cant find death record for ggrandfather - any ideas?

[Skipsmum]

My grandad never spoke of his parents, but my dad thinks he was orphaned after a fishing accident. I can't find any record of his fathers death on ancestry or in the marine gro. He appears on the 1901 census living in Folkestone and working as ABSeaman on the Mary Anne, and was still living in Folkestone in 1906 when my grandfather was born. Then he seems to just disappear.
His name was Ernest Frederick Milton, born 1879, Folkestone,and married in 1899.

Has anyone got any ideas? I seem to have hit a real wall here!

Who did Ernest marry? Also, could he be a war casualty? Check HERE. If not, maybe he emmigrated, have you gone through each year looking at the death records for the UK?

Hi, thanks for your reply. He doesnt match with any of the war casualty listings. He married Esther Page who was born in Northants.She also disappears from the records. I can't find him on any of the ancestry emmigration records or the uk death records. He is more likely to have been in the navy in ww1 - do they have lists that you know of?
Thanks again!

Have you tried the Mormon site?
I had hit a brick wall with my family and suddenly boom- found 7 gens all in one go.

Skipsmum, when was Esther born?

If it was also 1879 I may have found a record of her

maybe his birth wasnt registered?
this was quite common. When my neighbour went to register his fathers death he was told he couldnt because his father didnt exist. I'm sure my neighbour found some way to do it but maybe when your ggrandfather died, whoever went to register it got the same resonse and left it at that?

Mercy: the only match I can find for Esther Page puts her birth at 1870. The 1901 census says she was born in Northants.

Salbysea: I have his baptism record and he is in the BMD listing as being born in 1879. Their mariage is listed in 1899. They are on the 1901 census, and then he is on my gfathers birth certificate in 1906. Then nothing!

I've found a few Ernest Miltons who died in the Army in the war but I have no idea how to tell if they are the right ones.

Bucharest: Thanks,tried the mormon site but no luck there!

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Helps to have some idea of the date - any idea how old your grandfather was when orphaned?

Any sign of Esther in Ancestry death records?

I can find a record for an Esther Milton in the 1901 census but it says she was single (not necessarily true though). Btw this Esther was born in and working in Folkestone

Only today I found a record of a fairly close family member who suddenly became 5 years younger over the years!

If he was a sailor, there are some crew lists for Folkestone here but it sounds as though you may have to visit or make a request. If you've got a ships name that will help.

I've got some sailors in my ancestry and they're a nightmare to trace.

try the probate indexes, these are for wills after 1858 and you can often find people on here when you cant get them in the death indexes (esp when they have a commonish name) probate indexes give address and other little details to help confim it is your ancestor before you buy the will for £5 from York.

Probate indexes are not online and you will need to contact your library local to you and enquire where the nearest library/archive/history center that holds a copy. The indexes cover england and wales so you can search the whole country.

mormon website will only cover until 1885 ish and so to early for your research.

Have you checked the address you have on the birth certificate with the 1911 census - you know you can do this as a name and address search as part of an foi - it will cost £45 though. Or wait until 2009 when the partial release of the 1911 census comes online.

Of course if he was lost at sea - you do realise that without a body you can not get a death certificate

scrap most of above local newspapers from 1906 onwards for an article of sea accident??

thanks everybody for all your help.

I didnt realise there would be no death certificate if he was lost at sea. I didn't know I could access the 1911 census either, so I might do that. My dad would really like to know what happens and hes getting on a bit for waiting til 1911!
Im off to the east Kent Archives in a couple of weeks, hopefully they will have old newspapers.
Thanks again for all your help
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