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  • Very Little Information...

    Hello, I just introduced myself in the new members thread, I'm Sue!!

    I have been wanting to trace my Dad's natural father for years now and have made several lame attempts as the information I have for him is very little.
    He was adopted by the man I have known to be my grandfather when he was a baby.
    My natural grandfather was a bigamist and therefore caused a bit of hoo-ha and although attempted to see my Dad was sent away.
    I know very little about him as he was part of my Dad's life for a very short while. I have my Dad's original birth certificate which has only my natural grandfathers name and army rank, he was a Campbell and a Private in the Highland Light Infantry. And that is where the information stops.
    Obviously my Nan doesn't talk about it and there is no chance of her ever telling me.
    Is it possible to trace a family member with so little information?

  • #2
    Can you give us some idea of approx. when your Dad was born, please? So we know what kind of date the army records would be.
    KiteRunner

    Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
    (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi.

      My Dad was born in 1941 in Essex.

      Comment


      • #4
        If he married your nan bigamously, have you looked to see if there is a marriage certificate for them, which would give you a bit more information about him.
        Elaine







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        • #5
          Without sounding like a complete moron, it didn't occur to me until today when I posted this thread that it's another avenue to explore. I think maybe because I am trying to keep my Nan out of it the idea never came to mind!!

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          • #6
            Do you have access to Ancestry or Findmypast where you can trawl through the marriage index?
            Elaine







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            • #7
              If your natural g father was in the Highland Light Infantry (HLI) he was possibly from the Glasgow area of Scotland.
              My OH was in the army for 25 yrs and we had an attachment to the Royal Highland Fusiliers regiment in the 70's. The RHF was formed from men of the HLI and the Royal Scots. Almost all of their men were from Glasgow.
              Daphne

              Looking for Northey, Goodfellow, Jobes, Heal, Lilburn, Curry, Gay, Carpenter, Johns, Harris, Vigus from Cornwall, Somerset, Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, USA, Australia.

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              • #8
                I would think it is best to search for the marriage first because trying to find out about a Private Campbell in the Highland Light Infantry during WW2 sounds as though it could be a needle in a haystack. Unless he had an unusual first name or middle name (though of course you are right not to post his full name up on here as he may still be alive).
                KiteRunner

                Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Elaine ..Spain View Post
                  Do you have access to Ancestry or Findmypast where you can trawl through the marriage index?
                  Of course, if it was Scotland then you will need Scotlands People!
                  Elaine







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                  • #10
                    Maybe there is more information about the natural father in your father's adoption papers.
                    We managed to trace information this way,even though the man was not named on the child's birth certificate.

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                    • #11
                      Yes, a Campbell in the HLI is like looking for a needle in a haystack and his surname is quite common too.

                      I have no other information about him either in my Dads adoption certificate. It was only when my Dad passed away that my Mum sent away for his original birth certificate that we actually found his natural fathers limited info.

                      I obviously have to be careful in tracing him as you pointed out plus the fact that my Dad's parents are still alive too.

                      I really want to do it as I know Mr Campbell did try his hardest to see my Dad and I am so interested in tracing my Scottish roots.

                      As I am starting out where are the best free resources or will it be a case that I will have to subscribe because I have such limited information?

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I don't really think there is going to be army info online that will help sort this out, and I don't think you would be allowed to apply for his army records from the M o D as you would need permission from his next of kin if he is deceased, but maybe someone with more experience of army records can confirm that. Of course if he is still alive then the M o D wouldn't let you have his records anyway. Sorry to sound negative. If he was an officer than there would be info in the London Gazette and maybe the Times but not likely to be much in there for a Private. Of course you could try looking his army number up anyway just in case:
                        London, Edinburgh and Belfast Gazettes Portal Page
                        (Also try the Edinburgh Gazette which is also on that site, just in case)

                        The main site with Scottish BMD info is Scotland's People but you can't subscribe to it; you can only buy pay-as-you-go credits.
                        Genealogy Scottish family birth records census ancestry Scotland uk - ScotlandsPeople

                        If you want help searching for the marriage entry between him and your grandmother, you can PM me the names if you like and I will have a look. But if it was a bigamous marriage I'm not sure if you would be able to get a certificate.
                        KiteRunner

                        Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                        (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I should imagine that hitting brick walls is commonplace with this kind of thing. Of course I do not want to cause trouble or upset anyone, including him and his extended family.

                          It did cross my mind that it would be difficult finding a marriage certificate due to the bigamy and have no idea how long it would have been that she found out.

                          Would that be ok to PM you then? That's very kind of you to offer!!

                          i shall check out the links too.

                          It feels a bit like cheating asking for advice but as you can tell it's not a straight forward search.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Were the police involved and was there a court case regarding the bigamy? If not, the bigamous marriage cert will still be extant. If there was a court case, then there might be something in the newspapers.

                            It is only if the marriage is officially declared bigamous that the cert is suppressed - and as Merry pointed out the other day, it isn't always suppressed even then!

                            OC

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Olde Crone Holden View Post
                              Were the police involved and was there a court case regarding the bigamy? If not, the bigamous marriage cert will still be extant. If there was a court case, then there might be something in the newspapers.

                              It is only if the marriage is officially declared bigamous that the cert is suppressed - and as Merry pointed out the other day, it isn't always suppressed even then!

                              OC
                              Not as far as I know. Any information I have about the marriage is what my Mum found out from other family members, it has been all very hush hush, as you'd expect.

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                              • #16
                                In that case you shouldn't have any problem in getting the marriage cert in the usual way.

                                OC

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                                • #17
                                  I shall have a search for the marriage certificate, at least I have both names and obviously all my Nan's information.
                                  I suddenly feel quite exicited!!!

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Originally posted by campb View Post
                                    Would that be ok to PM you then? That's very kind of you to offer!!

                                    Yes, feel free.
                                    KiteRunner

                                    Every five years or so I look back on my life and I have a good... laugh"
                                    (Indigo Girls, "Watershed")

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Can I also just add that he does not need to have come from or lived in Scotland to belong to the HLI (Highland Light Infantry) I have a Great Uncle who was in the HLI and is on the 1901 Census in barracks in Surrey with the HLI. This Grt Uncle was born in Lincoln, lived in London but did come from an army family where his father was in the 33rd regt. He also had an uncle who was in the Scots Guards, but that Uncle in the Scots Guards came from Northants, no Scottish blood in sight for this family back to the mid 1600's although they could have come down from Scotland around the beginning of the 17th century, so the message is as Kite says, go with trying to find a marriage Cert first before attempting the Army material. Also as Kite has said to access the army docs post 1922 you will have to go through the MOD at their Glasgow address, cost £30 and you do have to prove you are next of kin, otherwise they can refuse to give you any details. It has also been suggested quite correctly that if said person is still alive then he is the person who would have to apply for the documents. Having said this I do realise that Campbell is originally a Scottish Name but they could have lived in England for many generations!

                                      Janet
                                      Last edited by Janet; 04-03-09, 14:42.

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                                      • #20
                                        Hi Janet!

                                        I do know that he was actually Scottish! One of the few solid pieces of information I have. I don't nessecarily want to contact him just trace him and that missing side of my family. It's a tricky area especially as it may well be that his family have no knowledge of my Dad.
                                        I just hope it will be possible to be able to do it covertly.

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