#52ANCESTORS WEEK 2 - FAVOURITE PHOTO

#52Ancestors 

This year I have decided to participate in a Family History Challenge called 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks.

Hopefully I will managed to keep up with posting each week, but I do know myself very well and I know there will be weeks I fall behind. But I have promised myself that I will at least post 52 articles, they may just come in clumps instead of nice even weekly posts!

Each week I will be given a prompt from the Co-Ordinator and I will include my writings etc. on my blog.

All prompts are open to individual interpretation and may be the written word, photo, video, scrapbooking, crafty, there is no limit to the format that you post. The aim is to just get involved and share.

This week’s 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks prompt is 

“FAVOURITE PHOTO”

I don’t have a lot of old photos, so I chose one that I see regularly, because I pass it each day on my wall in my home.

This is a photo of my Mum and Dad on their wedding day.

GARVICE GALVIN BRANDT AND RUBY FLORENCE BRIGGS
MARRIED 14 JUNE 1941
ST BRIGID'S CHURCH, MARRICKVILLE

My father had atrocious handwriting and I feel that he also may not have been too keen on his name, Garvice Galvin Brandt. 

I have found many variations of his name  on various records and I feel that he may have played a part in some of these variations. I seem to remember that his Confirmation name was Joseph. This would explain Joseph being used as his middle name on the Marriage Register!

My mother’s father had died about 18months before her wedding. I wonder what my mother’s feelings would have been on her wedding day without her father to give her away. I was approximately the same age when my father(Garvice) died, but I was fortunate that he was at least still with me when I married.

I often wonder if one of the witnesses as listed on the Marriage Certificate was a proxy father for her on that day? If only I had asked questions when I had the chance. My parents just didn’t share information about themselves freely.

This photo belonged to my parents. My father has now been dead for 41 years and my mother has been gone now for 21 years.

I am in possession of the original as I acquired her possessions when she died.

Information on the Wedding Certificate Transcription confirmed their addresses with other records I have found of the time.

Interestingly my father is listed as Garvice Joseph Brandt not Garvice Galvin Brandt. Also my mother’s mother has been transcribed as Wesley instead of Worsley.

In one of my researching exercises last year I contacted the Parish Secretary of St Brigid’s Church for information.

She advised that the witnesses were W K Ryan not U K Ryan and A Briggs not A A B Briggs, as shown on the transcription.

I have spent many an hour trying to match these names of the witnesses with someone from my tree. I do have an Aubrey Nelson Briggs who was my mother’s uncle on the Family Tree. But whether this is the A Briggs on the transcription record, remains to be proven.

Oh, if only they had written their full name instead of just initials! As to which is correct - the transcription service or the Parish Secretary, I guess I will have to bite the bullet and get an original certificate, but will it only give me initials as well?

The Wedding Certificate Transcription that I have in my possession provided the following information.⁠[1]

Garvice Joseph Brandt and Ruby Florence Briggs were married on 14 June 1941 at St Brigid’s Church, Marrickville.

Garvice was a bachelor and his occupation was a Van Salesman and he was 27 years old.

Garvice was the son of George Henry Brandt and Isabella Galvin. He was born in Gunnedah NSW and at the time of his marriage he lived at 57 Station St, Thornleigh, NSW.

Garvice’s father was a Ganger.

Ruby Florence Briggs was a spinster and her occupation was a Saleswoman and she was 23 years old.

Ruby was the daughter of Samuel Stanley Briggs (deceased) and Florence May Wesley. She was born in Newtown NSW and at the time of her wedding lived at 343 Illawarra Rd Marrickville, NSW.

Ruby’s father had been a Carrier.

It is stated on the transcript that religion was Roman Catholic.

Witnesses on the Transcription were listed as U K Ryan and A A B Briggs.

Minister was Augustinge Fitzsimmons, C.P.

                             
1 Marriage Certificate Transcription of Garvice Joseph Brandt and Ruby Florence Briggs, 14 June 1941, NSW Marriage Registration Transcription, 1941/14530,  NSW Family History Transcriptions  Pty. Ltd.