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I found someone's wedding photos in our loft!

127 replies

Woopdoggysycamosiy · 30/08/2024 18:15

Can the power of Mumsnet help me? DH and I were clearing out the loft and amongst the long forgotten junk there was a bag of beautiful wedding photos, along with a copy of the couple's invitations, some larger mounted prints and an order of service. They were married in St Paul's Cathedral! What to do? How to get them back to their rightful owners (hope they're still together!! Way too invested now)?

OP posts:
MariaMeringue · 31/08/2024 16:38

I traced her just from public information and checked with the OP that it was the right city before sharing it :) I have subscriptions to Ancestry, Genes Reunited and 192.com and I used all three to find Elizabeth. It didn’t take long - less than half an hour!

MariaMeringue · 31/08/2024 16:40

@Choux sorry I forgot to tag you in my last post.

MariaMeringue · 31/08/2024 16:53

@choux

Step 1: searched Ancestry records for marriage records in City of London with Adrian and Elizabeth. There was only one which was July 1990. With the surnames and middle initials it was easy to find the birth details by looking at 1965 plus or minus three years (I would have expanded this search if not successfully but both were born within this period).

Step 2: Searched to see Adrian had re-married as this would mean it was unlikely Elizabeth would still be using her married surname. He had remarried!

Step 3: checked Elizabeth's birth record for her mother's maiden name and then searched marriages with that surname and Elizabeth's surname in 1964. The year was a lucky guess as it's the year my parents were married and I'm the same age as Elizabeth.

Step 4: Found the parents' marriage so had full names of both. Checked 192.com to see if I could find a couple with their names living at the same address on the electoral roll history. Found them in the same city Elizabeth was born so knew it was definitely them.

Step 5: Then looked for Elizabeth under her Maiden name thinking that her parents would be quite elderly (as mine are) if both still alive and may have moved back to her home city.
Found her on the 2024 electoral roll in the city she was born in.

Step 6: Gave the parents names and address and Elizabeth's address to the OP :)

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dayswithaY · 31/08/2024 18:50

Great work @MariaMeringue let’s just see if Elizabeth wants her wedding album back, (can you update us, OP).

Gotthehawaiianshirt · 31/08/2024 19:04

MariaMeringue · 31/08/2024 16:53

@choux

Step 1: searched Ancestry records for marriage records in City of London with Adrian and Elizabeth. There was only one which was July 1990. With the surnames and middle initials it was easy to find the birth details by looking at 1965 plus or minus three years (I would have expanded this search if not successfully but both were born within this period).

Step 2: Searched to see Adrian had re-married as this would mean it was unlikely Elizabeth would still be using her married surname. He had remarried!

Step 3: checked Elizabeth's birth record for her mother's maiden name and then searched marriages with that surname and Elizabeth's surname in 1964. The year was a lucky guess as it's the year my parents were married and I'm the same age as Elizabeth.

Step 4: Found the parents' marriage so had full names of both. Checked 192.com to see if I could find a couple with their names living at the same address on the electoral roll history. Found them in the same city Elizabeth was born so knew it was definitely them.

Step 5: Then looked for Elizabeth under her Maiden name thinking that her parents would be quite elderly (as mine are) if both still alive and may have moved back to her home city.
Found her on the 2024 electoral roll in the city she was born in.

Step 6: Gave the parents names and address and Elizabeth's address to the OP :)

That's both incredible and terrifying in equal measure

Woopdoggysycamosiy · 31/08/2024 19:15

Top marks and massive thanks to @MariaMeringue ! Totally love Mumsnet!! You guys are amazing. Thanks to everyone who has given me ideas and pm'd me. I have the wife's address so I will write to her and ask what she wants to do (I'll resist the temptation to turn up on her doorstep!!) Sadly they are not still together but they married young.

OP posts:
BirthdayRainbow · 31/08/2024 19:55

@MariaMeringue is there a way to find out if someone has died without a subscription please?

MariaMeringue · 31/08/2024 20:55

@BirthdayRainbow you can try https://www.freebmd.org.uk/ but they haven't transcribed all the death records yet. If you want to PM me with the name I'm happy to look it up for you :)

FreeBMD Home Page

https://www.freebmd.org.uk

BirthdayRainbow · 31/08/2024 21:09

Thank you @MariaMeringue , I'll message you now.

Noodlehen · 01/09/2024 00:21

@MariaMeringue amazing skills! Interested to know what you do for work?

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 01/09/2024 00:29

Not just anyone can get married at St Paul's Cathedral, so whoever it is must have some sort of involvement that gave them that opportunity, either a regular attendee, a volunteer, virger, priest, etc.

So contacting the Cathedral and explaining what you have is a good first step. There is a good chance that either they have contact details for them or someone in one of their groups does, and they might be able to send a message to them on your behalf.

OrderOfTheKookaburra · 01/09/2024 00:30

And...ignore me....lol. Should have read all the way through.

IjustbelieveinMe · 01/09/2024 01:05

MariaMeringue · 31/08/2024 16:53

@choux

Step 1: searched Ancestry records for marriage records in City of London with Adrian and Elizabeth. There was only one which was July 1990. With the surnames and middle initials it was easy to find the birth details by looking at 1965 plus or minus three years (I would have expanded this search if not successfully but both were born within this period).

