Brickwall.... anyone up for a challenge?

[deetur]

Evening All,

I have been looking for my Great Grandfather for over six years now, and have not been able to confirm who he was. He has a somewhat unusual surname so I thought it would be straightforward - unfortunately not!

If I provided some more information, is there any kind/mad person out there that would be up for the challenge is helping me try to locate him please?

Many thanks in advance,
Danni

[Elaine ..Spain]

Hi Danni, welcome to the forum.
Probably your best bet is to post what you know and see if anyone can help.

[deetur]

OK, this is what I know, my Great Grandfather was Joseph Twigg-Balmer, born 1882 in Cumberland, England. I have been searching for information on his for the last six years and have so far been unable to confirm who he was (birth, marriage, death and family etc).

This is the information I do have…

FACTS (proof of his existence)

• Appears as co-respondent on my Great Grandmother Elizabeth Weeden’s (nee Dunsdon) divorce papers.
  • Her husband Victor Weeden files for divorce from Elizabeth as he accuses Joseph Twigg-Balmer and her of committing adultery, resulting in a child (Anthony Claude Weeden) and later my Grandmother (Kathleen Betty Twigg-Balmer).
  • Marriage finally dissolved in 1922.
  
  
• Short Service Papers (WW1), signed up in Aylesbury on 15 December 1914.
  • Name given: Joseph Twigg-Balmer (also listed Joseph T Balmer)
  • Aged 32, year of birth 1882
  • Born: Cumberland
  • Occupation: Mining Engineer
  • Yorkshire Regiment – No: 19182
  • Address: c/o Chena Ancaster, 99 Cannon Street, EC. Not 100% on c/o name, have a copy if you wish to see it.
  • British subject, not married
  • NOK: James Twigg-Balmer, brother, address in Kimberley South Africa (mentions De Beurs) – cannot read the full address. Have copy if you wish to see it.
  
  
• My Grandmother was Kathleen Betty Twigg-Balmer, born in Islington in 1919. Joseph is listed as the father and Elizabeth as the mother (as Elizabeth Twigg-Balmer). She was still officially married Victor until 1922.
• Located on Passenger lists:
  • 25 June 1904, Southampton - > Cape
  • Ship: Durham Castle
  • Mr J Twigg-Balmer (1880, Fitter)
  • Mrs J Twigg-Balmer (1883)
    • This could be his brother James!

• 3 January 1917, Liverpool -> West Coast of Africa
• Mr J T Balmer (born 1873, age 44)
• Last place of residence: Nigeria

• His brother James Twigg-Balmer died aged 49, in 1921 in Rangoon, Bengal, India. He is listed as a Mining Captain. I have only recently discovered this fact and as yet have no idea what James was doing in India. There is no next of kin information on his death record.

Possible family ??....

There is a Joseph Twigg that matches my Joseph on year of birth (1882) and place (Cumberland) and having a brother James. This is Joseph Twigg 10b 606. As yet I have no located any Joseph Balmers which are a close a match.

I have a fair amount of information on this Joseph Twigg – I have his birth certificate, I know his parents details and his siblings. Majority of the family moved from Cumberland to South Africa. His parents were originally from Ireland. He doesn’t appear on any of the census, as I believe the family left for South Africa before 1891. I do however have his parents and siblings on various census.

Other info

There is a marriage that takes place between a James Henry Twigg and Agnes Ellen Balmer in 1894. However on closer inspection this took place in Derbyshire and both parties were born in Derbyshire.

So….?

If this is the correct family, why did Joseph add ‘Balmer’ to his name?

• Joseph Twigg’s parents William Twigg and Mary Sarah Sloan both died in South Africa. Mary in 1900 and William in 1903. I am currently waiting for their deceased and estate papers to come through to see if there is any mention of who should care for the children (as the youngest would be seven when William dies).
• I thought perhaps he could have married in South Africa, and added his wife’s name however…
  • On his service papers it states he is not married (surely he’d have added widow or divorced if he had been married)
  • Did his brother James marry a ‘Balmer’ in South Africa?
    • This would be tricky to look up unless I know where he would have married.
  
  
• Maybe he just added another name – for whatever reason! In which case I may never be able to confirm this family.

