Wales, Death Index: 1984-2005
about Vincent Carl McLennan
Name: Vincent Carl McLennan
Birth Date: 19 Mar 1917
Death Registration Month/Year: Sep 1999
Age at death (estimated): 82
Registration district: Trafford
Inferred County: Cheshire
Register number: B48A
District and Subdistrict: 0151B
Entry Number: 40

Rose

There are just so many William McLennans to know which is your one.

Rose

Hi Katie,

I too am looking for a relative born in Jamaica. I was given the following site as a tip:

www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com

You need to register and pay to search. I have not done this yet as I'm not sure that I will find what I am looking for. It doesn't look like there are BMD records on the site. From memory, I believe the price is USD8 for a month's viewing.

I'm trying to trace a birth cert for Henrietta Elizabeth Mary BACON born 1847 to John Bacon and Elizabeth E .... (no surname as yet) and believe my relative was also born in Kingston. I have seen that the LDS have microfiche for Jamaica available, but not on their site. I wonder if there is any kind soul out their who is happening to visit an LDS Family Center who happen to have all the Jamaican microfiche available, who might be able to do a search? I live in the Netherlands and the local LDS here in Amsterdam is only open for appointments and it's quite complicated to order microfiche and you're never sure if you order the right ones.

If I find out any more info on where to search for Jamaica, I will let you know. I've bookmarked this thread.

Best wishes,
Rebecca

Rose...

Again thank you for your help, and i seem to keep on being about 2 steps behind you as i research lol

As for William McLennan, this is why its so frustrating! what i really need is my grandfathers birth certificated, so that i can find his mother and in turn his parents marriage and so on....

This is alot harder than i thought

Katie

Katie,

I was hoping one of the McLennans went to California. The mother's maiden name is listed on the death registration.

Rose

All i know with regards to their location was my mum telling me i had relatives in new york (who i think originally lived in florida), nothing certain tho. I will try and get more info later today to narrow the search.

Would you be able to show me the record so i can try and prove / disprove it. Looked myself but could not find it.

Thanks

Katie

Dear Katie,

I have been googling and came up with the following website and information which might be of help:

http://www.jard.gov.jm/main/content/view/26/98/1/4/


Overseas Websites

There are a number of websites overseas with useful information on Jamaican Family History which also contain information on material in the Jamaica Archives. These include
Family History of Jamaica http://users.pullman.com/mitchelm/jamaica.htm
(This site contains information on Madeline Mitchell’s book Jamaican Ancestry: How to find out more)
Genealogy of Jamaica http://www.rootsweb.com/~jamwgw/
A talk on the Genealogy of Jamaica by Stephen Porter
http://www.rootsweb.com/~jamwgw/stepport.htm

Tips for doing family history studies

Consult published “how to” sources which provide knowledge of research methods as they can provide direction on techniques and where to search.

Newspapers are good sources for Obituaries, marriage and death notices.

Voters lists can provide information on the names of eligible voters, their occupations and addresses.


There are also ready-to-use computer programmes which can assist you in recording your research and building your family tree. These include “Brothers Keeper”, “Family Tree Maker”, “The Master Genealogist” and “Ultimate Family”.

For further information on our collection, please contact us at:

The Jamaica Archives & Records Department
Corner of King & Manchester Streets
Spanish Town
St Catherine
Telephone: (876) 984-2581
Website: www.jard.gov.jm
E-Mail: [email protected]


The following organizations can also assist with your genealogical research:

The Registrar General’s Department
Island Record Office
Twickenham Park
Spanish Town
Telephone: (876) 984-3041-5
Website: www.rgd.gov.jm
E-Mail: [email protected]


The Family History Research Centre
48 Gore Terrace
Kingston
Telephone: (876) 925-8492

The National Library of Jamaica
12 East Street
Kingston
Telephone: (876) 967-2516, 2494
Website: www.nlj.org.jm

Also read a note on a rootsweb forum with the following text (it was dated May 2008):

Quote:
Good background on Jamaican research and sources, IGI will be sparse but the FHC at Hyde Park has many films. Most events will be caught in Church of England records. So familiar stuff. If you are lucky, then the parish registers will be indexed as they are in Barbados.

