Genealogy Chat

Please share any tips you may have on working forward ..

For example, I have an ancestor who I would like to discover more about, born in 1878 in Bristol - William Edward Parker - I have established he married Edith Annie Crook in 1902 and had a son Melville John Parker. I was hoping to find out a little more about William - whether he had any more children etc and more about Melville . I am struggling to get anywhere as I am not sure what documents other than census returns place families together.

Working back I have lots of info, but coming forward in time is a real challenge , any tips would be very welcome :-)

It would be a case of searching records after that time, eg, did he serve in WW1, have you found his death, is he listed on the probate calendar, have you googled his name, also check what documents can be found at the local studies library also search the national archives site

Roy

You can try freebmd for children born after 1911 surname Parker, mother's maiden name Crook.

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/

and census 1911 for children born before then.

I cant find any WW1 records that fit, in fact all I can find on Melville is that he was born in 1904 and census record 1911 - you would think with a name like that it would be easy :-)

According to census 1911, they had two children of the marriage and lost one before census 1911:

Address: 47 Elliston Road Redland
County: Gloucestershire

PARKER, William Edward Head Married M 34 1877 Auctioneer Estate Agent Valuer City and County Bristol
PARKER, Edith Annnie Wife Married 9 years F 27 1884 City and County Bristol
PARKER, Melville John Son M 7 1904 City and County Bristol


EDIT - OOps, see you already have census 1911.

Thanks Kucinta , I hadn't noticed that on the census, 2 children born and only 1 alive I wonder what happened to the other child ? clearly a sad story as they had only been married for a few years at that point.

Possible death?

Name: William E Parker
Birth Date: abt 1878
Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1946
Age at Death: 68
Registration district: Bristol
Inferred County: Gloucestershire
Volume: 6a
Page: 53

1938 Phone book

Name: William E Parker
Address: Auctr, Estate Agnt, 43 Nicholas St, 1
Exchange: Bristol
City/Town: Bristol
Directory Title: Bristol/ Exeter/ Plymouth/ Cornwall / Gloucester / South Wales / Southampton/ Portsmouth/ Bournemouth
Publication Year: 1938
Directory County: Gloucestershire, Devon, Hampshire
Page Number: 122

removed the link, it was not the same man

Roy

Could it have been his father and a brother though?

Martin, was William Edward's father Edward T Parker?

? here is the link then just incase

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/3281843334/

Roy

Hi Roy,

I think Edward T Parker in the article you found could be William Edward Parker's father.

Census 1881:

Address: 15, Hepburn Rd, Bristol St Paul (In)
County: Gloucestershire

>>>>PARKER, Edward T Head Married M 25 1856 Auctioneer & Accoun Clerk Winterburn, Gloucestershire
PARKER, Emman Wife Married F 21 1860 Keynsham, Somerset
>>>>PARKER, William E Son Single M 4 1877 Scholor Bristol, Gloucestershire
PARKER, Florence E Daughter Single F 1 1880 Bristol, Gloucestershire
JONES, Louisa Servant Single F 16 1865 Domestic Servant Bristol, Gloucestershire

Thanks Roy & Kucinta
Yes, William was the first child of Edward T Parker and Emma White Godfrey.
Emma died in 1899 and Edward T . Remarried to Lucy Elsa Carter . I am descended from this second marriage and have lots of info regarding this line, however I know much less about his first marriage. It was quite a surprise to my 83 year old father when i recently told him he had a (Half) uncle William.

Looks like son Leslie who inherited the business was a younger son from a second marriage:

Census 1911:

Address: Danecourt 30 Elgin Parkk Bristol
County: Gloucestershire

PARKER, Edward Thomas Head Married M 55 1856 Auctioneer And Estate Agent Winterbourne Glos
PARKER, Lucy Elsa Wife Married 11 years F 31 1880 Cavendish Sqr London
>>>PARKER, Leslie Edward Son M 10 1901 30 Elgin Park Bristol
PARKER, Eric Edward Son M 6 1905 30 Elgin Park Bristol
POPPLESTONE, Lillian Maud Servant Single F 28 1883 Paville Plymouth
ROSE, Ethel Sarah Elizabeth Servant Single F 21 1890 Clapham London

EDIT: Will have to type faster! Martin was posting as I was still typing.

Leslie was my fathers father, but never mentioned his half brother William to my dad .
Edward T was quite prominent in the Bristol business world and is remembered for founding Bristol dogs home

Name: William Edward Parker
Probate Date: 20 Sep 1946
Death Date: 2 Feb 1946
Death Place: Bristol, England
Registry: Bristol

Parker William Edward of 43 St Nicolas Street died 2nd Feb 1946 at 18 Victoria Walk Cotham Bristol. Probate 20th Sept Bristol to Frederick James Cooper estate agent. Effects £8728 18s.

Hmm interesting, I wonder if they worked together or if they were related in any way ?

You could always try sending off to see if there was a will - i would have thought it likely as he was a business man.

A will might shed light on what happened to Melville, as there are so few records on him, did he emigrate?

http://www.justice.gov.uk/courts/probate/copies-of-grants-wills

Interesting...Melville and his mum went to Australia, did they stay?

Name: Melville John PARKER
Date of departure: 11 February 1913
Port of departure: London
Passenger destination port: Sydney, Australia
Passenger destination: Sydney, Australia

Date of Birth: 1905 (calculated from age)
Age: 8
Marital status:
Sex: Male
Occupation:
Passenger recorded on: Page 6 of 13





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The following people with the same last name travelled on this voyage: -

Mrs Edith Annie PARKER Page 6 of 13



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Ship:
Official Number:
Master's name:
Steamship Line:
Where bound:
Square feet:
Registered tonnage:
Passengers on voyage:
WILCANNIA
110154
Percy W Scott
P. & O. Branch Service
Australia
6778
3128
317

Edith issued a divorce petition against William in 1912:

Item reference J 77/1085/2921
Divorce Court File: 2921. Appellant: Edith Annie Parker. Respondent: William Edward Parker. Type: Wife's petition for divorce [wd]. ...


Covering dates 1912

Held in the National Archives at Kew