Totally ignorant

[Brian Elms]

I live in Mombasa, Kenya but was originally born in England. I would be interested in tracing my family history but haven't the faintest idea how to do it and would appreciate any guidance on how to get started. Is there a site where you can ask someone to look it up for you?

[jeeb]

Hi Brian,
Welcome to this forum. If you are looking for a site where you can get help with your family research you have found the best one. The fun of tracing your family is achieved from doing it yourself but of course everyone needs guidance ast first and so what I suggest you do is post information about your family on here and wait and see - you will probably be pleasantly surprised.

Cheers Jeremy

[Bo Peep]

|wave|Hello Brian and welcome to Brit-Gen. We hope you will enjoy being a part of our community.

[Brian Elms]

Many thanks Jeremy and Bo Peep. Historically all I know is that my Father's name was Leonard Elms and my Mother's was Grace nee Weller and they were both born in the East End of London around the Plaistow area. Both were born in 1906 I think. My Father had one brother named Daniel and my Mother had 3 sisters, Minnie, Lily and Ivy. My grandfather on my Mother's side was called Sam Weller and I think on my Father's side he was also called Daniel. That is all I know!

[Copper]

Free BMD
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/

has birth registrations for a Grace Weller and a Leonard Elms in West Ham (that is the registration district).

As you are not sure about the exact year of birth it would be best to start with the marriage of your parents. You will need to check the GRO marriage index for this and if found you will need to order a copy of the marriage certificate.

The GRO indexes are available to view from the comfort of your home via several pay to view sites.

The certificate can be ordered online from here
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/

You will need to assume that they married age 21 or later. This means checking every quarter in years 1927 onwards. You will have to search for Leonard Elms, make a note of the details of any you found. Then check the same years and quarters that you found Leonard in but this time search for Grace Weller. When all the details match then you have found your couple.

As an example this is what you need to find

1930 Mar quarter, John Smith, West Ham 4a 66
1930 Mar quarter, Mary Jones, West Ham 4a 66

You need to make a note of the following information to order a certificate

Year, Quarter, Surname, Forename, Registration district, Volume number and page

A certificate will cost £7.

I hope that this makes sense. If you are still in the dark just shout and we will try and help.

[jeeb]

Hi Brian,
This will get you wanting to know more!


Your grandfather was Daniel Elms. He married Blanche Amelia Perry in Jan/Mar 1894 St Saviour , Southwark registration district ref Vol 1d page 216

They had a son Daniel in 1896 and lived in the Plaistow district of London in 1901.

Your Great grandparents were Daniel Elms(born 1840) & Jane Hedgecock, (born 1842)married in 1859 at Newington. ( I suspect this was his second wife) They had your grandfather Daniel in 1872. They also had these daughters Jane 1859, Elizabeth 1862, Sophia 1864, Emma 1867 & Alice 1870.

I can let you have references if you wan t them. Please let me know if you need further assistance.

Cheers Jeremy

[Brian Elms]

Absolutely fantastic - thank you Copper and Jeremy. How did you manage to find all that out so quickly?

[Mutley]

Hello Brian,
Copper and Jeremy are very good and have lots of experience that they are more than happy to share. I have reason to be thankful to both of them.

I do not have as much 'know how' but have found the same details as Jeremy. Some of the sites that you need to look at are free and some are pay to view or subscription.

I tried to find the marriage of your parents Leonard Elms and Grace Weller but unfortunately, could not. However, this is an interesting entry, they may be related somehow? Wrong year, wrong first names. Correct surnames, correct place.

Harriet F Weller married Frank H Elms
in the 3rd quarter of 1914 at West Ham. 4a/263

[Copper]

Mutley, I think that Brian's parents marriage is out of range for Free BMD at the moment. He thinks that his parents were born in 1906 so I would look for a marriage in the actual indexes from 1927.

I was working on the basis that a marriage certificate would at least give the names and occupations of the fathers and hopefully the ages of the happy couple. Sometimes of course we all get hit by the "full age" which is not that helpful.

Never forget that proof is the key :-)

[Mutley]

I agree entirely Copper. The marriage certificate is essential.

I had a quick look on Ancestry Partial Index from 1925 - 1930 but only the above entry who may be cousins or unknown older siblings or not connected at all, kept showing.

Brian really needs to look at the full index.