Genealogy Chat

My great grandfather was born in 1868 in Sevenoaks, Kent. His sister was born in 1870 and is listed as being born in Athens, Greece.

I'm puzzled why the family were in Athens for a few years.

The father of the family (my great, great grandfather) was an engineer with the railway - is this a clue?

were the British Rail Companies involved in Greece at this time?

I would be grateful if anyone can help or point me to any databases that may provide an answer.

Thanks

Have you looked for them on later census to see if it still reads the same

Yes, and I checked with the Births Overseas records on Findmypast and she was listed their with the same name Minerva Latham in the British Consular Birth Indices in Piraeus. She died when she was 17 so only appears on 1871 and 1881. By 1881 she is listed as Marian but again born in Athens. Puzzled!

I think I'd be curious enough to buy her birth certificate... How interesting.

Does the father feature on any outward bound shipping lists?

Gwyn

Same as Gwyn !! i would have to get the birth cert to see the info :-D

Wasn't there a WDYTYA who had a relative who travelled across Europe with a company helping to set up the railways?

You could try Googling for a railway historian and see if you can pick some brains.

Good Luck.

Jill

Not what you need, but maybe a bit of background ?

http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.com/getting-around-greece-train-history.htm

Gwyn

Have you seen this:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pbtyc/Den/Athens/Baps/Bap_1834-1875.html

Perhaps he was out there to build the Piraeus Railway. Might be worth tracing the Chadwicks underneath.

Rose

I see they were in Folkestone at some point.

If you want help in that area, please send a pm direct to me.

Gwyn

Hi folks,

Thank you so much for all your help. So exciting to see this information. I
Gwyn, I will drop you a pm today, Grateful for any help. The Lathams were a large family in Folkstone, very involved with the railways and I have since discovered that Henrys sister Emma Ann was manageress at the Grand Hotel, Hastings for many years having married the Manager!

Apologies folks. It was great, great grandfather John's sister who was at the Grand hotel not Henry's.

Ancestry have a database of railway workers - it's possible that her father shows on there.

Jill

Hi Jill, thanks for your suggestion, I did find records there for him but only when he was in Norwich and in Folkestone. Nothing for the Greek period.

I have now found a Museum for the Pireaus to Athens railway and have e-mailed to enquire about employee records