Trying to trace back ancestors of my wife.

[Colin Rowledge]

Another thread was started about a month ago. Please, to viewers of this one, disregard and respond here.

The name of the person I am interested in is Ferdinand Darrer.

Finding information has been difficult but I do have what I believe to be reliable information:
1] He was born in Austria circa 1871 - father also named Ferdinand - nothing else known
2] He was a Merchant Seaman and arrived in Northern Ireland in the late 1890's
3] The 1901 Irish census has him working as a Servant at a hotel - possibly the Windsor or Imperial Hotel, in Belfast which was located on Donegall? Place. He was now known as Fredereick and by the transcriber was indicated as "Frederick Denver". Also working there was a lady - transcribed as Mary McCusker and working as a Servant.
3] On December 25, 1901 he married Mary. I have details but not the marriage certificate..
4] Between 1901 and 1910 they produced 4 children - all names are known but will not be listed as descendants may object.
5] The 1911 Irish census has the family living on Condahar Street, Ormeau, County Down. He is now a Head Waiter in a Hotel.
6] On March 20, 1919 a daughter - Josephine Patrica Darrer is born. Her Birth Cert. indicates her father is now a Restaurant Owner and living in Haypark Cottages, Belfast

And that is all we know.

Josephine Patricia married in 1939 and her last child was my wife [born 1948]. Josephine Patricia died 18months later in 1949.

My wife, never knowing her Mother would like background on her Grandparents. Can this be done based upon what knowledge we have?

Colin

[Geoffers]

If this thread seems familiar it is because there is another (now closed thread), here

TNA's Archon directory gives details of the Austrian National Archives who would seem likely to be the first place to try for records of their Merchant Navy

TNA's research guides may give some ideas as to where to look for Merchant Seamen records following your chap's migration.

[Colin Rowledge]

Hi Geoffers - I don't want to confuse the issue.

The thread you closed was relating to another family - on my side that I am trying trace that had Austrian- Finnish-Swedish connections.

The thread mentioned above that I don't want acknowledged[and is still open] is for one that a person inadvertently added the names of living people and then -------------

If you are still unsure please contact me by pm

Cheers
Colin

[Geoffers]

Colin
You are confusing me

So, this thread which is open...........

1] He was born in Austria circa 1871 - father also named Ferdinand - nothing else known
2] He was a Merchant Seaman and arrived in Northern Ireland in the late 1890's

does not relate to the same person in the locked thread?..........................

The ancestor came from Austia in the late 1890's. He has the same given name as his father and was born around 1875. When he arrived in Ireland he was in the Merchant Navy - Austrian, we believe.

The basic query appears to remain the same so the duplicate thread will remain closed for the time being.

The basic advice remains the same too, to initially try the Austrian State Archives (see link in my previous message) to see if Merchant Seamen records for that country survive.

[Colin Rowledge]

I would like responses from members that can assist. Thi is of an important matter as my wife has a trip planned in about 7 weeks and would like something concrete.

I will pursue the links Geoffers has supplied, but if others can assist as well, I would be most obliged.

Colin

[Elwyn Soutter]

Colin,

Ferdinand might have been naturalised as British as some stage. If so, that should give you a little info about his ancestry. Have you investigated that, at TNA?

Elwyn