Maclaren / Killa

[ejrevans]

Hi - I am trying to trace the parents (ancestors) of Victor Thomas Maclaren he married Margaret J Killa in 1952, I am also trying to trace her father David Killa (ancestors), have quite a bit of info on her mother, Margaret Sarah Thorne.
Don't know if anyone can help.

[gerald]

Hello ejr,
I used to live next door to Vic and Margaret McLaren in Blaengarw. They were in no 8 Blaengarw Rd. They had 3 boys and 1 girl. I think the girls name was Marylyn or Marian. The family still live locally I believe. Vic died some years back, I have not seen Margaret around for a while.
I will try and find out more,no promises.

[gerald]

Hi ejr,
I have remembered the McLaren childrens names. Leonard,Alan, and David and Marylin.
I think that David has since died, but the others do live locally as I thought.

[magsvs]

Hi ejr,

I've found a birth records for Victor T Maclaren which gives the mothers maiden name as Thomas.

I can't find a Maclaren/Thomas marriage but have found a Maclaren/Fowler marriage in 1923 and a marriage for a Mary Thomas to Joseph Fowler in 1921 - also found a death record for Joseph Fowler in 1922, so it's possilbe that Victors mum married Joseph 1st was widowed and then married ALONZO Maclaren.

So far I can't find Alonzo on the 1911 census but have found a birth record for him in 1901.

Does any of this ring any bells/any use to you.

Mags

[ctdavies]

Hello,

If Victor's mother had married twice 1st to Joseph Fowler and 2nd to Alonzo Maclaren, then his birth certificate should indicate this by not only giving the mother's maiden surname, Thomas, but also her previous married surname. If this is so, then you have double confirmation of the facts!

Colin.

[magsvs]

Hi Colin, I don't think a womans previous married name is on a birth cert. (don't know for sure but never seen one), I do know that a mans previous wives are not. The Maclaren/Fowler marriage cert. should have the correct maiden name tho', I have seen marriage certs. where the wife marries in her former married name and her maiden name is listed.

I think there was a child to the Fowler/Thomas marriage, this child and descendants may not be aware of the facts, so we could be on dodgy ground here.

All the records I mention I found on FreeBMD.org and Ancestry.co.uk. If this were my family I would buy the Maclaren/Fowler marriage cert. which would prove either way and provide the names and occupations of the fathers of the couple to enable the search to go further back.

Mags

[ctdavies]

Hello Mags. Thank you for your comment. I too would buy the Maclaren/Fowler marriage cert if it were my family.

As for a mother's previous married name appearing on a birth cert. A lady in Canada kindly sent me the birth details of my mother's 1st cousin in Pontycymmer, on which it gave her mother's married name, maiden name and previous married name. I.E. Myers, formerly Thomas, late Williams. From this I was able to look for my aunt's marriage cert under her widows surname Williams(+Myers) and not under her maiden name Thomas(+Myers). Her father's name was Jenkin Thomas which confirmed she was indeed my aunt. I would not have found the Williams+Myers marriage were it not for the birth details.

I hope this will help any others in a similar situation.

Colin

[magsvs]

Colin, thanks for that info. something else to keep in mind while searching.

Marriage certs. I have seen some where the womans maiden name is not in the "name" column so the fathers name has to be used to trace the family, but have also seen one where the person put their mothers second husband down as father (probably because he was the only father they kew).

Seems nothing is straight forward and of course we have to remember that any certificate can only give the information the person wanted to give, I suspect a lot of brick walls could be knocked down if they were all spot on.

[ejrevans]

Many thanks to: magsvs / ctdavies / gerald - that has certainly given me something to go on, the reason I am tracing them is on behalf of my husband who was born Michael Walford Killa Maclaren in 1955 and would have been a sibling to the other children mentioned, but he was then adopted by: Thomas & Nancy Evans 21 James Road Blaengarw. He said he thought there was 2 other children Keith & Ian who was born after him, as was Marilyn. If anyone has any more info would be very interested, in the mean time will do as you suggest and get birth certificate for Victor. I to found an Alonzo Maclaren / Pontypool but thought it was probably a distant relative and not his grandfather.

[ejrevans]

Hi all just one other question, Having found I think Alonzo Maclaren who I believe either married:
Mary Hannah Harris or Millicent Ann Williams in Pontypool in 1900, which is the best to join up with to start viewing census records etc, Find my Past or another body?

[ejrevans]

Sorry - that should have been: William Wallace Maclaren, possibly Alonzo Maclaren's father

[magsvs]

ejrevans - please re-read and don't buy the birth cert. but do think about the marriage cert. that both Colin and I suggest. You mention people who are probably still living, in general this is not something that should be discussed on an open forum (they may not like it) and most genealogy sites would not allow.

I would be happy to try to help you further if you would "private message" me.

As to which site is best to join, it is difficult to say, ideally both Find My Past and Ancestr.co.uk would be good, each has their merits and it seems to come down to personal preferance. I mainly use Ancestry but for the 1911 census use both, I also use FreeBmd.org which I find very useful.

With regard to "the earlier records" you mention I will see what I can find and let you know what I find/think.

Mags