Accra: Family History Research - Can anyone help please.

Dear John,

Greetings,
Just a suggestion, you can think of posting the same advert on your family history search in the Ghana Local media. Probably by that you will reach a wider scope of both natives of Ghana and expatriates as well.

Wish you well.

Cecilia

Hi Cecilia,

Thank you very much for your reply and suggestion.

I'm not very familiar with Accra and the local media at all but have sent off 3 emails to various places that I've come across on the internet.  So far no replies though.

If you, or anyone, could provide me with local media contact details, including an email address that I may get a response from it would be ever so helpful.

John

I have found an email address for the Methodist church in Ghana and I am sure they will have archives regarding missionaries etc.
The email is mcghqs@ucomgh.com
Hope this helps

Hi hkann,

Many thanks for your reply. Unfortunately, that is one of the email addresses that I sent to (back on 23rd Jan 2012) and as of yet I haven't received any response.  Your post however has prompted me to send another email to them.

I'm still open to further suggestions.

John

One newspaper that has been around a long time is the Ghanaian Times. They might have an archive as I am sure it would have been news at the time.
You can contact them a info@newtimes.com.gh

That's great, many thanks for your help hkann.  I shall give them a try.  I'll let you know what happens.

PS.  I've just resent my previous email to mcghqs@ucomgh.com

John

I have also found a publication which is a history of the Methodist Church in ghana written by Casely B Essamuah and he has a page on Facebook. He might be able to help you with where to go to conduct research.

I sent an email to info@newtimes.com.gh but it came back straight away with a failed to deliver message.  It appears that their mail box may be full.  Just my luck ... LOL!!  Will try again later.

I'll give your facebook suggestion a go.  Thank you very much for your help.

I've sent an email to Casely B Essamuah.  I'll update this thread as progress is made.

Very interesting search! I wish you the best of luck in your search and keep us posted in your findings!

Hi moreadventures1976,

Thank you for your interest in my thread.  I've been researching my family history for a few years now but so far I haven't got very far with researching in Accra.  My ancestors are mainly from England but with connections to Germany and Australia.

By the way, your pictures are fantastic.  What amazing countryside you have over there!



Hi hkann,

I sent another email off to info@newtimes.com.gh this morning.  So far, keeping fingers crossed, no failed to deliver message.

Hi All,

No replies from the emails I sent off yet.  Even the "info@newtimes.com.gh" email eventually came back with failed to deliver again.

I'm still very much open to any help that anyone can give.

Have a great weekend.

John

I am sure you have checked the various places in the UK that hold information on Methodist missionaries but just in case you haven't the University of Manchester has a Methodist collection and if you contact peter.nockles@manchester.ac.uk you might be able to find information about the couple there.

Hi hkann,

I've tried a few places in the UK, including the Methodist Church help-desk.  I guess that they are busy with other higher priority business but I still hope I will get a reply from someone.

What would be useful is if there is someone on the ground in Accra that has access to newspaper archives from around the date I mentioned or has knowledge of or access to cemeteries and maybe even record/registry offices in the Accra area.

I'll just keep plugging away until something crops up.

Many thanks.

John

Hi All,

Update ...

Reply received back from the UK Methodist Helpdesk but unfortunately their leads have come to nothing.

Also reply received back from the SOAS Archives but again their leads haven't produced any results.

So still looking for any help I can get. Especially from anyone on the ground in Accra

John

Hi!
Have you tried the British High Commission in Accra? Ghana had recently gained its independence and they should have had a strong presence in the country. Perhaps there are some retired staff living in the UK who remember the accident that killed Mary.

Try to find people who were missionaries in Ghana. Why not put an add in a British newspaper. There are also many Ghanaians in the UK. Try to contact their associations and ask them to help you find methodists from Accra who could be helpful in giving you direct contact with their churches in Accra.I am sure that there are old Ghanaians in Accra who remember her and what happened. Don´t send any money though!!