Where did my ancestor go?
Q My great great grandfather, Thomas Grant, was born in 1828 in Fleckney, Leicestershire. He married Elizabeth Barker in Wigston in 1853. Their daughter, Elizabeth Ann, was born in 1855 and Harry in 1857. By 1861, Thomas and Elizabeth were described as “carriers daily to Leicester”. In 1864, Elizabeth was killed when her horse stumbled and pulled her off the cart, which ran over her. Thomas then seems to disappear. How can I find out what happened to him?
A It does seem likely that Thomas moved from Wigston following his wife’s death. However, the age recorded at death was sometimes inaccurate, so allow a little leeway when searching death registrations and include those in neighbouring districts. Check whether Thomas left a will. Those proved at Leicester District Registry, 1858–1939, are included in an index of Leicestershire wills on Findmypast (findmypast.co.uk). Alternatively, search the probate calendars via family history websites or the Government’s site gov.uk/search-will-probate.
By looking at the father’s details on the marriage certificates of Harry and Elizabeth, you may be able to narrow down when Thomas died, while also checking whether he changed occupation.
Local directories may also be useful. Selections are available on the main genealogy websites and Leicester University’s website (specialcollections.le.ac.uk), and large collections are held by both the Society of Genealogists and the Guildhall Library,
London. Thomas Grant appears under Wigston Magna in the 1863 edition of White’s Directory. Searching later directories should help to narrow down when Thomas disappeared from the town.
Broaden your census searches too; Thomas could be recorded as “Tom”, and his occupation may be “carman” or “waggoner”. He may appear in a workhouse or prison census simply by his initials. Finally, did he emigrate? Both the 1870 US census and 1871 Canadian census include entries for Thomas Grant, born about 1830 in England.
TOP TIP
Street and trade directories were not always up to date. Accuracy depended on the agents who updated the copy being correctly informed. It’s also worth turning to the back pages to look for advertisements for an ancestor’s business.