View Full Version : Alexander Wilson Grant
I am looking for any information on the above after 1917. He was born in 1900 at 21 Jamaica Street Edinburgh and his parents were Alfred john Grant 1877-1902 and Flora Love 1881-1926 He served with the Gordon Highlanders in WW1 but was discharged for being under age in 1917, After which I can find no trace of him. His Mother Remarried in 1905 to William Charles Donaldson and emigrated to Michigan USA where she died in 1926 .
There's a record for him on fmp in the British Royal Air Force, Airmen's service records 1912-1939. There's not an awful lot of detail (it's definitely him though as nok is Flora Donaldson of 5 Cherry Bank, Aberdeen, mother) but the final discharge date from the RAF reserves is 30 Apr 1920 when he was living at his mother's address.
Thanks Merry I will check that out at my local Library, do you think there is a possibility he could have also served in WW2 as he would only have been 40. Have just looked at Commonwealth War Graves sight, found a Pilot Officer Alexander Wilson Killed in WW2 but it is not our man.
MargaretMarch
02-01-15, 07:06
Thanks Merry I will check that out at my local Library, do you think there is a possibility he could have also served in WW2 as he would only have been 40. Have just looked at Commonwealth War Graves sight, found a Pilot Officer Alexander Wilson Killed in WW2 but it is not our man.
Might be worth checking the address for the years following to see who was there. The library local to the address should be able to tell you where the registers are held.
Margaret
His Mother Remarried in 1905 to William Charles Donaldson and emigrated to Michigan USA where she died in 1926 .
I'm guessing you have info on Flora and William Donaldson's emigration, but just in case not.....
William Donaldson 43 engineer
Flora Donaldson 41 housewife
Wilfred Donaldson 8 child
travelling to become resident in the USA on the Canadian Pacific ship, Montcalm, sailed 26 Jan 1923 from Liverpool bound for St John NB (New Brunswick) Canada.
Their previous home address was given as 6 Cherrybank, Aberdeen
If Flora died in 1926 this second trip overseas must have been shortly before her death ....
Departure from Greenock 12 Mar 1926 on the Canadian Pacific ship Montnairn bound for St John NB Canada
Flora Donaldson housewife 45, of 40 Union Terrace, Aberdeen
Ella Donaldson clerk 19, ditto
So, another address to check for Alexander.
catfordcrooner
02-01-15, 13:09
Perhaps he went to Michigan to be with his mother on hearing of her ill-health and stayed there
I see that Ella and William Donaldson, aged 16 and 14, travelled out just after their parents in 1923. Their home address was 105 Union Grove Aberdeen.
Hi All,
The donaldson Family settled around Detroit Michigan and I have most of their details. Alexanders three half Siblings, Walter Charles Donaldson 1905-1972, Isabella Donaldson 1906-1998 and Wilfred Gordon Donaldson 1916-1975. I am in touch with a Donaldson family member in America and we have both done extensive research but can not find any threads on Alexander joining the Donaldsons in Michigan.
I see that Ella and William Donaldson, aged 16 and 14, travelled out just after their parents in 1923. Their home address was 105 Union Grove Aberdeen.
Are these two not the same family then? You don't mention a William a couple of years younger than Ella.
Hi Merry,
Yes thats right, it's the same Family William C Donaldson 1908-1957. I did not have him in my tree. Have visited local library today and printed out records many thanks.
Gengrant......Have you traced your Alexander's family back further at all?
I always notice a Grant as I have them in my line. Mine are from Cabrach parish mostly, but my direct lot came to Australia in the 1830s. I also have Gordon and Kellas from the same area.
Hi HarrysMum,
Our line comes from Aberdeen my Grandfather was George king Grant 1875-1931. he was a Granite Letter Cutter and his Father John Forbes Grant 1843-1893 was a Granite Merchant at one time employing 35 men & 10 boys. My Uncle James Thom Grant was an Engineer in the Merchant Navy emigrated to New Zealand in 1927 and my Father William Wilson Grant also emigrated to NZ in 1938 after spending nine years working in Burma with Wilson Latham & Co. an Import Export Company.
Have you got back prior to the 1843? A lot of them left the Cabrach area in the 1830s. I know it's a common name though. I've tracked them back through Culloden but can't quite work out the Gordon connection there as mine were called Graich Gordon's which apparently meant they changed sides or deserted. Considering I have Grants marrying Gordon's for generations, there must be some truth there I think.
