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Lynda, thanks

we are now following longshots with this branch. I have recently emailed my 2nd cousins a list of about 12 possible births of his siblings that I've come across. This doesn't include the 3 I've ordered incorrectly so far.

Yes the cost is an issue, but so is the disappointment of receiving a certificate and then finding it's not 'one of yours'. At least when the GRO did their reference checking services you knew sooner that you were on the wrong path.

Hopefully the Railway Staff Magazine will have published his Obit (not the bit about him dying in the bed of his mistress I hope) and that will give us further avenues to pursue.

TOR x

could this be George
George McDonald
Year of Registration: 1875
Quarter of Registration: Apr-May-Jun
District: Southampton
County: Hampshire
Volume: 2c
Page: 9 (click to see others on page)

This is a real long shot .Alexander can not be found 1891 .Could this be him John Macdonald AMJ 1891 Plymouth .He may not have been born at time of census .Several of my ancestors were not known by their given name which makes our lives very difficult! and costly with wrong certificates .

View

do you think this could this be William's birth ? on 1901census is this William Alexanders brother
he is listed as William C G Macdonald born 1882 Plymouth Devon living in Kensington .

Name: William Charles G McDonald
Year of Registration: 1882
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: East Stonehouse
County: Devon
Volume: 5b
Page: 315 (click to see others on page)


View Image

Lynda I love you.

Yes Mary was born in Woodley according to details found so far.

Hadn't come across Mary Knight before. Mary Ann Clarke & Mary Hyde are/were contenders but obviously not happy to follow any Mary until we can find an offspring birth. (There are at least 3 off us tracking this branch - at least it spreads cost of certs)

Thank you for your information - much appreciated - will go back and look at the 'wrong' birth certs for the offspring and see if any off them could be a Knight (why didn't they use block caps n those forms would have made live easier).

Kath - thanks for that, Plymouth records office have checked it out for me - unfortunately parents aren't right.

The other possibility was William Alexander McDonald JAS 1883 Totnes 5b 191 - also not right.

TOR x

This is the only Plymouth birth I can see for that name at around that time:-

Name: Alexander John McDonald
Year of Registration: 1893
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Plymouth
County: Devon
Volume: 5b
Page: 272

Kath. x

I thought I would look into it as it was mentioned on the tree but as you say its not correct but you can only try and advise these people.
If they choose to ignore it, so be it.

jax

Jax

Mary Ann Leonard is DEFINITELY wrong. Have the certs to prove it.

person has been informed but doesn't seem that interested in correcting his records.

Thanks All.

To answer specific questions

Cassidy - he was abducted by aliens in 1891 - not with parents nor located anywhere else to date. Sorry but he's driving us mad.

Lynda - I know his parents were William & Mary -(Mary was born in Woodley, nr Hyde, Greater Manchester) unfortunately until I or one of his other great grandchildren manage to find a birth cert for him or a sibling we are stuck on mothers maiden name - Mary & William not uncommon names late 19th century. Currently have half a dozen incorrect sibling certs.

TOR x

maybe parents marriage

Marriages Jun 1862 (>99%)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.
Leonard Mary Ann Bristol 6a 181
Macdonald William Bristol 6a 181
.

Thats just going by a tree on ancestry which looks wrong to me

?

Marriages Dec 1906 (>99%)
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******HODGE Florence May St. Thomas 5b 139
******MACDONALD Alexander St. Thomas 5b 139
NEWCOMBE Frederick Charles St. Thomas 5b 139
TODD Sophia Agnes St. Thomas 5b 139

Are you trying to find his parents ? If so have you his fathers name on marriage certificate?

Hi,Where was he in the 1891 census ?

Cass

Hello TOR
London and South Western Railway (L&SWR) 1908

In 1930 and 1942 it would be the Southern Railway.
Alan.

1911 census - household transcription
Person: MACDONALD, Alexander
Address: 143 Embankment Road Plymouth

.
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CLARK, Henry Head Married M 64 1847 Fish Merchant London St Georges VIEW
CLARK, Liza Wife Married
22 years F 63 1848 London Deptford VIEW
MACDONALD, Alexander Boarder Married M 24 1887 Railway Engine Stoker Plymouth Devon VIEW
MACDONALD, Florence Boarder Married
4 years F 27 1884 Exeter Devon VIEW
MACDONALD, Hector Boarder Married M 4 1907 Sidmouth Devon VIEW
MACDONALD, Louis Boarder M 2 1909 Newton Devon VIEW
MACDONALD, Fredrick Boarder M 0 (7 MONTHS) 1911 Exeter Devon VIEW

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Name: Alexandra McDonald
[Alexander McDonald]
Age: 13
Estimated birth year: abt 1888
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Mary McDonald
Gender: Male
Where born: Plymouth, Devon, England

Civil parish: Plymouth
Ecclesiastical parish: St Peter
County/Island: Devon
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Plymouth
Sub-registration district: St Andrew
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 240
Household Members: Name Age
Mary McDonald 59
William McDonald 19
Alexandra McDonald 13
Lewis Royal 45

No expert but thought the following may help...If you haven't already seen them

NA podcast, Railway staff records
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/podcasts/railway-staff-records.htm

NA Guides
Railways, an overview
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=114

Railways, staff records
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=124

Chris

Hi there I'm back on the trail of my elusive Great Grandfather who managed to get married & die without ever being born.

Now planning on attacking him from a different direction.

I know he worked as an Railway Engine Cleaner in Exeter 1908.
He was Railway Engine Driver in Guildford 1930
He died Guildford 1942 still employed as a Railway Engine Driver.

New plan to track him down involves locating railway staff magazines see if I can obituary, records of movement between stations etc.

The problem I could do with some help with is knowing which companies I should be looking at. My guess is Southern railways but I'm not sure this would cover the whole period.

Any help much appreciated.

(For those that like that extra bit of information:
Alexander Macdonald c 1888 Plymouth
married March 1906 Heavitree, Exeter
Died July 1942 Guildford, Surrey)

TOR x