Hi all, I am a new subscriber as of today. I live in Ontario, Canada near the city where my grandparents settled after they married and moved from Birkenhead in 1909. The first name I am researching in Birkenhead is the Spark/e/s surname. Our origins are in the Great Sutton & Eastham areas of Cheshire. What I am now hoping to learn is the whereabouts of more recent family members as they moved towards Birkenhead. My great grandfather was Robert Spark, a tailor, born 1854 in Childer Thornton, Cheshire, son of John Spark, a gardener and Ann WILLIAMS. His siblings & their approximate birth dates were: Elizabeth (1849), Thomas (1850), Sarah (1851), John (1852), Joseph (1855), Sarah (1857), Lowe (1859), Ann (1861), Margaret (1862), Edward (1866), Frederick (1870), & Arthur (1872). Most of these children were born in Eastham. Robert married Elizabeth MINSHALL in Liverpool in 1878. Their children as far as I know at this time were: Arthur (B'head-1878), Sydney (B'head-1880), William Alfred (B'head-1881), Frederick (my grandfather) (Neston-1884), & Eulalia (B'head-1891). My grandfather married Maggie Hoylake FAIRCLOUGH in 1909 & they emigrated from Birkenhead to Ontario Canada. Wm. Alfred came here in 1913. I have a feeling that Eulalia may have died at a young age. My grandfather was a "ships carpenter" as my aunts described him and I have recently learned about the Camill Laird shipyard in Birkenhead. Would there be any further information about it out there somewhere? Would there be any other shipyards in Birkenhead besides this one at the turn of the last century? I am wondering if anyone has any connection with Robert & Elizabeth's family and could tell me if there are descendents of Sydney still around today or any other family members that I may not even know about as there is such a gap in age between Frederick & Eulalia? I am also hoping to make connections with descendents of John & Ann's other 12 children Thank you, Sandy (Spark) Stokes in Canada

Hello Sandy, I am afraid that I can't help you with you request but you came like a gift from above when you said that you live in Ontario. I am in Australia and I don't know whare to start with my problem. I have just received a copy of a Will probated in 1958 and in the bequests there are two women from Canada (as well as other people in Australia and New Zealand). This person died age 98 and was to our knowledge unmarried. My problem is were these close friends or perhaps daughters or widows of close friends. If they were related then I am sure he would have described the relationship in the Will. Is it possible to access any records that may help me to solve the problem. I will list these people because it might give you some ideas about advising me. LUCY M. CROSS of 813 Sixte (the last letter hard to read) Street, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, widow, JENNIE BRIGGS of 13 Oneida Avenue, Algonquin Island, Toronto, Canada, Widow. Any suggestions will be gratefully received. Regards, Mary O'Brien Queensland Australia > I am a new subscriber as of today. I live in Ontario, Canada near the city where my grandparents settled after they married and moved from Birkenhead in 1909. > > > > The first name I am researching in Birkenhead is the Spark/e/s surname. Our origins are in the Great Sutton & Eastham areas of Cheshire. > > > > What I am now hoping to learn is the whereabouts of more recent family members as they moved towards Birkenhead. > > > > My great grandfather was Robert Spark, a tailor, born 1854 in Childer Thornton, Cheshire, son of John Spark, a gardener and Ann WILLIAMS. His siblings & their approximate birth dates were: Elizabeth (1849), Thomas (1850), Sarah (1851), John (1852), Joseph (1855), Sarah (1857), Lowe (1859), Ann (1861), Margaret (1862), Edward (1866), Frederick (1870), & Arthur (1872). Most of these children were born in Eastham. > > > > Robert married Elizabeth MINSHALL in Liverpool in 1878. > > > > Their children as far as I know at this time were: Arthur (B'head-1878), Sydney (B'head-1880), William Alfred (B'head-1881), Frederick (my grandfather) (Neston-1884), & Eulalia (B'head-1891). My grandfather married Maggie Hoylake FAIRCLOUGH in 1909 & they emigrated from Birkenhead to Ontario Canada. Wm. Alfred came here in 1913. I have a feeling that Eulalia may have died at a young age. > > > > My grandfather was a "ships carpenter" as my aunts described him and I have recently learned about the Camill Laird shipyard in Birkenhead. Would there be any further information about it out there somewhere? Would there be any other shipyards in Birkenhead besides this one at the turn of the last century? > > > > I am wondering if anyone has any connection with Robert & Elizabeth's family and could tell me if there are descendents of Sydney still around today or any other family members that I may not even know about as there is such a gap in age between Frederick & Eulalia? I am also hoping to make connections with descendents of John & Ann's other 12 children > > > > Thank you, > > Sandy (Spark) Stokes in Canada > > > > ============================== > Visit Ancestry.com for a FREE 14-Day Trial and enjoy access to the #1 > Source for Family History Online. Go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=702&sourceid=1237 >