John Forbes Grants parents were Alexander Grant b1795 Aberdeen, Death 8th August 1847 in Newhills Aberdeenshire. His mother was Elspet Courage 1798-1867. Alexander Grants parents were Alexander Grant 1774 and Ann Taylor 1775
Hope you are well. I have discovered your thread from 2015 re Alexander who is my maternal grandfather, so we could be cousins. Sadly, we don’t really know very much about him as we think he left the family around the early 1930s. I am trying to pick up a cold trail. Seeing all your information about your father and uncle and Alexander’s mother is really exciting. We do have a family tree, with Alexander Grant Senior’s descendants, but it is the Detroit family I have been trying to locate.
This could well be his death reg:
GRANT, ALEXANDER WILSON
51
GRO Reference: 1952 J Quarter in ST. MARYLEBONE Volume 05D Page 278
His exact date of birth would be helpful. He may be (or that person who died in 1952 may be) on the 1939 register. The dob would help prove/eliminate.
Hi Merry dob 18 November 1900, Edinburgh, Midlothian
M to Ellen Smith October 1927 St George’s, Hanover square, London
This looks like them on the electoral rolls:
Alexander Wilson Grant and Ellen Grant 1937 and 1938 at 242 Belle Grove Road, Bexley, Kent
Yoo asked me by pm how to learn more about AWG's death. You would need to get a copy of the death certificate. The cheapest way would be to buy a pdf copy from here:
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/
You also said something about a second marriage?
This is probably him on the 1939 Register:
10 Bessboro Mews, City of Westminster, London
Alexander Grant, a motor engineer, married (wife not with him). His dob is listed as 18 Nov 1896 and transcribed as 16 August 1896! However, 18 11 00 is written above the original date.
Thank you very much Merry
Do you know what happened to Ellen Grant nee Smith? Have you worked out anything about her from the information on the marriage cert, such as her age and where she was from? Do you know if she had any children with Alexander before Sept 1939 who have since passed away? Their entry on the 1939 register may have been opened, but there are too many Grant/Smith births for me to look at!
As Alexander and Ellen were together in 1938 on the electoral rolls and he says he is married in Sept 1939 is that likely to be to Ellen as well?
This looks like them on the electoral rolls:
Alexander Wilson Grant and Ellen Grant 1937 and 1938 at 242 Belle Grove Road, Bexley, Kent
I finally found this address on the 1939 Register (Bellegrove not Belle Grove on FMP), but it is empty! I'd hoped to find Ellen there.
On the 1939 Register there's:
19 West Park, Woolwich, London
Ellen Grant b 10 Jan 1897 Assistant To Cook War Memorial Hospital, married
No children in the house.
Others in the house are Charlotte Smith single dob 31 Mar 1899 and Charlotte Smith widow dob 2 Nov 1862.
Looking back at the 1901 and 1911 census the two Charlottes are Ellen's sister and mother. In 1911 their address is 2 Belle Grove Road Welling (Bexley) Kent. In 1901 they are at 2 William's Terrace, but I think this may be the same address as when Charlotte senr said Belle Grove Road in 1911 the enumerator recorded it as William's Terrace!
So, I don't know that this is definitely the correct Ellen, but it looks possible! Any children may have been evacuated. If this is the right Ellen then the father's details from the marriage certificate should match with what is on the 1901 census - Alfred Smith, dock labourer. He died between 1901 and 1911. In 1901 he was aged 49 and born in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. If the father is someone else on the marriage cert then I probably have the wrong Ellen!
Hi thank you again Merry
Ellen is my grandmother! B January (I think) 1897. She and Alexander just had my mum, Jean Margaret, 29 October 1928, but I believe he wasn’t around after a while. That is the address Mum grew up in. Interesting he was still there in 1939 as Mum doesn’t say much and I always got the impression he was only around when she was quite young.
Ps Merry I know lots about my Mum’s maternal side as grew up myself knowing some of my aunts and my Nan. But I do want to look at her grandmother’s family, who were Bentleys from Wiggenhall, St Germans, Norfolk.
So were they divorced? You said something about a second marriage, but I wasn't sure if you meant for Alexander or for Ellen?
I have seen your mum's entry in 1939. Do you want me to post it here?
Gosh you have been busy - I just saw your other post with so much info - thank you!
