1939 National Register for England and Wales

I subscribe to FindMyPast online, a really good site indeed.

Recently they released files for the 1939 National Register for England and Wales.

Everyone was accounted for on Sept 29, 1939; over 41 million people.

Because there was no census taken in the 1940's, and the one in the 1920's was accidentally burned during WW II, there are no other records like this unless you go back to the 1911 census. So the 1939 Register is a great way to find out about your relatives living at that time. 

I looked up Robert David Williams (my paternal grandpa's brother) and found him living at 47 Fronfawr in Merioneth, Festiniog, Wales, with his wife Rose, and son William Frederick. Their dates of birth and their occupations are listed. There are other members of the family but they are blocked out as they were all still living in 1991, the cut off date. If any family members die afterwards, you must submit a copy of their death certificates to see their record. That's one of the firm rules.

I find it very interesting that this is now available, never having learned about it until recently. My grandpa, John Williams, was living in Saskatchewan at this time, and his sister, Elizabeth or Eleanor, (not sure which name she was known by) may have been living but I don't know her married name, so I'm unable to find her. 

47 Fron Fawr in Festiniog, Google Maps 2016.

47 Fron Fawr in Festiniog, Google Maps 2016.

By Loretta Williams Houben

Ancestry UK web site for genealogy research.

The above tree chart from Ancestry UK shows an 8th great grandfather, branching off through the Palmer/Bellamy/Bluett side all the way back to 1699!

Recently I tried out Ancestry for the first time, after Paul Williams, grandson of Robert David Williams, contacted me on August 30th. He found my Williams family tree by trying out one month's trial on Ancestry, and since then we've been emailing back and forth catching up on information.

I decided to try out Ancestry too, after they sent me a deal for one month that I couldn't refuse; only $2.00 Canadian for access to all their files.

I began to dig for Williams info but it's really difficult to find. I still haven't discovered the parents of Joseph Williams. So I began to dig around on the Bellamy side of things and I hit pay dirt!

The thing with Ancestry is that it's so easy to use. They do all the hard work. When you type a name in to search, voila! The name and dates are matched with other family trees, and those trees have more names and dates. It's so neat.

Of course they don't all match, so you choose "ignore" and the tree disappears.

I feel very important now that I've discovered the above branch of my Bellamy tree.

Here is a nice photo of Robert David Williams, discovered in my Dad's collection!

Yes, my Dad had this photo since 2004, when his mother passed away. Apparently Robert kept in touch with his brother John (my Dad's father) and he sent him a lot of photos!

I now have more old photos of him, than I do of my Grandpa when he was young.

Don't you think he looks quite dapper?

And just look at this! I'd never seen it before, but there it was sitting in my Dad's box.

This is Robert David Williams, and his young wife, Rose (Horrell).

I believe this is taken in 1920, and that is their first son, Robert Jr, born on December 22, 1916, so he would be nearly 4 years old. Little William Frederick, born June 6, 1920, is sitting on his mother's lap. William is Paul's father, the one I've been communicating with who lives in Perth, Australia.

I just love this photo. I immediately scan the photos and email them to Paul. He hasn't seen most of them, so it's a goldmine for him too.

This is the back of the photo.

When I read the name, "Aunty Nell" I nearly dropped the photo!

This is my grandpa's first wife. She died in 1926. So her hands would have held this.

Amazing. I guess my grandparents must have really been attached to Robert to have kept all the photos he sent to them, living far away in Canada. But it appears that no photos of Grandpa's family crossed the ocean to Robert or else they weren't saved so carefully.

Anyhow, I'm thrilled with all that's come to light recently.

I'm having the time of my life!

By Loretta Williams Houben