Genealogy Forum UK

Hi everyone,

My first post and I'm asking for help, how very dare I! I've just started the VERY addictive process of tracing my family tree and I need your help, lol.

Ok, I need help with my father's father and mother. He died when my father was young. I've often asked him about his father and his father/mother (mother later married again)and where they came from. But he couldn't help really. He just didn't have any info, only very basic knowledge of his father/mother, and I think that it upsets him alot.

So, I need someone, who is willing to help to try and supply any info they can, using their family tree skills.

My Grandfather's (dad's dad) name is James Michael Laws Laing, Born ca. 1913, Sunderland. Married to a Elizabeth Ann Booty ca. Dec 1932, Sunderland (that's the best I could manage). So, if anyone has the time and is willing to help me with tracing a little further back into their pasts, I and I know he would be absolutely over the moon!

Absolute Best Regards!

Paul Edward Laing (Viele Grüß aus Germany)

Possible,

Births Jun 1913.
Laing James M L. Mothers maiden name Scales. Sunderland. 10a. 1597.

Marriages Mar 1905.
LAING Thomas Laws. Sunderland. 10a. 747.
Scales Martha Annie. Sunderland. 10a. 747.

Jimmy!

Excellent news and so fast in replying!

Thomas Laws Laing could be the guy! Thomas is the name of my father's brother and Laws Hmm... is a very distinct name. So Having Thomas & Laws together must be a very positve indication that Thomas Laws Laing is the father of James Michael Laws Laing. And having a Scales there, there was a rumour of a Scales somewhere

Well done Jimmy!

Any chance of tracing their parents back? I can't wait to sms him the news!

British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920,

Do's this address ring a bell.

Name: Thomas Laws Laing.
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884.
Age at enlistment: 31.
Residence: 3 Zetland Street, Sunderland.
Document Year: 1915.
Regimental Number: 39217.
Number of images: 29.

Wife, Martha Annie Laing. married 26. 2. 1905.

children.

Agnes Laws, born 31. 1. 1909.
Isabella Law. born 2. 5. 1911.
James Laws. 6. 6. 1913.

Hi, and welcome!

You can search birth marriage and deaths for free on http://www.freebmd.org.uk/

There is

Birth Dec qtr 1884
Laing, Thomas Laws Sunderland 10a 707

That would fit the marriage OK
And searching the 1911 census (I don't have full access) then there seem to be:

Thomas Laing b 1885
Martha born 1886
Gladys born 1909
Dorothy born 1911

Which I thought looked good until I saw Jimmy's post

UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919.

Could this be the same one,

about Thomas Laws Laing.
Name: Thomas Laws Laing.
Birth Place: Sunderland.
Residence: Sunderland.
Death Date: 4 Mar 1917.
Death Location: France & Flanders.
Enlistment Location: Newcastle-On-Tyne.
Rank: Private.
Regiment: Durham Light Infantry.
Battalion: 14th Battalion.
Number: 39217.
Type of Casualty: Killed in action.
Theatre of War: Western European Theatre.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_det ... alty=53589

Jimmy wrote:British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920,

Do's this address ring a bell.

Name: Thomas Laws Laing.
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884.
Age at enlistment: 31.
Residence: 3 Zetland Street, Sunderland.
Document Year: 1915.
Regimental Number: 39217.
Number of images: 29.

Wife, Martha Annie Laing. married 26. 2. 1905.

children.

Agnes Laws, born 31. 1. 1909.
Isabella Law. born 2. 5. 1911.
James Laws. 6. 6. 1913.

His army records says he was a Labourer when he joined up.

There is this marriage, Laing and Laws, Thomas had a daughter Agnes.

Marriages Dec 1881.
LAING John. Sunderland. 10a. 885.
LAWS Agnes. Sunderland. 10a. 885.
McBAIN John. Sunderland. 10a. 885.
Thompson Hannah Maria. Sunderland. 10a. 885.

John Laing.
Groom's Birth Date: 1860.
Groom's Age: 21.
Bride's Name: Agnes Laws.
Bride's Birth Date: 1861.
Bride's Age: 20.
Marriage Date: 18 Dec 1881.
Marriage Place: Monk-Wearmouth, Durham.
Groom's Father's Name: James Laing.
Bride's Father's Name: Thomas Laws.
Groom's Marital Status: Single.
Bride's Marital Status: Single.
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M00769-3.
System Origin: England-EASy.
Source Film Number: 1514569.
Reference Number: 227.

You are good Jimmy!

I'm confused by the 1911 census.
Agnes Laws Laing is coming up as in the household of:

Elizabeth Jane Laing 1885
James Laing 1882
Margaret Ann 1910
Mary Jane 1902
Robert Webster Laing 1904

Was Agnes with relatives perhaps?
Who can look at the 1911 properly?

Thomas Laws Laing.
Baptism/Christening Date: 07 Dec 1884.
Baptism/Christening Place: St. Cuthbert's, Monk-Wearmouth, Durham.
Birth Date: 09 Nov 1884.
Birthplace: St. Cuthberts, Monkwearmouth, Durham.
Father's Name: John Laing.
Mother's Name: Agnes.
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C16378-1.
System Origin: England-EASy.
Source Film Number: 1514572.
Reference Number: item 1 p 54.

gardener wrote:You are good Jimmy!

I'm confused by the 1911 census.
Agnes Laws Laing is coming up as in the household of:

Elizabeth Jane Laing 1885
James Laing 1882
Margaret Ann 1910
Mary Jane 1902
Robert Webster Laing 1904

Was Agnes with relatives perhaps?
Who can look at the 1911 properly?

I had good teachers on Rowley Regis online if you remember Gardener,

Wow Guys!

You are really pulling the people out of the past!

All this info is...an overload, lol.

Can you give a 'positive' link to Thomas Laws Laing & Elizabeth Ann Scales parents? The info you're pulling up is amazing to say the least

Opps: Didn't read the Father's Name: John Laing & Mother's Name: Agnes before I posted! Mother's name Agnes? Any more info on that? Is that the forename or surname? And who the bugger is our John Laing?

Ok, another edit, lol: John Laing and Agnes Laws. I think I'm uptodate with you guys now, lol.

Jimmy wrote:Possible,

Births Jun 1913.
Laing James M L. Mothers maiden name Scales. Sunderland. 10a. 1597.

Marriages Mar 1905.
LAING Thomas Laws. Sunderland. 10a. 747.
Scales Martha Annie. Sunderland. 10a. 747.

The only way to be sure is a copy of James birth cert.

John Laing looks like he could be James's Grandfather, father of Thomas who married Agnes Laws. Surname.

So the weird middle name Laws in our Laing family name looks like it could be a dual surname, Laws Laing? Wow.

A copy of this Marriage cert might give you James's fathers name,
Marriages Dec 1932.
Laing James M L. Sunderland. 10a. 1367.
Boddy Elizabeth A. Sunderland. 10a. 1367.