Robert McLaren.....

[Bertha]

In at NRH last Wednesday evening searching for my gr grandfather Robert McLaren whose birth has eluded me for sometime, I had his parents' names from his marriage certificate (or so I thought) but couldn't find either his birth or their marriage. The names I was looking for were Robert McLaren & Mary Boyle. So, without the restriction of SP credits, I decided to hit every Robert McLaren born from 1880. (this tactic has worked in the past with success). Found a George McLaren & Sarah Coyle, with a son born about the right time. Hm there's the thing, my gr gran was Sarah Kyle (always suspected mispelt) McLaren and everyone had always wondered where the name came from. Have I found my gr gr grandparents I am wondering?
I know the experts are going to say check Robert's death cert but that is impossible as he was killed in action in WW1, I have looked at the Service Returns but it didn't glean anything.
Robert's wife's info on their marriage cert was also not exactly correct but I was able to get the correct info from her death cert.
I know my gr gran couldn't read, maybe Robert couldn't either so the mistake went undetected.
George & Sarah are in Edinburgh on the 1891 and 1901 census Robert is with them in 1891 but not 1901. My gran always said her father had lived in Manchester for a while and she had relatives down there she wrote to until WW2. Am I barking up the wrong tree folks? Any thought.
Regards Bertha

[DavidWW]

....snipped.........I know the experts are going to say check Robert's death cert but that is impossible as he was killed in action in WW1, I have looked at the Service Returns but it didn't glean anything.
....snipped.......

Bertha

Have you tried the Commonwealth Graves Commission website at http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search.aspx ?, as, for around 50% of the records on the site, it gives the name(s) of next of kin., i.e. spouse or parents.

Note when searching that only the initial should be entered, not the full first name.

David

[Bertha]

Thanks for the tip David but I have his records from the War Grave Commission site and his medal card, neither of which give any information other than my gr grandmother's name.
I'll just have to keep wondering!
Regards
Bertha

[AndrewP]

Hi Bertha,

The other site similar to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission is the Scottish National War Memorial - http://www.snwm.org/

The information there can be a little different form the CWGC data.

All the best,

Andrew Paterson

[Bertha]

Hi Andrew
Thank you for the website. It at least confirmed he was born in Edinburgh.
Regard
Bertha