employement after WW2 - Proof of civilian post-war employment abroad

Discussion in 'The Lounge Bar' started by Olivia Lau, Jul 17, 2018.

  1. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    Apologies if this isn't relevant.
    After the war, did the government help or find jobs for the demobilised soldiers?
    After the war my father worked in Paris as a non diplomatic staff at the British Consulate,
    then as an accountant for the NAAFI at S.H.A.P.E (Rocquencourt) then in Rheindahlen near Munchengladbach in Germany where he lived in the Officers Mess although he was a civilian by then.
    My question is: would anyone have any suggestions on how I could prove the above?
    I need to prove to the Home Office why I was born in France.
    I need suggestions as I have drawn a blank so far.
    Many thanks
     
  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Hi

    Thats a conundrum I guess

    Are you saying you were born in Paris when you father was non diplomatic staff at the British Consulate??

    or whats the time connections of the problem?

    TD
     
  3. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    I don't understand the need to prove why you were born in France.

    Both my cousin and I were born abroad and are on the British Overseas birth register. Our births were registered at the time through the nearest British consulate / embassy, and both certificates give our fathers' details. Is this not the case for you? But then, you don't say what nationality your father held at the time.



    Moved this to Barracks as it's not WW2 related.
     
  4. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    I’m not sure of the dates.
    I was born in Sept 1951, S.H.A.P.E opened I believe in the April 1951.
    I need suggestion on how to get written proof
     
  5. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Sorry, written proof of what? Your birth, your father's nationality, your father's employment?
     
  6. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    Oh sorry, both my parents were British, so am I but, because I wasn’t born in UK, nor was my eldest son, he can’t have British citizenship unless I can prove to the Home Office that my father was in Crown Service.
    I know that my father’s pay and pension all came from U.K. but I need to prove it.
    My son cannot have the British Nationality by “double decent”
     
  7. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    My father’s employment
     
  8. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    I wouldn't know how you'd go about tracing your father's employment history or getting official proof of it.

    I think you'd need to consult a professional about this.
    Have you spoken to a solicitor or someone from the Citizens Advice Bureau?
     
  9. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    No, not yet, I have however contacted DWP and the NAAFI without any joy.
     
  10. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    If I were you I'd first consult with someone who has specific knowledge of the relevant laws and legislation, rather than chase after individual former employers: I imagine few would hold employee records decades after the fact anyway.
     
  11. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Or contact the FCO

    Foreign & Commonwealth Office - GOV.UK
    Contact FCO
    Office address
    King Charles Street
    London
    SW1A 2AH
    United Kingdom
    Email
    fcocorrespondence@fco.gov.uk
    General enquiries switchboard
    020 7008 1500
    Consular assistance
    020 7008 1500

    I would have thought they have records for employment and your birth

    TD

    Forgot to add

    Whats your birth name - if your father was working at the British Consulate when you were born then you should be registered in here :
    UK, Registers of Births, Marriages and Deaths From British Consulates, 1810-1968

    This collection consists of over 300 various registers from the UK Foreign Office, mostly of births, deaths and marriages recorded at overseas locations. The embassy and consular records of the Foreign Office contain information that was returned annually to the General Register Office. The registers reveal all kinds of clues about the lives led by those living in close-knit British communities abroad.The collection is particularly rich in marriage records, with despatches to certificates of marriages abroad providing names of the parties involved, general correspondence and circulars on consular marriages and acknowledgements of receipt of certificates by the Bishop of London's Registry. The collection also includes a few other miscellaneous registers from the Foreign Office, of passports, interments, wills, deeds, declarations, oaths, and consular notarial acts.

    Edit:
    I see that Paris is not included in the list :(
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2018
  12. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    In the past there has been controversy regarding children of British forces born abroad particularly in India at the time of the British Empire which I recollect was resolved.

    Other children were born of those serving in the administration but also British nationals working in India on the railways and tea plantations......Guy Penrose Gibson being a son of a planter and born in India.

    I am using India here as an example but it does not matter where you were born as long as a parent was an British National and there should be some evidence of your being from the Birth Overseas Birth Register.....I am assuming you were registered.

    While using FMP (Find My Past) I have noticed a number of births under the British Overseas Birth Register and looking at the dates I have associated them with the presence of Britons abroad in postwar Europe.On FMP there are frequent low priced, short period offers.Enter your birth name,birth year and country of birth and it should throw up some results.

    The Foreign Office may have some information on past employees in overseas service and it would be worth writing to them.However above all,write to your MP and present your case and if you are experiencing poor responses..... let him know.

    As I see it, if your parents received a British State Pension,they should have a National Insurance number,they would not access such a pension without a NI number.It might be helpful to ascertain this information....maybe among their effects.

    Best of luck with your rightful claim to British citizenship....unfortunately there are far too many cases such as yours.
     
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  13. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    Thank you for the suggestion, I will contact them.
    I have already contacted the British Consulate in Paris but, because my father was not a diplomat, they can’t help me.
    I was surprised at this as my parents actually were married at the British consulate in Paris, I really thought they would have some trace....
    Someone has suggested to me that the government found jobs for ex servicemen after WW2 if they had any special skills, my father spoke French, that’s why I wondered if their were lists somewhere.....
     
  14. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Perhaps if you supplied some names, dates etc etc we could search files

    TD
     
  15. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    Thank you, the British citizen issue is for my eldest son, he has a full British Birth certificate but, because neither he, nor I were born in U.K. he is not allowed a British passport.
    Up to now it wasn’t a problem as his EU passport was fine, but because of looming Brexit I do not wish for him to be a foreigner in the land of his heritage
     
  16. Olivia Lau

    Olivia Lau Member

    Thank you for your suggestions, unfortunately I don't have any record of my father's NI number, I cleared my parents home in Paris when my mother died and it's not with me.
     
  17. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Olivia

    Did your father have a will, if so he would have a solictor and their records may contain such information, perhaps contacting the Dept of Works & Pensions.

    Having said all that we are trying to help you but are working in the dark with no real information, we can keep supplying suggestions but we have no time line to work with, for example I might suggest you contact your fathers bank which may keep records and have details of his NI number that paid his pension, etc but without knowing when he died do I suggest it or not.

    Contacting the FCO must, to me, be the first place to go as he worked for them, and they should have details of his employment, pay, pension details etc. They are also one of the Depts that, if I was in your shoes, I would contact, explain my situation and ask them what I need to do to resolve it especailly in light that your father [and your sons grandfather] actually worked them, it puts a small duty of responsibilty on them to help - but knowing them .........................

    TD
     
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  18. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Given the seriousness of the matter in hand, I feel I have to point out that this is a very unusual query for this forum. We are more used to military or genealogy- based questions. I don't think anyone who has replied here would be upset if I pointed out that none of the pointers is based on a professional capacity or experience.

    According to CAB's website they have advisors who are well-versed in the citizenship field. Many solicitors won't charge for an initial consultation.

    I'd imagine you'd be far better served by speaking directly to someone who is familiar with the legislation and who may even be aware of another way for your son's application to proceed. It might just save you a lot of effort in the long run.
     

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