Hong Kong ?1939 -1941

[bibliojunkie]

Can anyone tell me where I may find HK births and marriages? I was hoping for a format similar to FreeBMD or Ancesspit. After searching for hints here and rooting around various sites I’ve not come up with anything. There was a reference number in the TNA catalogue but clicking on that got me going round in circles. Other sites give garrison church details but the dates are after the period I want.

I can’t mention any names because there may be living relatives. The man was a serving soldier, not sure whether he was a regular or conscripted (think the latter given the family background). His regiment’s history indicates it was in Hong Kong at the time of the fall to the Japanese in 1941. My man was captured and died the following year when his ship was torpedoed while transporting POW’s to Japan. According to the CWGC he was married to a named woman ‘of Hong Kong.’ It is this marriage and any issue I am trying to find.

Ali

PS Mods please move if this thread is in the wrong place.

[Lincoln Lad]

FindMyPast has army marriage indexes 1881-1955, also army birth indexes from 1881 to 1965 if he married whilst in the army.

if you would care to pm me the name I will check and see if I can find anything for you.

[bibliojunkie]

Many thanks Lincoln Lad - I'll PM you the details.

Ali

[bibliojunkie]

Lincoln Lad, I've tried to send email twice but neither one has shown up in my sent box. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. Will try again later.

Ali

[Lincoln Lad]

Hi Ali, have received and replied to your e-mails, no luck though I am afraid.

Good hunting
Keith

[bibliojunkie]

Hi Keith. Thanks for going through all those HK records - much appreciated. I'd also looked at UK registrations but couldn't find anything. Perhaps the CWGC can shed some light on the matter.

Ali

[Peter Goodey]

Was he English? If he was Scottish, different considerations apply.

[bibliojunkie]

Nope. He was born in Islington and served in an English regiment. Given the family background and father's profession, I doubt approval for the CWGC inscription would have been given if the couple were not 'officially' married.

Ali

[Peter Goodey]

If you've checked the various army indexes, I suppose RG 32 is a possibility

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/c...e#scopecontent

See Scope and Content.

[bibliojunkie]

Thanks Peter. Keith was the one who did all the work on the Army records. I'd already checked the TNA without success but then I hate trying to find anything there! The surname is one of those that brings up a huge amount of irrelevant stuff. I'm going to the TNA in the new year so I'll add this query to the list.

Ali