General Chat

Shy, I think it's because we are told they were nice that we want to meet them! Im off to bed now, So I will answer you tomorrow! Pat

Have PM'ed you.

N.R lol Maz, I know the feeling, I wanted to trace the census for Brazil, but there isn't one :-( Pat

Romany Star, Not heard of Gentila, But Genty is a Romany name. Funny you say Roberts, My aunt married a Roberts and im sure I was told they were of Italian descent. I will have to have a look in my records. I have a Loretta on my tree too. Pat

yes Pat, very frustrating as NZ hasn't got census returns like we have and I haven't found any descendants of his cousin who would be the only ones who are even remotely likely to know! Maz. XX

My grandad - dads side - because id ask him lots of q's & also he couldnt have been that bad because he married my gran god love her x

Hi, my great gran was Gentila, although her surname was Roberts. (Allegedly, because I cant find a birth or marriage for her!) Her granddaughter was Lorita, which I think may be Italian.

Star, xx Maz, Yeah it would be great to find out wouldnt it. How is the key though isn't it! Pat x

Hi Pat :-) I wish I could have met my paternal grandfather. I would love to know if he really DID stow away on that ship to NZ, or if it is just an embellished family story. Would also love to hear from him about HIS maternal grandparents as I can't get back past them! Maz. XX

My Dad.

Colin, Photo's are so precious! As I said my mum was brought up by her grandparents but called them mum and dad. She didnt even know they weren't her 'real' mum and dad until she was 12 years old when another child off the site (caravan) told her. They wouldn't speak of her mum and sadly there are no photo's. She didn't even know her mums real name untill I found it! I know that there's only one thing better my mum could have than that photo of her dad, and thats one of her mum. Romany, I always knew they were Romanian, through personal memories, Natrualisation certificates etc. I knew that they were not Italian. It could have something to do with WW1 as this census (US) was in 1920. Is the name an Italian sounding name? Did they Anglicise it? Pat

Thats interesting, do you know if this was done by many Roma?? Ive never felt a link to Italy, but have to Romania (years ago, when I was a child. Was fascinated by the national dress.) How did you find out they weren't Italian?

Hi Pat :):) Thank You for adding your story for me to see. To be honest just reading this has me choked a little for my mum. The desperation to find this one photograph gets to me often. Your story does give me hope that I may find just one, sadly mum is getting older as the years go by and If I could do just this one thing I would feel so much better. I managed to trace the main details including the service records of which I had hoped would have carried the photograph also but was not to be, There was an error made a while ago which I wished I had held back on some information regarding who I believe is mums half brother which I feel led to a brickwall being put up also. Mum made a direct contact even though I asked for it to be done gently and it appeared at that time that the second wife was still alive and into her late 80s and of course it would have been wrong to bring back painful memories for her also. You see they married not long after the divorce and sadly my grandad died within months of the wedding also. Hopefully there will be time for me to make further contact if just for that one photograph. Colin :):)

David, Too many people and too many questions! Romany Star, Some of 'my' Gypsies put Italy as place of birth on census, etc When really they were Romanian. I think it was because it was seen as 'nicer' to be Italian than Romany. Lindy, Again too many people to ask! Jan, That's sad. I can see why you would want to meet him. MM There will always be more!! Pat

Colin, My mum's dad is not listed on her birth cert. Her mum died when she was a baby and she was brought up by her grandparents (Who she calls mum and dad) who didn't tell her anything about her mum or dad. All we knew was that her mum was a bit of a tearaway and my mum was born in a children's home. After a long search I racked down some hospital records relating to my grandmother. There was one passage written down that went ' Rose was discovered on the (date) in the Laundry room with _______ and as a result she is now pregnant'. It took me a long time to get the records office to disclose to me his name, as they were bound by the Data Protection Act. Eventually though, they did (Only because he had since died). My story didnt end there....... I found out as much as I could about my grandfather and discovered he had a daughter who used this site. Very cautiously I contacted her and told her my story. She was great about it and sent me some photo's of her father. When I got them the resemblence between him and my mum was astounding. There was no question in my mind that he is her father. I will never forget the day I took the photo's to my mum. At that time she didn't even kow here dads name, let alone have a picture of him. I honestly think it's the best 'present' I could have ever given her. Pat

Just had a look - lovely photos, Pat. There are two people specially I want to talk to - great-granny Susan Harrison nee McCusker; no, not just her, her brother and sister and their parents, too! - and Mary Ann Dyball, who erected an incredible gravestone for my great-great-great-grandparents Jonathan and Sarah Sadd in Suffolk, and whose life I have been following. And after that, there will be more ... :-)

Sue, It must have been very difficult for her. Colin, I know exactly where you are coming from with the photo story. I'll add my story in a sec, (will see if I can paste it from another thread as it's quite long!) Pat

My brother, He died aged 4, eighteen months before I was born. Mum talks about him alot, so I've feel I know him, would just like to meet him, Visit his resting place and talk, but not the same Jan x

My great Grandfather Hackart, There are so many questions that he could answer in an instant. Lindy ;))))))))))))

They came over from Italy in the late 1800s, and settled in Bristol.