Hello Mary, Thanks, I will keep on trying with as many variations of search criteria as I can think of. Also, thanks for the tip about Redfern/MacDonaldtown. Cheers, - Ed On 13 June 2012 17:56, Mary Cunningham <mary@coredevelopments.com.au> wrote: > Hi > > I would search only under WHITMORE and within a given date range. > We all know how our ancestors often hated their given names, so > changed them around. > MacDonaldtown still exists, I think it is near Redfern. > > Mary Cunningham > > > On 14/06/2012, at 1:56 AM, Edward Plummer <edjplummer@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Hello - My great-grandfather 'William Ernest Sydney WHITMORE' is > understood > > to have born in Sydney and I am trying to obtain a copy of his birth > > certificate. > > > > William's parents were English and they all moved back to England soon > > after his birth, his death record indicates that his date of birth was > the > > 30th of August 1883. When William died in 1972 my grandmother and > > great-uncle registered his death in England and used his birth > certificate > > to do so. My great-uncle is still with us and told me that the local > > registry office used the birth certificate to record the death and they > > were then asked if the birth certificate could temporarily be kept as it > > was of interest. When my family members followed up and asked if they > > could have the birth certificate back they were told that certificates > were > > not stored at the register office and that they did not have the birth > > certificate. They are the events as have been described to me... > > > > My great-uncle informs me that the birth certificate definitely stated > > Sydney as the place of birth. While he assumed that the issuing > authority > > was the New South Wales government, he did say that he couldn't swear to > > it. That is why I am trying to establish if there are any other issuing > > authorities that could have registered the birth. Any ideas? If it > helps, > > from his recollection my great-uncle believes that William was born in > > Swann Lane in a suburb of Sydney called "MacDonald's Town". > > > > So far I have looked at the Historical Index Search on the NSW Registry > of > > B,D & M, and having also applied by mail have had a response saying that > > they do not have any record of William's birth. > > > > I have also contacted the General Register Office for England and Wales > and > > they confirm that they do not have William registered as an 'Overseas' > > birth. > > > > William's father 'Frederick William Humphrey WHITMORE' is a bit of an > > enigma, he was born in England in 1858. Frederick appears in England on > > the 1881 census and after William is born in 1883 I have not found any > > further records for Frederick. I am not entirely sure of the > circumstances > > of him disappearing, but apparently Frederick vanished without trace at > > some point in the 1880's. Frederick's wife 'Ellen LUCAS' death > certificate > > states that Frederick was in the New South Wales Mounted Police. I > > understand that Frederick may well have served (as a purser on the > > Glengoil) in the British Merchant Navy, but am still following up on > that. > > > > ***Any ideas on where else the birth of a child born to British parents > in > > Sydney in the 1880's may be registered would be much appreciated! > > > > ***Also, any ideas on where to locate details for persons serving in the > > New South Wales Mounted Police in the 1880's? > > > > Thanks for your time, > > - Ed. > > Please remember to snip most of the earlier message before you post any > > reply...... Thank you! > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > AUS-NSW-SYDNEY-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >