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Hello,

I am looking for an obituary for my brother, Richard Peter Ward, who died seventh of January 1970 in London. He was born 1 November 1956, in Los Angeles.

I’m pretty sure I was able to find it at one point in the past, but now it seems to have disappeared :-(

Have tried newspaper archives, and various other sites, but so far no luck. Any suggestions or assistance as much appreciated. Thank you!

If not in online archives, you’d have to contact the relevant publication.

Death registered in Wandsworth district


ADDED

I see you’ve posted on Facebook asking about him and showing his headstone.

Find the local paper for Streatham and contact their archivist

There are definitely some local newspapers for that period not on the BNA.

The local studies centre at Battersea Library may be a good place to look.

Not in anyone else's tree on here..............

Here is the list of local papers on microfiche at the local studies in Battersea Library

Clapham Gazette & Local Advertiser 1853-9.

South London Press 1865 to date.

Wandsworth Borough News 1885 to date.

Wandsworth & Battersea District Times 1890-1905.

South Western Star 1890-1985.

Battersea Herald & Mid-Surrey Gazette 1890-1901.

Clapham Junction & District Review 1910-19.

Clapham Observer 1923 to date.

Tooting & Balham Gazette 1952-73 (and some earlier years back to 1907).

Balham & Tooting News & Mercury 1952-78 (with gaps).

Putney & Roehampton Herald 1955-76.


There are no comprehensive indexes, but many items are indexed in the main card index at WHerS (varying in coverage from one period to another). Many local items can be found by searching the digitised versions of The Times, the British Library’s Burney Collection (mainly London newspapers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries) and a selection of nineteenth-century newspapers; access to these is charged for, but they are all available free at the British Library.

I think the OP may be in the USA

Hello all and thank you for the replies!

I do live in the USA. I will be in London for a few days in September, Not sure I’ll be able to go to the library, however, but I might be able to have a friend do a search for me.

With all the information provided here, I should be able to find something.

Another thing has just occurred to me. Richard died because he was hit by a car, I believe it was a bread delivery van. I’m wondering if there might be a police report that could potentially provide some information. Any idea where I could start looking?

Again, thanks to everyone for the replies and the information. It really means a lot to me.

Do you have his death cert?
If he died at the scene of the accident, it might perhaps be worth contacting a local police station:

https://www.met.police.uk/

Also contact the cemetery, as suggested in one of the replies to your Facebook query.

An accident like that would surely be reported in the papers.

You could try contacting Battersea library local studies to see if they can help you, I’m not at all convinced that the local police would be able to help.


Added: link to the local studies at the library:
https://www.wandsworth.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/local-history-and-heritage/local-history-and-heritage-at-battersea-library/

The library is just up the road from Clapham Junction mainline railway station.