impossible search?

[Beduffbloke]

Any help would be gratefully recieved.
I am searching for my Father in law's father.
Harold Richard Ayres Palmer born 1912 in Purton, Gloucestershire.
The problem is my father in law hasnt seen him since 1965 when he moved to Minehead in Devon, believed to be living at the Swan Hotel.
My father in law beleives he must be dead because he was not a well man in 1965.(but who knows!)
I have tried in vain to find any info on his death, trouble being we dont know where in the country he may of ending up??
Help Please!!!

[Merry]

Welcome to the site!


Do you know if Harold was ever married, and if so, what name he was using at that point (just wondering if he had dropped the Ayres bit?)

We don't post details of living people on Genealogists' Forum without their permission, but I should think it's highly unlikely Harold is still alive from what you say. Assuming his wife/partner is also dec'd, if you don't know Harold's marriage details, could you let us know his wife's name?

If I vanish shortly I've gone out!

[ElizabethHerts]

Welcome to the site.

I have searched for his death from 1984 t0 2006 and he doesn't show up there unless his death was registered just as "Harold Palmer".

To search for his death prior to 1984 is a lot more tedious, unfortunately.

[Merry]

It's OK after 1969 on Ancestry, Elizabeth. Before that it's harder if he's not using his whole name, but if he was alive in 1965......


Do you have his full date of birth, Beduffbloke?

[ElizabethHerts]

I found his dob from another site (12/7/1912) and no Palmer death recorded 1984-2006 with that dob, unfortunately. So we are looking prior to 1984.

[Merry]

Thanks for the date, Elizabeth.

And none 1969 Q3 or after that, so we are looking before 1969 Q3 with a different version of his name etc etc etc.

I tried Palmers b 1912+/- 5 years and looked through the names and also those b 12th July any year, but didn't see anything that grabbed me. All of this only 1969Q3 onwards.

[Merry]

OK, I've just seen that he was still using his full name when he married in 1936, so that's no help!

[Beduffbloke]

thanks for the warm welcome. and thanks for putting your self out to help me

[kiterunner]

I wonder whether he died in another country?

[Phoenix]

A man living apart from his family would have his death recorded by people who might not know all the facts about him. His age could be estimated, and if he were known as Harry, might be registered as Henry.

[Merry]

There's a death in the US with dob one day wrong, but as they only put first and last names on the US Social Security Death Index, I guess it probably isn't him! lol

[kiterunner]

The problem is my father in law hasnt seen him since 1965 when he moved to Minehead in Devon, believed to be living at the Swan Hotel.



A small point - isn't Minehead in Somerset, not Devon?

Have you tried looking at the old electoral rolls for Minehead from 1965 onwards to see if he appears on them, and if so, when he stops being listed? It might give you a clue although when he disappears from the electoral roll could be either death or just moving house.

[Beduffbloke]

yes my mistake it is somerset

[Anstey Nomad]

Welcome to the forum Beduffbloke.

AN

[Beduffbloke]

Many thanks. I am researching the families: Palmer/Purvey from chedworth /North cherney gloucestershire and already found this forum very intresting & Helpful.

[kiterunner]

So, Beduffbloke, have you ever tried looking at the Minehead electoral rolls?

[Beduffbloke]

not of yet how do i do about doing that?

[Merry]

The electoral rolls won't be accessible online for the date you meed, but in general they are held by local central libraries. For Minehead I would begin with reading this site::

http://www.somerset.gov.uk/irj/public/services/directory/service?rid=/guid/20d916e7-0437-2c10-5f9b-eb9225af4109

[kiterunner]

It would be best to find out what road or street the Swan Hotel was / is on before looking at electoral rolls because they will be listed by street within electoral ward. I can't find it with a quick Google so I will try a few other things.

Edit - Just to say the Swan Hotel isn't listed in the 1919 directory, so we need something later than that.

[kiterunner]

Hmm, that's funny, looking at the 1967 phone book on ancestry, there is no Swan Hotel listed in Minehead. I know it's the right directory because there are other Minehead hotels listed.

[Langley Vale Sue]

It looks as if there once was a Swan Inn in Minehead. This seems to be long before 1965 though,

http://www.minehead-online.co.uk/history.htm
"Between the Market Place to Puddle Bridge, this was outside the Old Priory, and Higher Quay Stile, were the Blue Anchor Inn
and The Swan. "

I wonder when it closed or had a name change