I am looking for information on William (Harry) and Catherine (Kitty) Metcalfe or could be spelt Metcalf. Their children are Catherine, William, Robert, Howard and June. In the 1920 and 1930 USA census this family were living in New Britain, Hartford Connecticut. I have only been able to find this family on census' as it seems like it is not easy to search records for Connecticut. I do have copies of a couple of letters that Kitty wrote to my other cousins that lived in Maryland. The latest letter was written in 1944 and the family were living Winthrop St New Britain Connecticut. From what I can work out William is my Grandfather's cousin. From the 1930 census I know he came to the USA from Yorkshire England when he was 1, I found William on the 1910 census as a step son and I am pretty sure his parents are John and Clara Metcalfe. Clara's married name in the 1910 census is Middleton. William had a sister named Violet and a half brother named Alfred. Any help I can get would be grateful.

Here are a few things I found that might help::

1917 World War I Draft Registration Card
William Harry Metcalfe, of 120 Wallace St, New Britain, Ct, was born Dec 20, 1892 in Sheffield, Eng. He's married and works at F.W. Loomis as a sheet metal worker. (note: looked like Wallace St, but might be Walnut)

World War II Draft Registration Card
William Harry Metcalfe, born Dec 20, 1891 in Sheffield, Eng. His wife is Catherine M. Metcalfe and he owns W.H. Sheet Metal

1946 New Britain City Directory finds the following Metcalfe's all living at the same address::

Catherine C. a reporter for N.B. Herald
Howard E.
June, is a clerk
Robert, a chauffeur
William H. and wife Barbara. He's a sheet metal worker
Catherine M., widow of William H., who died Nov. 1, 1945, age 53.

Connecticut Death Index

Catherine M. Metcalfe, born about 1893, died April 24, 1967 in New Britain. She was the widow of William

If you'd like a copy of their death records, you can get them thru the New Britain Town Clerk's Office.

Thank you very much Jamm,

This is more then I have been able to find. I had found a social security listing for William H born c1918 and it said his spouse name was Barbara. All your information is really good. I think I may have found William H seniors birth. I found a listing in this name in 1892 in Sheffield Yorkshire. This is where my Grandfather came from and all his ancestors were from and I have ordered the birth certificate to find out who his parents are. Hopefully it is the right William Harry and I will be able to find out how this family is connected to mine, if I am correct on how he is part of my family this William Harry Snr is my Grandfather' 1st cousin. If the connection is correct then I will be able to add this family to my tree.

Again Thank you and I really appreciate your help.

Not sure if you've seen ellisisland.org but there's John W. Metcalf, Clara and Wm Harry from Sheffield, England, who arrived in N.Y. on Aug 7, 1893. I'd say that William Harry from New Britain is the cousin you're looking for.

Glad I could help!

Jamm you have been a great help again. I have looked at the entry in ellisisland.org. Thanks again. Are you in the USA, is that why it is easier for you to find these records or know where to look or have you been doing this addictive hobby for a long time? I had a lovely woman that helped me find my Grandfather's brother that moved to Maryland USA. She grew up near where my Great Uncle and his family lived so she knew where to search for the records I needed. Can I ask one more favour? Seeing as Connecticut Death Index doesn't start till 1949 do you have any idea as to where I could find when John William Metcalf died. In the 1910 census it said that Clara and her 2nd husband had been married for 10 yrs so I am presuming that John died before 1900. Anyway I will keep searching for info I can't leave it all up to you but if I get stuck can I contact you again. I only have pay per view membership on Ancestry so I will see what I can find in the next week or so. Thanks again

Helen

Yes I live in the U.S., and I bet it's a challenge for you to find records. I have a subscription to Ancestry, so either post your questions here, or email me off the board and I'll do the lookups for you.

I tried every which way I could, but couldn't find John, Clara or their children in the 1900 census. Did you find them there?

Ancestry has no New Britain City Directories between 1881-1913. Many times, death dates were published in the directories, though not sure if they did it back in the 1890's. You could try the Local History Department of The New Britain Library:: http://www.nbpl.info/localhistory.html and see if John or Clara Metcalfe are listed. If you can get a date of death, you could get his record from the N.B. Town Clerk's Office.

Good luck and let me know if I can be of anymore help.

I forgot to look for the family under Middleton, so here's the census if you don't have it::

1900 Meriden, New Haven, Connecticut Census

Alfred Middleton, age 29, born August 1870, married 1 year. He was born in Connecticut, and his parents were born in England. Occupation is a cutlery grinder.
Clara Middleton, wife, age 40, born January 1860. Gave birth to 2 children and 2 are living. She and her parents were born in England. Immigrated 1894.
William H. Middleton, stepson, age 8, born December 1891. He and his parents were born in England. Immigrated in 1894.
Violet M.E. Middleton, stepdaughter, age 6, born March 1894. She was born in Connecticut and her parents England.
Mary Ovendale, Mother-in-law, age 60, born 1840. Listed as married, and has been for 40 years. Born in Scotland and her parents in England. Gave birth to 2 children and 2 are still living. Says she immigrated in 1888, so not sure who's mother-in-law she is?? Maybe Alfred was married previously??

Well there you go. John must of died before 1899 at least. I can answer who Mary Ovendale is, it's Clara's Mum, Clara's maiden name is Ovendale. Mary must of migrated to the USA long before John, Clara and William did, maybe that's why they migrated to the USA.

This may be far fetched but I wonder if Clara was a widow when she married Alfred or maybe she was a divorcee. My Grandfather, his Father, Stepmother and most of his sibling came to Australia after living in Canada for about 8 years. When they came to Australia, my Grandfather worked for his Uncle, who had a funeral business. His Uncle (who's name was Ralph) started the business originally with a man by the name of William Metcalfe. Ralph was not a funeral director by trade, he was actually a sheet cutter (steel worker). I don't know if William is somehow related but the only William in our line that I have found is Ralph's Father (who was from what I can find an only child) who died in Sheffield Yorkshire in 1902. Ralph and William had a falling out and William actually left the business to Ralph who partnered up with the son of a man who had a delivery stable opposite the funeral parlour. You wouldn't believe this but William opened a funeral business right next door to the original business that he and Ralph had. William's funeral parlour stayed in business for a few years but the one Ralph and his partner continued on and is still going today in the same place but it is a francise now. The person now managing the business told me about the 2 of them and their fall out and the 2 businesses. Anyway my point I was getting to (long windedly and I am sorry about) that I have been thinking of this since long before I knew that John and Clara migrated to the USA, I wondered if maybe the William Metcalfe that was here in Australia was actually John because his middle name is William and if he did divorce Clara and maybe came out here to Australia he could of dropped John as his name. I know it is far fetched isn't it, but it would be an answer to who this William Metcalfe is. I have not been able to find a death certificate in Australia for William Metcalfe so I can't order it to find out who his parents are.

Anyway just thought I would let you know my little idea but like I said it sounds really far fetched to be true.

Anyway thanks again for all your help. You don't know how much I really appreciate this.