Genealogy Chat

I haven't been to the Colindale archives, but when searching for some information on a relative that died (admittedly in 1908) I went to the Westminster Archives at10 St. Ann's Street London SW1P 2DE
020 7641 5180 and found an inquest report in the local paper. You could phone them up and see what information they have.

I find electoral registers are very useful one family lived at the same address for 40 plus years and I traced their children (when old enough to be added) her death and her husband's subsequent marriage, try searching the address on the death cert, it may go back a long way.

Hi,
The Dr. Barnardo's report said that both parents were too fond of dancing and drinking and having now met cousin's of Alice's who knew her who have told me she was a "bit of a girl" nudge, nudge I kind of get the impression that she just married the wrong person, wasn't happy and too young to be tied down in an unhappy marriage with 4 young children, the youngest child was only a matter of a few months old when she was placed in Barnardo's. The cousins of her's that I met didn't know that she had been married once never mind twice and definitely knew nothing about her children. Although they did see her and spend time with her after she and her first husband had parted. She was apparently really close to her maternal Grandfather, it is from his family that I have received photo's of her so now know what she looked like as a baby, child and adult. I have also been told that she had a very unhappy childhood, her Dad was apparently a bit of a bully who used to abuse her Mum. So maybe there is something in the way she was raised that caused her to give up her children. Although being rejected for the second time by Alice caused my Mum to have a nervous breakdown, she recovered and wasn't at all bitter. Her one ambition was to trace her family tree and she was going to do this when she retired. Unfortunately she died 6 weeks after retiring so I decided to try and do it for her- and here I am. Not bitter just nosy and determined if these "other children" exist to find them !!

Hi Sarah,

That's so sad to have an unhappy childhood, then a marriage etc.

Glad that your mum was not bitter. Maybe tehy are together somewhere now...

Best of luck, I am sure you will find who you are looking for!

Just a tip - most councils have a community website and you could always post a fairly generic message without giving to much info and ask people to contact you..