Hello again, I was not quite sure if you received this message as I posted it the same day as I subscribed....anyway just in case I am posting it again, and hoping someone can help. Many thanks and I hope you do not think me a pain. Regards Valerie. ----- Original Message ----- From: Valerie Compton To: ENG-GLOS-FOREST-DEAN-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Sunday, 2 May 2004 17:09 Subject: Genealogy help!! Hello List, I am trying to locate where my Grandfather, John William Shaw, b. Sept 1891, where I do not know. I know from his marriage cert. that his father was John Shaw (deceased), mother's name not given. He married Winifred Brown from Coleford in Dec. 6th. 1914, at St. John's Church. (at that time he was working as a collier). At the age of 14 in 1905 he was put onto a navy training ship, the "Warspite" and in 1906 onto the merchant training ship, the "Port Jackson". In the margin of his entry it says "orphan". He used to tell us that his parents were killed in a horse and carriage accident and that he also had a younger brother Victor who was also killed at an early age. He told us that he was brought up by a maiden aunt. Listed also in the margin of entry was guardian, Laura Annie Robinson, Leigh on Sea. But after extensive searching I cannot find anything to do with them in Leigh, so it may have just been close to Grays and the training ships. I have a photo of my Grandfather in naval uniform taken in 1905 aged 14, by a "F. N. Jones, 8 Gloucester Rd., Coleford. Now I know it may be a long shot but I was wondering why he kept going back to that area of Coleford and obviously continued to do so for many years, meeting my Grandmother Winifred Brown and marrying her there at the age of 23 Did he come from that area?? Has anyone on the mailing list any records that they could look up for me..his birth in 1891 or his parents marriage about 1890 + - 5 years? I do not know if Laura Annie Robinson was related to him...maybe the maiden aunty...are any of her records in that area. Any suggestions or different views would be greatfully accepted. Many thanks to you all. Valerie.