22-05-2018, 19:37
I am trying to locate information about my mother's first cousin, Alic Cohen. He was born in London approximately 1901 (I don't have an exact birth date), served in the British Royal Navy, and was stationed on Malta in the 1920s. Many years later while serving in the Royal Navy during WW2, at a particular mail-call on the ship he was serving on, the shout went out for Alic Cohen. To Alics great surprise a much younger man also stepped forward at the same time as him to claim the letter, and it was his son that he knew nothing about. Young Alics mother had not told Alic the senior that she was expecting and did not contact him after the birth either. Apparently at the end of the war Alic Senior returned to Malta, found Alic Junior's mother and lived out the rest of his life there. Alic Senior was born Jewish; we don't know if he continued this association after moving to Malta permanently. I don't know if this complicates the record search or not.
What I am trying to determine is whether there are records of Alic Cohen's life on Malta; marriage records, whether there is a tombstone for him (Alic Cohen either senior or junior)in the (Jewish-?)cemetery, etc. And perhaps documentation of his sons birth, etc. The reason this has become important to the family at this time, is that we have a young woman who is a DNA match to several of us in the family who has a link to Malta, and we are trying to find a link to our family.
The story for the young woman is that her father, Jonathan Sinclair, was born in Canada circa 1973 to William Sinclair and a woman with the first name of Lena; the maiden name was possibly Vogel, but we dont know that for sure. Lena was born on Malta-we presume around the time of WWII, and had a father in the Royal Navy. I am suspecting that either Alic Cohen Senior or Alic Cohen Junior was Lena's father, but I dont know which one it was for certain. Lena came to Canada as a young girl. I wish I had more details, but the young womans parents didnt marry and she has had little contact with her paternal family, which is where her Jewish DNA is coming from.
Is there a genealogist or archivist on the island who can help us with this? Perhaps theres a list of birth and death records/burials for the Jewish community that can be reviewed..
Any suggestions or assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
What I am trying to determine is whether there are records of Alic Cohen's life on Malta; marriage records, whether there is a tombstone for him (Alic Cohen either senior or junior)in the (Jewish-?)cemetery, etc. And perhaps documentation of his sons birth, etc. The reason this has become important to the family at this time, is that we have a young woman who is a DNA match to several of us in the family who has a link to Malta, and we are trying to find a link to our family.
The story for the young woman is that her father, Jonathan Sinclair, was born in Canada circa 1973 to William Sinclair and a woman with the first name of Lena; the maiden name was possibly Vogel, but we dont know that for sure. Lena was born on Malta-we presume around the time of WWII, and had a father in the Royal Navy. I am suspecting that either Alic Cohen Senior or Alic Cohen Junior was Lena's father, but I dont know which one it was for certain. Lena came to Canada as a young girl. I wish I had more details, but the young womans parents didnt marry and she has had little contact with her paternal family, which is where her Jewish DNA is coming from.
Is there a genealogist or archivist on the island who can help us with this? Perhaps theres a list of birth and death records/burials for the Jewish community that can be reviewed..
Any suggestions or assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.