| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
 Posted - 19/02/2007 : 23:16:05
|
I am looking for a Norwegian involved in matchmaking possibly owning a matchmaking company who travelled to Scunthorpe in 1903/4 and who stayed with the Smithson family in Chapel Street.
He fell in love with Hannah Smithson and she became pregnant. He wanted to marry her and take her back to Norway but her mother forbade it. Even when she had had their daughter, Ruby May, he and his mother contacted the family and wanted to bring up Ruby in Norway.
All I know is that his surname began with the letter 'R'.
If there is anyone who may have an idea who my great grandfather might be, I would be very grateful for any information, however tenuous. |
|
|
jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2007 : 23:30:50
|
 The name of the city contained use of profane language ...
I guess we're talking about Scun thorpe, England, south of Hull?
However, finding a man with unknown firstname, and a lastname beginning with R... well... that will be quite hard!!! 
Jan Peter |
 |
|
|
Admin
Forum Admin
Norway
528 Posts |
Posted - 19/02/2007 : 23:54:04
|
quote:
Originally posted by jwiborg
The name of the city contained use of profane language ...
I guess we're talking about Scun thorpe, England, south of Hull?
Yes, the word was blocked by the "bad word" filter, however, it is not supposed to work that way. I have edited it so it can be interpreted by the readers |
Webmaster.. |
|
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 20/02/2007 : 21:59:13
|
quote:
Originally posted by jwiborg
The name of the city contained use of profane language ...
I guess we're talking about Scun thorpe, England, south of Hull?
However, finding a man with unknown firstname, and a lastname beginning with R... well... that will be quite hard!!!
Jan Peter
|
|
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 20/02/2007 : 22:01:56
|
quote:
Originally posted by jwiborg
The name of the city contained use of profane language ...
I guess we're talking about Scun thorpe, England, south of Hull?
However, finding a man with unknown firstname, and a lastname beginning with R... well... that will be quite hard!!!
Jan Peter
Sorry if I messed up the first reply! I'm not used to this site. Thank you for pointing out the profanity in the name of the town - I had not noticed it at all! I realise it is very unlikely I will get any response to my post but there is just a tiny chance that someone may know the story!
Here's hoping!
Karen |
|
|
|
jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 20/02/2007 : 22:56:59
|
Have you checked Ruby May's birth record for her fathers name?
Any chance that he could be in any British census?
Some local address book or public directory for Scunthorpe?
How long did he stay in the Uk?
I guess he missed the 1901-census for England and Wales... 
Jan Peter |
|
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 21/02/2007 : 21:51:44
|
Thanks for your interest Jan.
I have looked in the 1901 census at the Smithson residence but he is not there. However thanks for your suggestion - I will look at Scunthorpe to see if there are any residents born in Norway in 1901 at any other address.
There is no father entered on Ruby's birth certificate I'm afraid so no help there. |
|
|
|
matthewmac66
Junior member
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2007 : 03:02:46
|
quote:
Originally posted by karend
Thanks for your interest Jan.
I have looked in the 1901 census at the Smithson residence but he is not there. However thanks for your suggestion - I will look at Scunthorpe to see if there are any residents born in Norway in 1901 at any other address.
There is no father entered on Ruby's birth certificate I'm afraid so no help there.
What was Ruby May's birthdate? |
M. McClellan
North Carolina, USA
Ancestry: Kristenhaugen/Haugen/Christiansen, Olson, Knudsdatter/Kindsæth |
|
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2007 : 11:00:03
|
| Ruby May was born on 22nd August 1905 |
|
|
|
matthewmac66
Junior member
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2007 : 20:25:20
|
| Which last name did they give her on the certificate, and do you know whether or not she ended up in the US? I'm trying to think of any possible angle on this search, without any part of his name it's tough. |
M. McClellan
North Carolina, USA
Ancestry: Kristenhaugen/Haugen/Christiansen, Olson, Knudsdatter/Kindsæth |
Edited by - matthewmac66 on 22/02/2007 20:26:06 |
|
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2007 : 22:48:36
|
Matthew,
Thanks for your interest! Her surname on her birth certificate is Smithson, the same surname as her mother. There is nothing at all under the entry for her father.
No she never went to the US - I knew her very well and she only died when I was 32.
Obviously there was contact between Hannah and Ruby's father during the time of the birth as letters between them were intercepted by Hannah's Aunt Martha in Sheffield which is where Hannah was sent to have her baby.
It is possible that his parents owned the match factory and he had a completely different job - was he is Scun thorpe to work at the steel works (there was nothing else there at that time!) and how long was he there? My mother thinks she was told that he boarded if not with the Smithsons, then with possibly another family in Chapel Street, Scun thorpe.
So many Norwegians in the 1901 census listed in Lincolnshire had their place of residence as vessels because they came over here on the ships - none are listed in Scun thorpe at all.
Thanks for your suggestions so far! |
|
|
|
matthewmac66
Junior member
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2007 : 23:36:57
|
quote:
Originally posted by karend
Matthew,
Thanks for your interest! Her surname on her birth certificate is Smithson, the same surname as her mother. There is nothing at all under the entry for her father.
No she never went to the US - I knew her very well and she only died when I was 32.
Obviously there was contact between Hannah and Ruby's father during the time of the birth as letters between them were intercepted by Hannah's Aunt Martha in Sheffield which is where Hannah was sent to have her baby.
It is possible that his parents owned the match factory and he had a completely different job - was he is Scun thorpe to work at the steel works (there was nothing else there at that time!) and how long was he there? My mother thinks she was told that he boarded if not with the Smithsons, then with possibly another family in Chapel Street, Scun thorpe.
So many Norwegians in the 1901 census listed in Lincolnshire had their place of residence as vessels because they came over here on the ships - none are listed in Scun thorpe at all.
Thanks for your suggestions so far!
Have you been able to recover any of the letters? |
M. McClellan
North Carolina, USA
Ancestry: Kristenhaugen/Haugen/Christiansen, Olson, Knudsdatter/Kindsæth |
|
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 23/02/2007 : 00:11:32
|
Oh no - they were obviously destroyed at the time ie. 1905.
Nothing connected with their relationship has ever been seen by myself or my mother. |
|
|
|
eibache
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
6495 Posts |
|
|
kaare n
Medium member
Norway
114 Posts |
|
|
karend
Starting member
United Kingdom
8 Posts |
Posted - 23/02/2007 : 22:30:21
|
Thanks to eibache and kaare n for your help. I have looked on those match manufacturing sites which are very informative but unfortunately, don't give names of owners etc. I am very interested in the gentleman in the 1900 census, Fritjof Rundgren as a possibility. The age would be right. Would you be able to find his parents in an earlier census, say, 1880, to find out what they did for a profession? Is there any way I could find out more about him?
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Norwegian matchmaker stayed in Scunthorpe 1903-4