Check LDS library for film numbers then check if the films are available at the Hyde Park FHC with their online catalogue.
Unquote.

Best wishes,
Rebecca

Dear Katie,

I emailed the owner of the site www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com, Patricia Jackson at [email protected] yesterday with regards to helping me with my Jamaican research. She was kind enough to do a quick search on her site and actually found a reference to one of my relatives (I don't know what yet - obviously I will have to subscribe first).

I also asked Patricia Jackson if she knew of a local researcher in Jamaica and she gave me the following name and email address. Perhaps also interesting for you or anyone else out their doing Jamaican research:

Cynthia Rosers at [email protected]

Best regards,
Rebecca

Dear Katie,

I subscribed to www.jamaicanfamilyresearch.com today and did some searching for you too. Hope that some of the below mentioned ties in to your family.

Best wishes,
Rebecca


DIRECTORY OF ESTATES, PENS AND PROPERTIES IN JAMAICA. 1878
THE PARISH OF MANCHESTER
Chippenham, William N. McLennan proprietor, Newport,

1891 ISLAND BUSINESS DIRECTORY
MANCHESTER
Post Office Address, Shooter’s Hill:
McLennan, S., Storekeeper
McLennan, G., Railway, Contractor


THE JAMAICA GAZETTE - APRIL 23, 1891
At an adjourned Special Session of the Peace held in and for the Parish of Manchester at Mandeville on the 10th of April, 1891, in pursuance to adjournment: Present Edward Vickers, Esq., R. M.; Thomas Glanville, Daniel Abraham and W.W. Wynne, Esquires, Justices. The following Licenses were granted:

Spirit Licenses
Mendez, D. H. and McLennan, Evan, trading under the name of “ D. H. Mendez & Co.” Shooter's Hill


BAPTISMS, ST. ANNE’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH - VOLUME XI, 1941- 1947
McLennan, Winston Ignatius, 1942. F= Evan McLennan. XI, p. 13 #1224

1910 BUSINESS DIRECTORY
PLUMBERS (occupation)
McLennan J G., 193 Tower Street, Kingston


End of post.

Perhaps someone with American Ancestry could look up the brothers for you in the censuses which go later than ours.

Rebecca...

Thank you very much for all your help and information and im sorry that it has taken me a while to get back to you. In the research you did for me the William McLennan near the top looks like a possible match. I have also found out recently that William McLennan was an accountant if that helps in the search. I was also wondering if there was birth / death / marriage records on that site...

Lastly the family history researcher looks like a good idea. However, have you contacted them yourself yet, and do you know how much they charge?

Thank you again for all your help.

Janice....

I have worldwide ancestry account now if this is what you mean, however I cannot seem to find much more apart from the death of one brother and his wife.

Rose...I have spoke to my mother and she has said that the siblings moved about a lot in america, so it is possible that one could have died in california, so the information of this record would be much appreciated.


Katie

Rose....

I have recently found more information on the American siblings, and would like to either more information on them or their children if you can help me.

Donald McLennan: born dec 1914. We are unsure if he originally came into new york or Miami, but we do know that he lived in Miami prior to hurricane Andrew in 1992 as their house was flooded. After this he moved to New York to be with son butch (nickname?!). They also have another son John, and daughters Patty, Lois and Donna. Donald dies in new york in 1997 and his wife Marian dies there in 2003.

Olive Mclennan has a daughter names alice (could also be known as joy ?!) who marries sonny (nickname) and takes the surname decosta.

Vincent Mclennan lived 1917 - 1999. He lived in machester, england. He married Thelma and has a son Tony (unsure of any other children) We believe that Vincent had a grandson called James who was born around 1980 / 81


Thats all i have for now...but im getting closer lol

Thanks for any help you can give

Katie

Does anyone know if immigrants from jamaica had to apply for naturalisation / english passports when coming to the UK before jamaica became independent in the 1960s?

My history isn't that great.

Katie