Margaret Stokes of Melbourne, Australia, says I really don't know how to go about finding my great-uncle (deceased). All I know of him is that his name was James Calder Sinclair, he was married to Elizabeth Augusta Fraser and he retired young to a mansion in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. He was born in Caithness, Scotland on 17 May 1863 and died on 7 June 1912.  I don't know how long he'd lived in Cheshunt, but I think his wife went on living there for at least a little while. There are no direct descendants as their only child died at about 19 days old. Where can I look for more information or find out where he might have lived in Cheshunt?

I don't have any information to hand but if James Calder Sinclair was well enough off to retire to a substantial house in Cheshunt he will almost certainly have left a will - so you might try to get a copy from First Avenue House. (There may well be copies of the index in specialist genealogical libraries in Melbourne.) If one exists the will (and the probate index entry) should identify his residence, place of death if different, and next of kin (perhaps only his wife). Failing this you have enough information to buy his death certificate from HALS (assuming he died in Hertfordshire). If he had some standing in the town there might have been a report in the local press - but this is something that might be difficult for you to check in Australia.

On a different line he is likely to have been listed in Kelly's directories, and the LDS have a good selection on microfilm which you could order and view on microfilm at your local LDS Family History Centre (Address from familysearch.)

Finally, you may well be able to track him down in the 1901 census - particularly if he was already living in Cheshunt - but there is still considerable uncertainty as to when this will be available online.

If you succeed in tracking him down please let me know what you found - and I can add details to this page.

If you can add to the information given above tell me.

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