Find Ancestors

Hi, I am trying to find the details of my granfathers mother and I just cant think of what to do next. I would appreciate any new ideas or suggestions that anyone can give. Ok the deatails are: Her name was Mary Ruby Rebecca Ford (aka Ruby cause she didnt like Mary). Born abt 1887. Birthplace could either be Londonderry Ireand or North London...Holbourn area I think? My mum remembers my granfather saying she came to England as a young girl...but of course this could be wrong. She married Arthur Stanley Page on the 11th Feb 1911 in the district of Holbourn ( I have a copy of that certificate). They had a son Lenard Stanley Page (my grandad) 30/05/1911. I have been told that they also had a daughter but she died before her first birthday (That would be a find....If I could!) I have also been told that she owned a number of resturants around London? And her death appeared in the paper as she had an accident as work? According to my mum, she was well known??I think the year was about 1952?? I would appreciate anything anyone could give me to help....without any info I just cant go any further and I am doing this for my mum...she long her dad a while ago and her mum last year. I've had sooo many late nights and my husband and kids miss me!! ha ha Very much appreciated and I await in anticipation.... Danni xx

what was her fathers name please

If you can tell me which papers to check and when, I am going to the newspaper archive at Colindale next week. Jim

To find the daughter who died as a baby, you can try searching on Family Relatives for all births from 1912 to 1920 with surname Page and mother's maiden name Ford, and then look for a death for each female one within a couple of years of the birth. If you only find one who died as a baby, that will likely be her (assuming the district looks right.) Though you would have to get either birth or death cert to be sure. Kate.

Can't find a birth for Mary on FreeBMD and it is pretty well complete for that year, so I would guess she may well have been born in Ireland. Kate.

To find out any more, it would really help if you give us the father's name and occupation from her marriage certificate, as Jess said. Kate.

Only one more Page/Ford birth in Holborn (Leonard was born Holborn) Page Ralph N Mother's maiden name: Ford District: Holborn Vol: 1b page: 1108 Birth June quarter 1913 and matching death Page Ralph N Holborn 1b 668 Death June quarter 1913 Perhaps this is your missing baby - male not female. Only the certificates would confirm this I checked 1952 for deaths Mary & Ruby Page - the only one that may fit is Ruby M Page died age 65yrs District: Hampstead Dec quarter 1952 This would correspond with her birth being 1887 It very much depends what name her death would have been registered in, not necessarily the same name she married in, Ruby or Mary, Rebecca might not even have been mentioned. The registrar is totally reliant for info from whoever registers the death. Again, only the cert would confirm she's yours, you may want to search a few years either side of 1952 Sam

You are all being soooo helpful, u just dunno how much i appreciate it....To Help for those who have asked her fathers name was Joesph Ford and I cant quite make out his occupation but its something Steward?? The first word looks like 'loud'?? but I cant read the first letter?? At the time of her marriage to Arthur they lived at 59 Rosoman street in Clerkenwell. She was 24 years old at the time so i guessed the year of 1887 as her birth year. Thanks again Danni x

Hi Jim.....You are so kind about searching the papers for me. I Have been told by my cousin that she saw the record that she died in 1952 and I beleive I have seen the same on a site....And again Im gonna guess at Holborn, Clerkenwell, Islington is the area that these restaurants are in?? If you have the time a quick search would be great. But because my details are so bad for now...please dont put yourself to too much trouble. But its sooooo much appreciated. Kindest regards Danni x

Hi Danni, I'm not sure what papers to check. I've noted the comments on North London, and on the possible death at Hampstead. If this is the right one, it could be at the Royal Free Hospital if it followed an accident. I guess from your comments that you are not in London. I would not describe Holborn as North London. I'ts right in the city. So if you think that she was in North London, then Hampstead certainly sounds more likely. Unless you can suggest alternatives, I will start with the Hampstead and Highgate Express, which is the well known paper in the area, and has been going for at least 100 years. I know that The Times has an index of contents which is searchable on the net, but there is a paper copy at Colindale which I can check (at zero cost). So I can look there as well. I'll consider any suggestions you or others may have on this. All the best Jim Did you get some sleep?

Danni Have you tracked down a reference for her death ertificate? THis would help you find out about the accident at work as it would obviously give you the actual date of death to work with when doing the newspapers. Zoe

The General Register Office of Northern Irelnd have computerised indexes and will search thise for you for £9.00. It is well worth giving that a try if you want to check out the Derry connection Zoe http://www.groni.gov.uk/index.htm

Zoe - are you sure the staff will search the indexes for you? If it is true, I wish I had known that when I was having a load of trouble finding a Belfast birth, marriage and death, but as I understand it from their website, you pay your £9 to search the indexes yourself at their offices, and they will give you a certain amount of help while you are doing that. If you want more help than 4 entries, you have to pay extra, but you still have to be there yourself to do the searching (not only that - you have to book in advance). Do you know from personal experience that they will search for you? Because I have one or two more entries I would pay £9 for if this is true! Kate.

Danielle - a couple of ideas before I have another look on the (English) censuses - first, could the mystery word at the beginning of Joseph's occupation be 'club'? i.e. club steward? Secondly, I have one relly born in Ireland Rebecca Galway born 5 Jul 1875, and a Ruby Galway age 25 on the 1901 census who is sister to Rebecca's sister, if you see what I mean. Not managed to find a birth for this Ruby, nor have I found Rebecca on the 1901, so my guess is that Ruby was used as a nickname for Rebecca? So perhaps your Mary could have been Mary Rebecca with Ruby just being a nickname? Oh, and if it turns out that the GRONI staff will not search the indexes for you, you may find the Irish BMD indexes on microfilm at an LDS Family History Centre, though there are bits missing (every bit I really wanted to look at, for instance!!) It includes both the Republic and Northern Ireland as they were not separate in those days. Kate.

Another little thing... I've looked at the Post Office London Directory for 1910 and the entry for 59 Rosoman Street says 'Page Walter, corn chandler', so that must have been where Arthur Page's family lived rather than Mary / Ruby's family. Sorry, can't find them on the 1901 census at the moment. Kate.

One for later This is 59 rosomon street in 1901 View Record Arhtur S Page abt 1886 Clerkenwell, London, England Son Clerkenwell London View Record Eliza Page abt 1856 Rosewell, England Wife Clerkenwell London View Record Frank S Page abt 1883 Clerkenwell, London, England Son Clerkenwell London View Record Walter T Page abt 1881 Clerkenwell, London, England Son Clerkenwell London View Record Wlater Page abt 1854 Rosewell, England Head Clerkenwell London

No wonder I couldn't find them, as I was looking for Arthur and Walter!! Anyway, just thought I should add to the stuff about N. Ireland earlier on that you can order certificates from GRONI online and they will search for about 2 years either side of the date you give them, but I don't know if you would have enough information for them to find Mary's birth certificate without a search of the indexes, especially since you aren't sure where she was born. You could look at the online order form and see what you think, though. I think it costs £10 to order a cert. But you get a nicer one than you do from the GRO at Southport! Kate.