Interesting he was still there in 1939
Still in London, but not with his wife - at least not on the date of the 1939 Register (29 Sept).
The info for the 1938 eroll was probably collected in 1937, so they were at least officially at the same address until then, but he may have actually been living elsewhere.
Yes please - do you not have a rest on Sundays?! As far as I am aware, they were not divorced, but there is a mystery surrounding a second Mrs Grant and a child. No-one spoke about it.
Yes please - do you not have a rest on Sundays?! As far as I am aware, they were not divorced, but there is a mystery surrounding a second Mrs Grant and a child. No-one spoke about it.
lol This is resting!
We don't post details of living people on this site without their permission, so moving forward with Alexander we may have to tread carefully.
If you are thinking of getting the death certificate that may be useful if the informant is someone of interest. I'm thinking if they were not actually divorced then he may have lived with someone, making finding info difficult. There are a couple of marriages for Alexander W Grant before his death but they could easily be other people as there's no way to tell what the recorded middle names are.
I will look at the London electoral rolls in case that throws up anything.
We think Alexander died in Marylebone district in 1952.
There's an Alexander Grant (no middle name or initial) living at 43 Queen Anne St, Marylebone from the mid 1940s through to 1952. There is also Ada Grant living at the same address. She is still there in 1953 but he isn't, so that fits with the death already listed on this thread further back.
Obviously we don't know this is the right Alexander.
Ada is sometimes Ada E and sometimes Ada I.
This looks very likely to be the correct couple:
Marriages Jun 1943
Grant Alexander W Webb Marylebone 1a 1091
Webb Ada E Grant Marylebone 1a 1091
So, divorced or not (we don't know!) he did remarry!
Here she is on the 1939 Register:
Ada (E) Grant (Webb) dob 10 Sep 1899 Camberwell London England Avondale Square
In 1939 she is married and with her husband John C (or E) Webb. They have a daughter, Eileen Webb b 1 Feb 1924. I expect this is her birth reg which gives Ada's maiden name:
Births Mar 1924
Webb Eileen R Healey Marylebone 1a 676
So, did Ada have a child with Alexander? She would have been into her 40s when they married.
I've searched births 1940-1952 surname Grant and mmn Healey - none. surname Grant and mmn Webb (in case she gave the wrong previous surname!) - still none in the right area.
So.… was the child you were aware of her daughter from her first marriage?
Ada Ellen Healey married John C Webb in 1919. He died in Q4 1939 in Camberwell district (where they were living in Sept 1939) aged 38.
Of course it's possible the talk of a child was because Ada had become pregnant by Alexander, but she lost the child. If it was a stillbirth there could be a record, but they are not open to the public.
Death:
Ada Ellen Grant dob 10 Sep 1899 reg 1976 Apr-May-Jun St Pancras London
Thank you Merry I understand and take note of your advice.
Btw The only daughter of whom I am totally aware is my Mum, Jean.
Ada married Alexander the year after her daughter Eileen was married, so she would never have been seen as a 'child' of the household.
Hi Merry I am now looking for further information re the families of James Thom Grant (1899-1973) and William Wilson Grant (1902-1954) who were my grandfather’s brothers and my mum’s uncles. Would be great to gather further names to find Mum’s other relatives as she has always believed she has none. Thank you.
I know from gengrant’s previous messages that both gentlemen emigrated to New Zealand, James in 1927 and William 1938. Would be grateful for any leads.
There's a William Grant travelling to NZ on the Rumitaka in 1938. He is aged 35 has a wife Grace 25 and an infant son who may be still living so I'm not posting his name here. Their address is 18 Hillfoot Rd Romford Essex.
I would need to tie together the correct birth for the son to the marriage of the parents to see if William has a middle initial W. No time for me to do that right now!
Do we know if those year dates are exact or approximations? I looked at 1927 for James but couldn't see anything. No more time now.
If William went from Burma direct to NZ then the record I found obviously won't be him. Also, if his brother was in the navy and ended his service in NZ then there won't be a record of a UK sailing.
Oooh, I've just found a tree on Ancestry with loads of info. The record I found is him as his wife's surname is Fulcher and that's one of the records I looked at.
I hope you have an ancestry sub as there's a lot to add here if not
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/5161081/person/-1483905055/facts
I haven't looked at james on that tree as I have to go out now.
Thanks Merry lots to be getting my teeth into; brilliant
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