Can not go any further

Stella Bingham

Hi All

I am at a loss and do not know to proceed

My Grandmother name is Ethel Marjorie Adams born 1920 South Africa, died 1998 South Africa.

All I have for her parents names are Bertie and Ada Adams, I know Bertie can be a nickname for Albert, Albertus etc but can not be sure.

Please can you help

Thanks

Stella

dontiknowyou

Would you like to share the Family Tree person IDs for these persons?

Stella Bingham

Hi there,

My grandmothers ID is G6V3-SGF

dontiknowyou

My usual advice applies: work all the immediate family, all the children, spouses, parents, starting with what you have already. In particular, finish attaching all the attached historical records.

So, your grandmother's husband: he has an attached historical record with unfinished attachments:

The link goes to the Source Linker tool here:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/G6V3-WBV

Make that attachment, in the process adding his mother to the tree.

Next, your grandmother's father. On your grandmother's profile you have some clues about your great grandfather that you have not yet worked into his profile. For example, he likely was resident where his children were born, but your grandmother's only attached historical record shows only that she was born in Cape Province. So are you absolutely sure she was born in Cape Town? I would change her Birth to about 1920, Cape Province, South Africa and I would enter the same information as a Residence in the profiles of both her parents. You also know where he was resident when he married; enter that in his profile.

You might also enter approximate birth years for both her parents. I usually allow 30 years from the median birth year of any children, so about 1890.

Then, your grandmother's mother, Ada. From her marriage record you know where she was resident when she married; enter that in her profile. Right now she also has an attached historical record with an unfinished attachment. Jump to the Source Linker:

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/sources/GF3V-8H5

That record says your grandmother's father Albert Adams was born 1 December 1896 in Port Elizabeth. And it names both his parents.

There you have a great deal of new information, and you have not begun to search for any additional historical records. This point leads directly to my most valuable tip:

Build more, search less.

Paul W

As a general guide as to how you might proceed in your searches take a look at the page at https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/South_Africa_Genealogy

You will probably need to find out how you can apply for a copy of Ethel's birth certificate, which should at least confirm the names of her parents. From there, perhaps you will be able to find their marriage certificate and continue further back from there.

Stella Bingham

Hi All

Thanks for your help on this but I am not sure my grandfathers name was Albert? we know him as Bertie

Also we were told they came from England?, not sure if both were British or not.

Paul W I think you are right I need to try and get my grandmothers birth certificate some how and work back from there

Thanks

dontiknowyou

@Stella Bingham

Whether or not the Albert Adams now attached to your grandmother was your great grandfather, your next steps are the same: build out his profile using all information in the historical records available to you now.