[Elaine]

Have you seen this ref

http://www.google.co.uk/search?tbm=bks&hl=en&q=joseph+twigg+balmer&btnG=

he is top of the list

[Guest]

there is a Joseph Twigg born abt 1882 going to Cape South Africa 13 Oct 1894 with a Thomas Twigg a Miss E Twigg and a Miss G Twigg

[deetur]

Thanks Elaine - no I hadn't seen that one before. I will take a look thanks :-)

[deetur]

Hi Val - I had seen that Joseph Twigg on the passenger lists - those he is travelling with would match siblings Emily, Grace and Thomas. Of course this is for the 'said' Twigg family which I am not 100% sure if Joseph Twigg-Balmer (well until I can prove one way or the other). Thank you though :-)

[Guest]

so do you have the marriage cert of William Twigg and Mary Sarah Sloan in Whitehaven Cumberland? then

[deetur]

I do not have the marriage certificate for William and Mary Sarah Sloan (I got their names from the birth cert I have for 'said' Joseph Twigg). I then located them on the census etc to find names of children. I have also located their marriage and William's first marriage to Jane Snowden (whom he had three children).

I have ordered William and Mary's death papers and estate papers from South Africa as I thought that may be the logical place to try and uncover any potential 'Balmer' link. I didn't want to start ordering all the certificates that may not provide me with that information until I have something to work with.

I have been trying to work out what Mary's mother's maiden name was. She re-married and became Mary Gamble/s but prior to becoming Mary Sloan I don't know her maiden name as yet (she was born in Ireland). I am also trying to find William's mother Mary (again born in Ireland).

[Elaine]

1891 Census
TWIGG, Thomas
WHITEHAVEN, Cumberland
RG12 piece 4311 folio 121 page 20

I bet you have this one, it seems like a surname added in South Africa at a guess the more I keep looking

[Elaine]

Have you got this one


UK Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960
Name: Balmer Joseph Twigg
Birth Date: abt 1872
Age: 45
Port of Departure: Africa
Arrival Date: 20 Nov 1917
Port of Arrival: Liverpool, England
Ports of Voyage: Lagos
[Accra]
Ship Name: Akabo
Shipping Line: Elder Dempster Lines Ltd
Official Number: 115268

mining engineer, address in London

[deetur]

Hi Elaine,

I do indeed thanks (Mary Gamble/s was Mary Sarah Sloan's mother). I also have William Twigg ('said' Joseph Twigg's father) visiting his mother in law on the 1901 census. It would appear that William and Mary Sarah Sloan had additional children whilst in South Africa.

Interestingly, I have found no mention of 'Twigg-Balmer' prior to 1904 (the passenger lists for Mr and Mrs J Twigg-Balmer). If the Joseph Twigg I mention is the correct person, this would be after the death of his parents (Mary - 1900 and William - 1903).

[deetur]

Ooh, don't think I'd seen that one before. I have this one:

• 3 January 1917, Liverpool -> West Coast of Africa
• Mr J T Balmer (born 1873, age 44)
• Last place of residence: Nigeria

[Elaine]

http://www.eggsa.org/links_e.htm

don't know if the searchable links are any good, not sure where they are in SA but there is a burial link search by state

[deetur]

Thanks - I'll take a look. I have seen some of the links before, but not all.

[Elaine]

This would be outbound, the age is always 10 yrs out


UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960
Name: Mr J T Balmer
Gender: Male
Age: 44
Birth Date: abt 1873
Departure Date: 3 Jan 1917
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England
Destination Port: Iddo, Nigeria
Ship Name: Burutu

[deetur]

I guess this could be James, rather than Joseph which is why the birth year is out. OR Joseph lied on his service papers and he wasn't 32 and born in 1882.

By 1917, my Great Grandmother's divorce was already under way. Joseph had fathered a son and my Grandmother was yet to be born (1919).

Joseph was a deserter (by Aug 1916 I think).

[Elaine]

Would you be able to order this one from the photocopying service family search, there's a thread on the board about it

India Deaths and Burials, 1719-1948

Name: James Twigg-Balmer
Gender: Male
Burial Date: 08 Jul 1921
Burial Place: Rangoon, Bengal, India
Death Date: 07 Jul 1921
Age: 49
Birth Date: 1872
Marital Status: Unknown
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B75051-1
System Origin: India-EASy
GS Film number: 527928

[kylejustin]

what occupation did joseph give when he signed up for the army?

[SueNSW]

Mining Engineer Kyle

deetur - doesn't really help overall - but I think you'll find the c/o address Joseph gave when he signed up is the China Association - they are mentioned in a 1917 article in the Straits Times as being at 9 Cannon Street - maybe a misprint - or Joseph got the number wrong

http://newspapers.nl.sg/Digitised/Ar...22-1.2.56.aspx