Genealogy Forum UK

This my first post so please forgive me if I've posted in the wrong place. Genealogy is outside my normal research area so please excuse my ignorance.

I'm researching the careers of RAF aircrew involved in photographic reconnaissance. One of the individuals I'd like to find out more about is F/Lt Victor Anthony Ricketts. What I'd really like is to try and establish contact with any family members who have more details on him.

He was KIA on 12 Jul 42. The CWGC site gives this additional information - Son of William Ellacott Ricketts and Annie Ricketts; husband of Dorothy Ricketts (nee Perkins), of Streatham, London, England. I've also found out he was a Cornishman.

Prewar he was the air reporter for the Daily Express and a member of the team that established the world record flight to New Zealand in 1938. I've tried contacting the Daily Express but they haven't bothered to reply.

Any help would be most welcome.

Best Regards

Andy Fletcher

dont know if this helps

March 26
In 1938... Arthur Clouston and Victor Ricketts land their D. H. 88 Comet Australian Anniversary at Gravesend in Kent, England to complete a 26,500-mile flight from England to New Zealand and back in a record 10 days 21 hours. (AYY)

Thanks Peterd, I've got details of the record.

Any tips on how to go about tracking down family members?

Cheers

Andy Fletcher

you tried tracking arthur clouston family after that feat would of thought they would of keep in touched some how ?

this look poss for birth

Births Mar 1913
Ricketts Victor A Parker Penzance 5c 395


poss siblings

Births Dec 1915
Ricketts Frederick G Parker Penzance 5c 366

Births Sep 1920
Ricketts Kenneth E G Parker Bridport 5a 653 dorset

Births Jun 1929
Ricketts Una M Parker Blandford 5a 309 dorset

Births Sep 1936
Ricketts Michael H Parker Blandford 5a 280 dorset

parents marriage

Marriages Sep 1903

Parker Annie Lambeth 1d 925
RICKETTS William Ellacott Lambeth 1d 925

According to his Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate number 13588.

Born 27th January 1913 at Penzance

He is a Journalist of British nationality.

He got his certificate flying a D.H.Moth Gipsy II 105 h.p.

at the London Air Park Flying Club, Hanworth

on the 8th February 1936.

At the time he was living at 31 Deauville Court, London, S.W.4.

Grab it form here if you want it...

http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f277/markcdodd/VictorAnthonyRickettsAviatorCertifi.jpg

These things usually have photographs....but not this one

Plenty of articles in Aussie newpapers including photos with his parents.

http://newspapers.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/search?searchTerm=&exactPhrase=Victor+Ricketts&anyWords=&notWords=&textSearchScope=full&fromdd=&frommm=&fromyyyy=&todd=&tomm=&toyyyy=&facet=&sortBy=

Some photos in the National Library

http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3723006

http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-vn3723017

Many thanks for all the extra information and the links. I've not come across the Australian Newspapers site before, a great resource.

Cheers

Andy Fletcher

It is an excellent resource. The indexing is still a bit dodgy but if you know the approximate date for an event you can usually find it.

It is missing a couple of the major papers but most are covered.

Once they get the indexing a bit better they will add dozens of more papers.

The Personal Notices are brilliant for Genealogists.

I will certainly be using it in future, hopefully it will turn up some more useful information for my research.