Step 2: Searched to see Adrian had re-married as this would mean it was unlikely Elizabeth would still be using her married surname. He had remarried!

Step 3: checked Elizabeth's birth record for her mother's maiden name and then searched marriages with that surname and Elizabeth's surname in 1964. The year was a lucky guess as it's the year my parents were married and I'm the same age as Elizabeth.

Step 4: Found the parents' marriage so had full names of both. Checked 192.com to see if I could find a couple with their names living at the same address on the electoral roll history. Found them in the same city Elizabeth was born so knew it was definitely them.

Step 5: Then looked for Elizabeth under her Maiden name thinking that her parents would be quite elderly (as mine are) if both still alive and may have moved back to her home city.
Found her on the 2024 electoral roll in the city she was born in.

Step 6: Gave the parents names and address and Elizabeth's address to the OP :)

Amazing detective work 👏

MariaMeringue · 01/09/2024 03:19

@Noodlehen Thank you, that's very kind! I don't really think of it as a skill - it's just a hobby that I enjoy.

My ADHD brain loves challenges and learning new things, so I've done lots of completely different jobs since I left school at 17, and I definitely haven't followed any kind of career path. I've always made the most of the many opportunities I've had, though, and I'm an expert on 'faking it until I make it' whenever it's time to do something new :)

I decided in October (in one of my highly impulsive moments) that I was going to design and build my own software product for schools. Ten months of extreme hyper-focus later, and it's about to hit the market in time for the new academic year. Which is all very exciting but also a bit daunting if I let myself think about it too much (I try not to!). My previous 40 years of extremely varied work experience meant I was able to do everything all by myself: design the software, project-manage the development, create a limited company, do all the graphic design and brand identity, plan a marketing and social media campaign, write and design all my own marketing materials and build the website.

My lovely DH and my sister both died far too young, but even before that, I had a 'life is short' attitude. I try to squeeze as much into mine as I possibly can. My children are starting their own adult lives and adventures now, so I thought I'd take a risk and do something really big this time. Hopefully, my software will be a big success, but if not, maybe I'll start another new career - finding missing people and solving mysteries :)

Woopdoggysycamosiy · 06/09/2024 15:50

The end of the story! So I ended up getting in contact with the parents and Elizabeth's mum had just come round to collect it all. She was very happy to be contacted! The photos were indeed from their first marriage and they were married in St Paul's because her dad had an MBE. So thanks all!

OP posts:
BriceNobeslovesMurielHeslop · 06/09/2024 15:58

Oh how lovely! What a nice story, thank you for keeping us updated OP.

ScrollingLeaves · 06/09/2024 17:27

MariaMeringue · 01/09/2024 03:19

@Noodlehen Thank you, that's very kind! I don't really think of it as a skill - it's just a hobby that I enjoy.

My ADHD brain loves challenges and learning new things, so I've done lots of completely different jobs since I left school at 17, and I definitely haven't followed any kind of career path. I've always made the most of the many opportunities I've had, though, and I'm an expert on 'faking it until I make it' whenever it's time to do something new :)

I decided in October (in one of my highly impulsive moments) that I was going to design and build my own software product for schools. Ten months of extreme hyper-focus later, and it's about to hit the market in time for the new academic year. Which is all very exciting but also a bit daunting if I let myself think about it too much (I try not to!). My previous 40 years of extremely varied work experience meant I was able to do everything all by myself: design the software, project-manage the development, create a limited company, do all the graphic design and brand identity, plan a marketing and social media campaign, write and design all my own marketing materials and build the website.

My lovely DH and my sister both died far too young, but even before that, I had a 'life is short' attitude. I try to squeeze as much into mine as I possibly can. My children are starting their own adult lives and adventures now, so I thought I'd take a risk and do something really big this time. Hopefully, my software will be a big success, but if not, maybe I'll start another new career - finding missing people and solving mysteries :)

Good luck to you! How wonderful your projects sound.

Sethera · 06/09/2024 19:25

What a great ending!

NeighNeighAndthrice · 07/09/2024 15:37

lovely ending. thanks for taking the time to tell us @Woopdoggysycamosiy

GildedRage · 08/09/2024 16:11

wonderful update by @Noodlehen as well! good luck on your new adventure.

Gwenhwyfar · 08/09/2024 16:45

Acornsplop · 30/08/2024 20:19

Please don't post weddings photos of strangers on FB without their consent!

Why?

Acornsplop · 08/09/2024 17:15

Gwenhwyfar · 08/09/2024 16:45

Why?

Well, because they might not want their photo on FB!

Gwenhwyfar · 08/09/2024 17:21

Acornsplop · 08/09/2024 17:15

Well, because they might not want their photo on FB!

On balance it's more likely they'd like to get the photo albums back and there is no need for someone's consent to put their photo on FB if the photo was taken in a public place in England and Wales.

Acornsplop · 08/09/2024 17:37

Gwenhwyfar · 08/09/2024 17:21

On balance it's more likely they'd like to get the photo albums back and there is no need for someone's consent to put their photo on FB if the photo was taken in a public place in England and Wales.

Just because something is legal doesn't mean you should do it.

MariaMeringue · 09/09/2024 01:48

@Woopdoggysycamosiy I've only just seen your update and I was very happy to read it!

I'm so glad you posted on Mumsnet and that I came across your thread.and was able to help :)

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