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Jay: that's what I was thinking about blacksmiths, one family in Rotherham (Danfords) has a son George but he was born 1887, wrong month also. I ordered the birth cert and defo not him as this George was born August and mine May. Traced this other family and they were blacksmiths and iron workers (which made more sense). Most of what I'm going on is what my grannie has told me and the 1911 Canada census. I talked to grannie last week (she's 1300 miles away) and again she told me the same things. Don't think she really knows much more than that. I have even searched for marriage records and found nothing under George Danford or Charlotte Mathias (his wife). They would have married between 1901 and 1909. I have her birth info thou. In the 1891 census she is Charlotte but in the 1901 UK and 1911 Canada census she is listed as Lottie. Think I shall get the mortar and start building the brick wall. lol

That's interesting, because I could only find 3 Danfords on cwgc -1 with the Australian force and 2 with the Canadian force - no mention of the British army in WW1. (Couldn't find birth regs either, so quite possibly not British nationals - but why aren't they on cwgc??) Sorry don't know site for boatpeople off hand - Sure I've seen threads or posts about it on tips. If you can't find anything, I'll do some googling tomorrow. Interesting that he was a blacksmith - just had a quick skim through 1881 Danfords, and there are 2 or 3 other blacksmiths. Often it was a trade that was passed down through the family. Jay

Janet: thanks for that do you have the site name for boatpeople. At this point anything is worth a try. I'm going to be dreaming about this now until I solve it or collapes from trying. lol. I know of sure that only George's wifes side had other members come to Canada. Grannie said her father's brothers remained in England.

Danford seems a fairly unusual surname. On the cwgc site, there are 2 Danfords with the Canadian army - just wondering if they might be the brothers who died in WW1? IF so, looks like the whole family could have gone to Canada? One of them is a John Edward - had a quick look and couldn't see a birth reg for him! If the father was on inland boats, I'm not sure that you had to have a ticket for that. There are sites for boatpeople, might be worth yuor while investigating them Jay

Maureen: thanks for the offer anyway, there again another road block lol. I really believe good old George made sure he would never be traced. I'll be darned if the old coot is going to get me to stop thou. Mhairi: Thanks for that but his brothers never immigrated to Canada so they would be in the UK records. Problem is not sure if they would have been Danfords also. To make the story even more interesting, I asked my grannie if there were any pictures of her family and she claims that they were burned. Seems that George had a blacksmith shop next to a chinese laundry and the laundry caught fire and burned. Good old George was keeping all the family photos at the shop for safe keeping. Why a travelling blacksmith had a shop is beyond me. Asked Grannie recently if she ever thought that maybe George had a second family. Her response was (nothing would surprise me)

There are four Danford deaths on the CWGC two of which i believe are brothers. Name: DANFORD, JOHN EDWARD Initials: J E Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry Unit Text: 39th Bn. Age: 25 Date of Death: 08/08/1915 Service No: 12220 Additional information: Son of Alfred and Mary E. Danford, of Faraday, Ont. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Cemetery: COE HILL (FARADAY TRINITY) CEMETERY Name: DANFORD, CHARLES WILLIAM Initials: C W Nationality: Canadian Rank: Private Regiment/Service: Canadian Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment) Unit Text: 21st Bn. Age: 34 Date of Death: 15/08/1917 Service No: 636534 Additional information: Son of Mrs. Alfred Danford, of Coe Hill, Ontario; husband of Beatrice Pattison (formerly Danford), of Coe Hill, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Memorial: VIMY MEMORIAL Any possiblity he wasnt born in England afterall? Mhairi

East Riding of Yorkshire archives are actually at Beverley BUT they are closed until early 2007 so can not offer to do a lookup for you. Maureen

Janet: yes she gave me his date of birth, she said he was a bit younger than her mother and on the 1911 Canada census he is 22, Lottie was born 1888 16 April and Grannie said George was born 17 May 1889. In Canada he was a travelling blacksmith (I found this weird) as he told grannie his father was a ship captain and his brothers died in the war (WWI) You may be right about the born and not registered but I can't even find a Danford ship captain NOTHING. George was never home often, and grannie and her siblings were to afraid of him to talk much or ask many questions. When grannies mum died George pretty much disappeared only visiting of and on til he died. Mary: I have absolutely nothing on George other than what's above. Might be my big dead end.

