Brisbane research: Help needed.

[Kelly]

My husbands Great Grandmother, Evelyn Faith Betts, emmigrated to Australia in 1950, I am currently trying to find information about her life in Australia.

The details from the passenger record are:

Mrs E.F Betts departed London on the 25th November 1950. Travelled on the R.M.S Otranto, Orient steamship line. Port at where contracted to land: Sydney.

I can't find any information about Evelyn in Sydney but I have found her on the 1954, 1958 and 1963 Brisbane electoral rolls. Evelyn is listed as Eveline Faith HARPER on the electoral rolls and she is living with a Thomas William HARPER.

I am trying to find a marriage and death records for Evelyn but unfortunately the Queensland BMD doesn't cover the years I would need to search.

I can't find Evelyn on any Electoral rolls after 1963, we know she was still alive in 1966 because she was a witness to my husbands parents marriage.

Is there any way I could find when Evelyn married and also when she died?

[kylejustin]

i assume your in the uk kelly. i have a great grandmother who died in the 80's in brisbane. i havn't tried it, but maybe you can email or call births, deaths and marriages and explain the case. you can prove your husband is the descendant, so maybe if his name is on any forms they require, you can get the certs.

[Kelly]

Hi,

Thank you for your reply.

Yes, I live in the UK.

I will send them an email to see what they say.

[Harrys mum]

Have you tried the cemetery indexes? Most of our cemeteries are run by local councils.

I'll see what i can find.

[Harrys mum]

There is a Eva Harper buried in Brisbane in 1969 aged 71.

[Harrys mum]

Here is the grave location search I used. This covers all the cemeteries run by Brisbane City Council.
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/facil...ries/index.htm

Also there is Mt Thompson Crematorium.
http://www.mtthompsoncrem.com.au/driver.asp

If you email Mt Thompson they will reply.

Eveline Harper lived at West End in 1963. That is right in the centre of Brissie so I can't see her being buried elsewhere if that was her address at her death. Mt Thompson is only a couple of miles from West End.

If you find her and want a piccie, let me know.

[Kelly]

Hi Harry's mum,

Thank you for your help.

I did find the burial for Eva, but I think that is for a different lady. I should have put in my first post that Evelyn was born 1889.

On the 1963 electoral her address is West End.

I will send an email to Mt Thompson Crematorium, I will let you know what they say.

I am not sure now if Evelyn actually married Thomas Harper, because my mil had a wedding album and on one of the pages it has details of her wedding and the witnesses signatures and Evelyn signed as Mrs E.F Betts.

[Harrys mum]

JUst give Mt Thompson both names and ask. Maybe she moved to a nursing home outside of Brisbane City Council area. Unless you live there you wouldn't realise the boundaries.......that would put her cemetery into a different council area. She may have stopp registering to vote if she did become unable due to old age. So, she could have lived on for some time without being on the rolls.

Brissie is my home town so yell if you need help.

[Kelly]

Hi Harrys Mum,

I have sent Mt Thompson an email and I have gave them both of Evelyn's surnames. When I receive a reply I will let you know what they say.

Are the records on the Brisbane Council website complete, or would it be worth sending them an email aswell?

[Harrys mum]

I would say they are complete on the Council website. Was Evelyn married when she came to Australia? If so, did her husband come too?

How do you know the Harper lady is your Evelyn?

I'm just trying to fill in some holes....