This Is A Tricky One....... A Challenge For You

[Barmaid]

I'm helping a friend with her family tree, but we have hit a brick wall before we even get to her grannie.

Her grannie was born on 19/5/1919 in Peterhead. Her name was Helen Webster. We know grannie married in 1943 (Rainford) in Peterhead. We also know that grannie had a sister known as "Muggie" who died between 1973 and 1979 in Banff - we don't know her proper name. There was potentially an adopted brother called Sandy. But we don't know anything about him.

The Scottish certificates are not available online for that date (we could order one, but want to see if we can avoid this atm).

I've tried just about everything I can think of - google newspaper images, Scottish National Archives, Scotland's People, phone book search, electoral registers (which aren't available for Peterhead), familysearch.org, etc. There is one potential hit in the National Newspaper Archive but you need a sub for that and we are trying to do this one on the cheap.

Anyone got any further ideas, please?

[Old_Geezer]

Didn't spot Helen in Ancestry. Was Webster the maiden name ?
Which particular information were you most keen to get ?

[merrycrest]

Do you have their parent's names? Ought to be on Granny Helen's marriage certificate if you have access to it. Her sister's name was probably Maggie or Margaret and if she was married, it was probably from their home (Peterhead).
If she died in Banff was it Aberdeenshire or Perthshire? (I'd guess Aberdeenshire, but you seem to know a rough date/place).

If you haven't already, try the Library service local studies i.e
http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/libraries/information/local_studies.asp

Good luck!

[DJHawkes]

have you tried to find possible parents on the 1911 on scotlands people?

[craft1948]

She wasn't born until 1919 dotty so how will that help (unless I'm being docile as usual). I've looked all the places I can think of but think you'll have to stump up for the certificates BM............

[munchie63]

Her husband was Richard John Webster. married in Petehead in 1943. No image available to view on scotspeople site. reference is 232/00 0060 if you wish to order it.

There are 2 Helen Websters in P'head, 1914 and 1919. The 1919 ref is:
232/02 0153

[munchie63]

oops ! That should be Richard John Rainford !! never type and read at the same time.

[Tuvok]

Try Moray Council's library - local heritage site, as Banff/Banffshire may also be covered.

[Tuvok]

http://libindx.moray.gov.uk/mainmenu.asp

[munchie63]

okay, done some fishing for you on Scotppl site and this is an educated guess, but you may be able to dig deeper if anything rings a bell.

Checked for Margaret or Maggie Webster's born in P'head. Found 1, Margaret Watson Webster born 1910 who died in 1975 age 66. Other names listed 'Milne'.

Looked for births and found Margaret Watson born 6th Dec 1910 to John Webster (stonepolisher) and Elizabeth Webster nee Crowe(?) address given 36a kirk street p'head.
ref for birth is 232/01 0471

No way to be sure of the missing sister, as I cant check the parents names v helen's birth as the record has to be ordered and cant be viewed online. May give you a start though
Margaret Watson Webster.

[DJHawkes]

I still think it's worth trying to find possible parents on the 1911,

[munchie63]

dottie there's 111 Webster hits for peterhead in 1911 census and 205 matches in Banff !

I'd suggest getting the marriage cert and that'll have parents names inc mothers maiden name and then that should open up a whole new line to search for. Need to shorten that list.

[DJHawkes]

well you can shorten it by looking at the ones you've listed a few answers up and eliminating them. It may help

[munchie63]

I tried a few searches for the births and marriages Dottie. The census one's a big list and uses a lot of search credit's up.

I gave the 1911 a shot using Margaret as the only Webster name (Helen not born til 1919).
came up with 1 in Bannf, with parents Thomas and Anna.
Difficult one, thats why I figure Helen's BC will throw some light on it