Hi Do you know George's Mothers Name Mary

Deb, Beverley is on a canal - might his parents have worked on boats and he was born there but not registered and they left it too late and didn't bother? Is Gran absolutely sure about the year? Jay

Sorry am at work so had to jump off for a wee bit. Janet: my grannie said her fathers middle name was Stanley so the S was according to her his middle name. Deborah: On the Canada census 1911 in Saint John NB Prince Co. I found ggranpa George with Lottie, Alex Mathias (Lotties brother) and their son Kenneth born 1910 (my grannies only brother). Althought the surname Danford is difficult to read but I know for sure this is them. Have had my grannie and mum confirm the information. Unfortunately the correct info is at home on my program. I'm seriously beginning to think that George had a diffo surname at birth and may have taken the name Danford from a stepfather or something along those lines. I have seriously checked every record possible even did a search for just George on the UK census and came up with nothing remotely connected. Grannie was told that George's dad was a ship captain so even checked with that occupation seems that a lot of families were on board ships and away during the 1891 & 1901 UK census. Trawled thru all the census for Beverley and now working thru the other areas. Hull is next I guess. lol. Sorry for being so winded on this but now I'm at the crazy point. It's like getting all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle and someone stole the last piece. lol

I can't even find the family you refer to on the 1911 census in Canada.....there is a George & Lottie LEONARD.........???? Name: George Leonard Gender: Male Marital Status: Married Age: 23 Birth Date: Feb 1888 Birthplace: England Family Number: 40 Relation to Head of House: Head Spouse's name: Lottie Immigration Year: 1895 Tribal: English Province: Ontario District: Lennox and Addington District Number: 92 Sub-District: Ernestown Township, Odessa Village Sub-District Number: 19 Place of Habitation: Odessa Census Year: 1911 Page: 3 Household Members: Name Age George Leonard 23 Lottie Leonard 23

Do you know what the S stands for? Is it possible it is another surname and George's birth was actually registered under that name? Jay

Reg, sorry mate, haven't been on boards for several days, bunged my knee last week and haven't been able to do the stairs to get at my putter. (Don't ask, lol) Before the knee thingy thou I did trawl through all of the census for Beverley on ancestry 1891 & also checked BMD. (some might be interested to know that on Ancestry part of the Beverley census is under 'Bewerley'. All I know for sure about my ggrandfather was his name 'George S Danford born 17 May 1889 supposedly in Yorkshire and my grannie said she remembers him saying Beverley. This is a very strange story and old George was a strange man can't find BMD records or him anywhere on any census other than Canada 1911 which indicates he immigrated to Canada in 1909 with wife Charlotte (Lottie) Mathias. And no can't find marriage for her either, have birth thou (Bradford Devon) is indicated on 1891 & 1901 census Devon. If anyone can find good old George I would be estatic. Regards Deb

If you'd care to post some details, no doubt someone will try to help............. Rotherham and Beverley are not exactly close to each other......... Reg

Oops Reg thanks for that. Although was searching by name and the surname doesn't come up anywhere near Beverley other than Rotherham. Even did a soundex search. So thought I might have to trawl through all the census for Beverley, Want to make sure I'm searching the right area as that alone will take tons of time.

Beverley is a registration district in its own right. You may not have found anything due to missing out the third 'e'. Reg

Hello all: unfortunately I have to post and run, work is calling. lol. Yesterday received a cert but unfortunately wrong person. Of course the fact that grannie can't remember and or doesn't know a whole lot about her father it is most difficult. Thought I was on the right trail but oh no. He didn't come from Rotherham. So this is what I need some help with. If someone was born in Beverly Yorkshire, (I think) then what district should I be searching in. Searched for hours last night but can't find anything on Beverly. Okay my UK geography sucks. lol and Thanks in advance. Deb