Find Living Relatives

Having a week off research ...just been contacted n
By an American great nephew of Nana maisie and he wants summary of all findings on his grandmother.

I kept missing good time to call Australia and didn't find international code

Mum seems to have lost interest in this search

I.m considering the DNA search when resume .....may leave GR which will sadden me but I think less and less people use it .

Ask a Librarian phone number - you might have to add on an international code
General reference queries: 03 8664 7002

Springvale Botanical Cemetery Phone (03) 8558 8278
(They might suggest you email - [email protected])

Do remember they're more likely to want to reply by email
a) To keep down their costs
b) They won't necessarily have the information at their finger-tips, especially the Ask a Librarian's.

Australia has some quite stringent privacy laws. Although it varies from State to State, you're lucky to find birth reg more recent than 100 years ago, marriages about 80 years or deaths within 50 or so within certain provisions such as age at death. That's why so much research relies on newpaper announcements or cemeteries.

A while ago I was looking for a relative - she was named as having collected her mother's ashes (contacted the cemetery after finding a listing) + there was a possible phone book listing with her initials. An Australian GR contact travelled across the Stateline to check the ER as they wouldn't have been available to a non-resident. So with 2 sources and the kind help of a 'local', we got there. Pity the relative wasn't interested. Not everyone welcomes contact from the 'old country'. :-0

Thanks argyll gran


I'm not ignoring suggestions ; just need time to get around to it .

My computer is cantankerous + blocka a lot and my eyes strain so i

prefer to wait to be with computer literate people when trying to access links


..I try and find phone numbers + enquire when possible

I do have free calls to australia

You could also send a seperate request asking them to give you the text from Jean's death announcement.

GIRVAN, Jean Dougall; Death12APR2006; age 79, at Bethlehem Hospital; Herald Sun 17APR2006

If you're lucky, it might give the names of relatives. Should the funeral directors be named, contact them. They might be willing to forward a message to whoever organised the funeral.
.....
No one minds accessing subscription sites, or giving links you may not be aware of. However, there are some suggestions you can follow up yourself.

Précis of death announcements can be found on http://ryersonindex.net/search.php

A large number of cemeteries or crematorium have on-line searchable sites listing the deceased's disposal. If asked, they will usually release additional info, but not contact details.

Well that's something.

You're unlikely to find later ER on-line. You need to send the Ask a Lbrarian service an email! The link is imbedded in the page given earlier....'on line enquiry form'.
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ask-librarian

Thanks Det

didnt manage to find ER on ask library but a C.Girvan seems to have written lots of articles

As it was Daniel who married Jean, it's difficult to say if the 1980 ER entry is for him or a son given the same name. Either are possible.

The previous on-line ER in 1972 only showed a Daniel & Jean. Either the 2 boys were away from home or they hadn't reached the age of majority. Ask the Ask a Librarian to check other years to discover when they first appeared on the ER & if there any other Girvans at the address.

Sorry joonie
.I did say I was looking for descendants

And I will learn to copy links to past research .

I don't mean to be wishy washy and should know by now that GR members champ at the bit to go back in time on research as far as possible ...sometimes without checking what the poster wants to know .

I am looking for living relatives was told there were 3 sons don't know if they had/have any children


:-D :-

then brigid ... once again I think ... why not just SAY the information you have???

and also tell people that you have asked for help in other places and what you have been given, and whether those requests are still active, risking this kind of duplication ...

detective
thanks so much for putting the link to Rootschat thread on here I cant do it from my tablet +
don't like sending people on research I already have

have to be careful not to inclde any poss living people on rootschat

jeans husband could still be alive

her parents emigrated around same time
malclm macdermid an elizabeth were living 9 vera st benyleigh victoria in 1963

malcolm died at oakleigh aged72 1966 is that any where near his daughter ?

rootschat Australia forum gave :

malcolms fathers name as malcolm actually it was duncan
mothers name jean kyle

the info i was given for elizabeths death at cheltenham aged 75 in 1973
says father andrew dougall mother jane deans

But actually Lizzie's mother was Mary Dougal single

thanks
yes
its a family name her gmother was lizzie dougall father malcolm macdermid

so she was jean dougall macdermid bferore marriage

then jean dougal Girvin

I had husbands name down as don .

could the 1980 daniel mclaughlin girvin be the 3rd son

or did i mistranscribe dan as don

I did put that she was deceased + had emigrated

it is info on the children that I'm looking for

Threads on Rootschat
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=719862.9

You'd already been informed or knew about the emigration.

GIRVAN, Jean Dougall; Death12APR2006; age 79, at Bethlehem Hospital; Herald Sun 17APR2006
Springvale Botanical Cemetery http://mgc.smct.org.au/deceasedsearch/result/704011
Jean Girvan Date of Birth 30 March 1927; Date of Death 12 April 2006; age 79; Cremated remains collected

Contact the Cemetery - they'd tell you who collected the remains, but not their contact details

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=719705.9
Had 3 sons of which 1 Ross David Girvan (now Deceased)

It would help if you told us what you already knew rather than expect us to find it ourselves.
so who is the third son?

From the Australian National Archives site

GIRVAN Daniel Mclaughlan born xx October 1922; Jean (nee Macdermid) born 30 March 1927; travelled per CAMERONIA departing UK on 20 February 1952 under the Assisted Passage Migration Scheme

1980 Electoral Roll, the last one available on Ancestry
Daniel Mclaughlan Girvan
Gender: Male
Electoral Year: 1980
Subdistrict: Moorabbin Heights
State: Victoria
District: Hotham
Country: Australia
9 Vera St, Oak S
Occupation – mechanic

Girvans at the same address
Jean Dougal – home duties
Ross David – mechanic
Christopher Robert - upholsterer

Is Dougal a family name or does it imply she wasn't Jean Macdermid?

There's a good chance that Ross and Christopher are their children.

If they stayed in Victoria, there are listings with the first initials only on the on-line phone book http://www.whitepages.com.au/
If you know where Jean died, then look in that location/state.

The Victorian Ask A Librarian service might be able to trace them forward
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ask-librarian

My dad's cousin emigrated to Australia in the 50's from Scotland
With her husband D Girvan

Jean Dougal Macdermid Girvan died in 2006

Her cousin my aunt is 90 this year and would love to here from any descendents