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Thanks Erika, I doubt that will happen though, sadly.

If the death cert is submitted and the DOB matches the 1939 entry, there is a chance that it will be opened

I suppose that, as his death was registered as Alfred William, the entry in the 1939 register for William A will never be opened. Is there any way round that?

His parents also took American citizenship at the same time in 1919. It seems strange that Thomas returned to England the same year as becoming an American citizen.

They seem to switch easily between Hillier and Hellier. The early records I've found from Devon, before they went to Canada, are mainly Hellier. An obituary for Martha Hellier states that her son Thomas is in England.

I didn't find 1920 incoming travel, only 1919, which gives his age as 24, occupation Ship builder.

According to his application for USA citizenship in 1919, his dob is given as 30 July 1896.

If that's him, he's still Hellier in 1911,if this is the right family:

Thomas Hellier
in the 1911 Census of Canada
Name: Thomas Hellier
Gender: Male
Marital status: Single
Race or Tribe: English
Nationality: Canadian
Age: 13
Birth Date: Jul 1897
Birth Place: British Columbia
Census Year: 1911
Relation to Head of House: Son
Province: British Columbia
District: Nanaimo
District Number: 10
Sub-District: 8 - Saanich
Sub-District Number: 8
Place of Habitation: MT Toluni
Religion: Anglican
Occupation: NG
Other Occupation: NG
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Language: E
Family Number: 158
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
James Hellier 48
Martha Hellier 54
Sarah Hellier 18
Thomas Hellier 13


Parents both born in England.

Yes - he died at the end of 1997, so registered early 1998.

Yes, death already posted.
But doesn't prove that he was (or wasn't) William Alfred at birth.



Re Thomas:

the 1920 incoming travel record gives his age as 24, therefore c1895, but 1939 says 1897.

[Edit: sorry, I meant 1919 - typo error.]

Is this his birth??

Thomas Hellier
in the British Columbia, Canada, Birth Index, 1851-1903
Name: Thomas Hellier
Gender: Male
Birth Date: 30 Jul 1897
Birth Location: Victoria
Registration Number: 1897-09-009022
BCA Number: B13812
GSU Number: 2134882

He married as just Alfred too:

Marriages Mar 1954
Burgess Violet F Hillier Hastings 5h 538
HILLIER Alfred BURGESS Hastings 5h 538

Rose

Then this death?


Name: Alfred Hillier
Event Type: Death Registration
Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration Year: 1998
Registration District: Hastings & Rother
County: Sussex
Event Place: Hastings & Rother, Sussex, England
Birth Date (available after June quarter 1969): Nov 1927
Volume: 4561A
Page: A63A

Rose

He definitely died in Hastings

This birth was registered in the last quarter of 1927.

Births Dec 1927
Hillier William A Kent Hastings 2b 14

Rose

If this is the death it doesn't match with the 1927 birth in Hastings:

Name: Alfred William Hillier
Event Type: Death Registration
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration Year: 1995
Registration District: Bury St. Edmunds
County: Suffolk
Event Place: Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Birth Date (available after June quarter 1969): 05 Feb 1927
Volume: 7421A
Page: A15D


Rose

I followed up on the Croydon one at great length, assuming at first that this was the correct one, but they had no connection at all with Hastings.

In the 1939 register, they were living at 95 High Street, Hastings, which is in the Old Town. When Thomas returned to England in 1919, on the ship passenger list he gave his address as 97 High Street Hastings.

When I say "Ancestry thinks so too", I mean that when I look at William A's birth on Ancestry, the death record is shown as a "Suggested Record" in the panel at the right hand side of the page.

Ancestry's suggestions are by no means foolproof, as they often include records of totally different people who happen to have the same or similar names.

However, with the birth year and death place, it seems like a fair guess.

But I'll repeat Rose's question:
"Does your friend know his father's birth and death dates?"

[EDIT: answered already, re death.]

There was an Alfred William Hillier born 1927 in Croydon.
An Alfred William Hillier died in Bury St Edmunds in 1995.

ArgyllGran, I've found these, on the assumption that the Thomas/Florence marriage is the correct one. I've based this on the Nel Peterson whom my friend named as his aunt.

Rose, Alfred William died in 1997

The family in 1939 - no help, as William/Alfred's a closed record:

Florence Hillier
in the 1939 England and Wales Register
Name: Florence Hillier
Gender: Female
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 5 Dec 1897
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 95
Residence Place: Hastings, Sussex, England
Occupation: Unpaid Domestic Duties
Schedule Number: 106
Sub Schedule Number: 2
Enumeration District: EIAD
Registration district: 69 1
Inferred Spouse: Thomas Hillier
Inferred Children: Thomas Hillier
Household Members:
Name
Thomas Hillier - 30 July 1897
Florence Hillier
Thomas Hillier - 18 Dec 1920
[ Plus 4 closed records ]

Births Mar 1921 (>99%)
Hillier Thomas Kent Hastings 2b 29