Just FOUR days to find the owner of this ring!

Hello Peter

Just following on from a couple of earlier replies, you could try contacting BBC Bristol/Somerset with the information that you already have. There is an excellent local tv programme called Spotlight every evening covering Somerset and other adjacent counties. Could be a useful way to get the story out there and hopefully some family members may recognise the names.

 

In response to Springwater's post,I found a military marriage earlier for a Colin G Jackson. British Forces Overseas, 1959 Singapore bride's name Davies ref.(6) 30.
Also, although he would have only been about 17, "ww11 Escapees and Evaders, WO208, piece no. 4255 .
Colin G Jackson 22382 South African Signals
Captured 22/6/42
Interviewed in Switzerland 2/5/44

 

In 2014, an ANDREW C. JACKSON had been living for 12 years at 40 Maynard Terrace, Bristol BS39 5PW (this Clutton or Temple Cloud in North Somerset).
Also in 2014, an IAN MARK JACKSON had been living for 16 years at 68 School Road, Bristol BS36 2DA (Frampton Cotterell or Winterbourne in South Glos.)

These addresses are not included in the Bristol City phone book, but the relevant books may well be available at the Bristol Central Library, and if desired I might be able to get someone to go and have a look.......

 

Perhaps if one of the rightful heirs turned up, the police would cancel (or at least postpone) the auction....

 

The current bid is £96. It seems to be quite a popular item.

 

If this is indeed Michael's widow, she'll be an old lady (at least 77) and I don't think anyone except the police or one of her own children should contact her out of the blue.

 

I doubt if the Patricia E .Haines mentioned in an earlier reply and living in Gloucestershire is the right person because her age , as given in one website, is not consistent with birth in 1961.

 

I agree. (Well spotted!) Unfortunately, this led me to the registration of the death in BRISTOL of Patricia E Jackson, 2nd Q 1965 aged 3....

 

Ah!...........

 

I would contact the Officer in Charge of the Avon and Somerset Police, tell them the lengths you are going to to try to find the rightful owners and ask for the ring to be pulled from this auction to give you time to continue your very humanitarian search. (The ring could be listed in the next auction and I'm assuming that the Avon and Somerset Police did the usual routine computer checks to find out if anyone reported to a police department the lost or stolen ring.)
If you are told it is too late, contact the auction company and ask the same question.
Social media, such as a Facebook page, has had miraculous results very quickly and you might find the owners that way.
Whatever the results, a media story about how you tried to find the owners with the clock ticking is a great human interest story and would highlight the power of family research.

 

I agree with PamelaF and Helen C that we (Peter?) ought to contact the police and ask for this ring to be removed from the auction, as it seems very likely that some family could claim it.

If there has been a burglary, perhaps other items of jewellery and other things were also taken, and the owners are not aware of Bumblebee, or perhaps do not use a computer if elderly.
I would assume nothing about attempts to reunite this ring with the person who lost it, or had it stolen.

If Peter thought that we should club together and buy this ring there are problems such as that it takes 2-4 days to register before one can use this site to bid (unless Peter is already registered?).

Looking at the bidding history for this ring and other items of jewellery there seems to be a man who is bidding for most of them. A dealer? Or rather two dealers who are competing.

I agree with others who mention Spotlight or local radio might be interested - but would the owner be watching/listening? So, what about the police? LostCousins members have found out so much, but perhaps there is more that the police could access than we can?
Pat

 

It could also alert any living family member/s which is really the object of the exercise.

 

Peter, I have a cousin who is a presenter for BBC Bristol (radio, I think) if that helps. However, if this is relevant for you, you'd best email me as I am not online much over the next two days due to family commitments. Fascinating project, well done, would love to be more help.

 

I did not find out from the site whether the ring had been lost and found or was recovered by police after a theft.

Sadly, I agree with Peter that the owners might not want it, having sold it. But if it was stolen, they should claim it, and then sell it if they want to.

The younger generation seem to want 'new' or 'fashion' items rather than second-hand, although there is a vogue at present for 'vintage'.

Has anybody looked to see what price gold rings are selling for nowadays? I have no idea what the value of this amount of gold is. I suppose it would depend on the amount of gold in this ring.
Pat

 

Peter,
Following on from my email - Do you have any members living in the Bath, Somerset region who could look up the local newspapers for obituaries for 2002 (Peter James Jackson) & 1998 (Colin Geoffrey Jackson)? There may be details of other family members who are still living. I also thought that if someone with lots of friends/followers made a posting to Facebook it might spread but that might be too late for the auction. I agree with other correspondents that an approach to the police showing the extent to which members are going might encourage them to pull the ring from this auction.

 

Peter
This is the first time I've posted anything on the forum, but I've just been reading all this and I have friends who live in Bristol who I could contact to look up newspaper details if needed.
These same friends daughter-in-law also works for the BBC in Bristol.
Only to pleased to be of help.
Caroline