Genealogy Chat

Hi would appreciate help on this one. A great uncle of mine left home at a young age and went into residential care away from his birth area, where he could continue his education and train to become a vicar. He was born in staffordshire approx 1902, No one in the family knows what happened to him. I've tried searching for him under his birth name with no luck. Any of you Brain wizzards got any ideas please. thanks Lou

Do you know that he didn't continue with his birth name?? Merry

What information are you trying to find? Kath. x

Hi, I don't know if he continued with his birth name or changed it. I'm trying to find out what happened to him, whether he succeeded in becoming a Vicar, whether he got married, had children etc where he lived, the usual stuff. Its such a blank that any info would be great. Lou

The word 'vicar' is usually (though not always) applied to C fo E clergy. There is a year-book - Crockfords - which has names & career history of current clergy members. They do have an Archive, I believe, but you mayhave to visit. Christine PS - I think other denominations have something similar.

Would either of these sites help: http://www.staffordshirebmd.org.uk/ http://www.bmsgh.org/wmbmd/ Christine

Hi Christine, Thanks for that great info. I wasn't aware of any books that could help. I will try my local library 1st and will look into the sites you've mentioned. Thanks again. Lou

Hi Christine, just thought i'd give you an update, just contacted my local library about the Crockfords book and it appears my local Records Office has copies going back to the early 1900's. So on my next day off guess where I'm going?! Thank you so much for that info. Good Hunting to you, Regards Lou

When I saw Vicar, was about to leave a message about Crockfords and then saw the replies. This was how I found my great uncle. When you check Crocfords it will tell you where he trained and with a help from someone on the site, I found where his ordination records were kept. I then e-mailed the college he attended after I received the papers and asked if the college had year photographs and a very kind Right Reverend sent me 3 photocopies of the class photos and he was on 2 of them. It was really worth tracking down his papers because I got personal letters, declarations and his baptism cert which also had his date of birth on, good luck Elaine

Unless he's called John Smith you might be able to find his death reg on Ancestry if he died between 1984 ang 2001....(and if he stuck to his birth name!) Merry

Hi Elaine, Wow! That's really interesting and never thought that far a head, thanks for your thoughts, I'm hoping to visit the Record Office soon and start tracking him down. Thanks everyone for your thoughts, it's really appreciated. Regards and Good Hunting to you all, Lou