Find Living Relatives

Hello everyone!

First let me apologise for the length of this.

I've been researching my family for a while, so I've made good progress, but I'm having trouble with my paternal grandmother's Scottish side (BUCHANANs). As you see, they have a relatively common name, and the big problem is that my Dad (long deceased) never talked about his family at all. I know he had one sister, known to us as Aunty Len - I don't know what her real name was: could have been Helen, Ellen, Leonora, etc. I know he had a brother too.

The fact is that when their father died, they all fell out over the estate. I'm told my Dad never spoke to them again. So, anything I know about this family I've had to work out from certificates.

As far as I know, all of his contemporaries are now deceased, but surely some must have had families of their own, and they know quite a lot about their ancestry.

My father was born in 1916. I don't know if any (either?) of his siblings were much older, but I can't find any trace of them in the 1911 census. His father was a career soldier so may well have been out of the country a lot, but in any case, he had several forenames, at least one of which was not on his birth certificate (which I do have) and he signs himself something different again on my parents' marriage certificate

Any idea how I might go about finding these people?

Thanks for any help!

Can you post names so we can take a look?

Rose

Did their father leave a Will?

What was his name?

Who was their mother...........presumably she was born a Buchanan?

When/where were the parents born? And when did they marry?

Do you know your father's Mother's name?
Have you got a copy of the will?
Could you post their names and birth dates, etc?
Thanks

Hi Judy - I take it that by posting on here you've exhausted the records available on Scotland's People? http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

You need to give further info such as birthplaces and years of birth.

Yes, he left a will, but there was apparently a HUGE dispute over it, and either it couldn't be found or someone took it - our family has never seen it. Where would I start looking?

His mother's name is Alison Jane BUCHANAN (born St Giles, London of Scottish parents)
His father's name is (Arthur) Frederick Herbert BUCK (born Norwich Norfolk)

I have just this evening found Alison Jane and 'Aunty Len' in 1911in a Yorkshire barracks - presumable in married quarters - a huge triumph, so I'm grinning! Aunty Len was 3 - and an Ellen Edith.

Yes, MarieCeleste - I've spent a fortune on Scotland's People over this last week!

Sorry - birth dates

Alison Jane BUCHANAN St Giles 1887
(A) Frederick Herbert BUCK Norwich 1873

Thanks for all the questions and suggestions so far!

Parents marriage 1942 Holloway London
Gparents marriage 1906 Southwark London

1911 England Census
Arthur Frederick Herbert Buck
Age in 1911: 36
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Birth Place: Norwich, Norfolk, England
Civil parish: Walkington and Woodmansey with Beverley Parks
County/Island: Yorkshire-East Riding
Country: England
Marital Status: Married
Military unit: 3rd East Yorkshire Regiment
Registration district: Beverley
Registration District Number: 520
Sub-registration district: Beverley
ED, institution, or vessel: 20-22
Piece: 28563

Oh, thank you! That ties in nicely with Alison Jane's whereabouts. :)

So that confirms Auntie Len ... now to find out about other siblings. I think I'm stuck there, since they'll be after the 1911.

Still, good progress made - thank you very much!

Births Mar 1916
Buck Frederick D Buchanan St. Giles 1b 895

Is this his death - age out?
Frederick H Buck
Birth Date: abt 1872
Date of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec 1952
Age at Death: 80
Registration district: Pancras
Inferred County: London
Volume: 5d
Page: 555

I've looked at that one, myself, Patchem, and I think it might be! The only way to find out is to order the certificate, isn't it? See whose name is on there as informant, and if there's an address or anything.

Thanks for the help!

I don't know about the other record. Is it a birth 'Frederick D Buchanan Buck'? Perhaps I'm not reading it right.

It would be Frederick D Buchanan, mother's maiden name Buck.

The mother's maiden name (mmn) is shown on the gro birth index after Sep 1911.

DET

I think you mean Frederick D Buck mmn Buchanan

Found here

http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl

Aaaah, yes, of course! Got it! :) And in fact, I do have that one, but many thanks!

That would be my father. It's his siblings that are proving hard to find.

I know it's a slow, slow process sometimes, and having a break and coming back to the research often helps. I'll just keep digging, but I wondered if anyone had any tips on finding descendents rather than ancestors (which do seem rather easier)?

Jax - yes, sorry. In mitigation, I was on my way to bed ;-)

Anyway, after 1911, the last name on the gro birth index is the mmn.

Arthur's army pension records and service records are on Ancestry. They are free right now. Only children mentioned are Ellen Edith 16/08/07 and Frederick Duncan, 04/03/16.

Search for Arthur Fred or Arthur Frederick Buck.
Rose

Ellen's marriage:

Marriages Sep 1935
Buck Ellen E Howard Islington 1b 387
Howard William E A Buck Islington 1b 387

There's a death that fits for her in 1980.

Rose

London, England, Marriages and Banns, 1754-1921

Name: Arthur Frederick Herbert Buck
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Age: 31
Spouse Name: Alison Jane Buckanan
Spouse Age: 21
Record Type: Marriage
Event Date: 21 Oct 1906
Parish: Walworth Common
Borough: Southwark
Father Name: Frederick Herbert Buck
Spouse Father Name: Pater Rae Buckanan
Register Type: Parish Register