Missing Relatives
Discussion
How many people on here have 'missing relatives'?
My Nan was born in Manchester but she never knew her Father. It was in the days when out-of-wedlock babies were seen as some kind of cancer.
Although her Dads family looked after her when she was born, she ended up growing up in London where her Mum was originally from. As a result, she didn't ever get to know her real Dad.
I know it was relatively painful for her as she often talked about tracking him down. She never did though and she took this empty part of her life to her grave.
I think thats sad. :(
But it must be common?
My Nan was born in Manchester but she never knew her Father. It was in the days when out-of-wedlock babies were seen as some kind of cancer.
Although her Dads family looked after her when she was born, she ended up growing up in London where her Mum was originally from. As a result, she didn't ever get to know her real Dad.
I know it was relatively painful for her as she often talked about tracking him down. She never did though and she took this empty part of her life to her grave.
I think thats sad. :(
But it must be common?
My gran (who's 90 and getting rather senile) recently dropped into conversation 'but of course, he's a bastard' (illigitimate son, if the censor gets to that word), referring to one member of our family. Now, this is news to all of us, and we have no way to verify it as the relative in question is not close, nor do we know if she was having a lucid moment or talking about Hitler again (she does that).
So.. yes, maybe we do have relatives that we're unaware of, but we'll never know.
So.. yes, maybe we do have relatives that we're unaware of, but we'll never know.
Out of wedlock babies were a lot more common than they let on. I've done quite a bit of research on family history so I can pass it on to my kids.
Are you enquiring so you can find your roots or is it a general question?
Most of us would find a few cobwebs in the closets if we looked back far enough.
My gran and grandad never celebrated their wedding anniversary in front of the family, I wonder if it was because it was a bit too close to my dad's birthday
Are you enquiring so you can find your roots or is it a general question?
Most of us would find a few cobwebs in the closets if we looked back far enough.
My gran and grandad never celebrated their wedding anniversary in front of the family, I wonder if it was because it was a bit too close to my dad's birthday
BliarOut said:
Are you enquiring so you can find your roots or is it a general question?
It wasn't the primary reason for doing this thread.
But I would like to know more. All I know is where my Nan was born, which was the old Salvation Army Hospital in Mitchell Street (I think) which was in Ancoats. Don't think the building stands anymore. I know what her Dads surname was too.
I need to set time aside to investigate.
lazyitus said:
How many people on here have 'missing relatives'?
My Nan was born in Manchester but she never knew her Father. It was in the days when out-of-wedlock babies were seen as some kind of cancer.
Although her Dads family looked after her when she was born, she ended up growing up in London where her Mum was originally from. As a result, she didn't ever get to know her real Dad.
I know it was relatively painful for her as she often talked about tracking him down. She never did though and she took this empty part of her life to her grave.
I think thats sad.
But it must be common?
My Nan was 80 years old when her "sister" Kitty died. It turned out that Kitty was her mother and was 15 when she had her. Nan was brought up by her Grandmother, but thought for all those years that she was her mother. She never found out who her real father was. The sad thing is that all those people had lied to her for all that time.
mrs trackside said:
My Nan was 80 years old when her "sister" Kitty died. It turned out that Kitty was her mother and was 15 when she had her. Nan was brought up by her Grandmother, but thought for all those years that she was her mother. She never found out who her real father was. The sad thing is that all those people had lied to her for all that time.
Bloody Nora, that's a sad one.
If you want to get searching, these are good starting points. The lower one is run by the mormons, but don't let that put you off. Thanks to these and a little leg work, I've tracked some of my family back as far as the 1750's. Getting back to 1836 is relatively easy, as that's when centralised records started. Before that, it's down to how good the bishops transcripts were.
Good luck.
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/
www.familysearch.org/
Good luck.
http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/
www.familysearch.org/
To this day, my mother or anyone in the family for that matter, doesn't know who her father was.
Like the situations described above, her mother conceived her out of wedlock and coming from quite a strict Christian family, this wasn't on.
So, her father was never to be seen again and the only person who actually knew who he was, was my grandmother who is now dead.
My mother has never mentioned any desire to find out, but I've always been curious as to who my grandfather is / was.
I guess it wouldn't be too hard to find out, as we live in a small town but I often think it would open a can of worms if I did find out who he was...
Like the situations described above, her mother conceived her out of wedlock and coming from quite a strict Christian family, this wasn't on.
So, her father was never to be seen again and the only person who actually knew who he was, was my grandmother who is now dead.
My mother has never mentioned any desire to find out, but I've always been curious as to who my grandfather is / was.
I guess it wouldn't be too hard to find out, as we live in a small town but I often think it would open a can of worms if I did find out who he was...
My Nan was 80 years old when her "sister" Kitty died. It turned out that Kitty was her mother and was 15 when she had her. Nan was brought up by her Grandmother, but thought for all those years that she was her mother. She never found out who her real father was. The sad thing is that all those people had lied to her for all that time.
It must have been doubly hard hitting, the fact that it was a secret, and known around by people
At what age, might be good to be taken somewhere quiet, and put in the picture by someone trusted
It must have been doubly hard hitting, the fact that it was a secret, and known around by people
At what age, might be good to be taken somewhere quiet, and put in the picture by someone trusted
rich 36 said:
My Nan was 80 years old when her "sister" Kitty died. It turned out that Kitty was her mother and was 15 when she had her. Nan was brought up by her Grandmother, but thought for all those years that she was her mother. She never found out who her real father was. The sad thing is that all those people had lied to her for all that time.
It must have been doubly hard hitting, the fact that it was a secret, and known around by people
At what age, might be good to be taken somewhere quiet, and put in the picture by someone trusted
Nan was born in 1901 and single mothers simply "didn't exist" in those days. I would assume that her family couldn't tell her because of the stigma of it all. By the time she did find out, they were all dead.
I bet there's loads of people in the same situation, but because of the views on morality until 30 odd years ago, it's not spoken about.
My Grampa was born in 1916, he never knew who his father was ans his Mum died when he was very young, 6 or 7 I think. He has one photo of her. When she died he was passed around her relatives for a while before ending up in a Barnardos home.
He has his Mum's surname, Mason, but his middle name is the rather unusual 'Hurst'. We wonder if that was the surname of his father. He's had a look for records concerning his Dad but no joy, he can't find much about his Mum either. Because of his date of birth, it's likely that his Dad didn't return from war.
He has his Mum's surname, Mason, but his middle name is the rather unusual 'Hurst'. We wonder if that was the surname of his father. He's had a look for records concerning his Dad but no joy, he can't find much about his Mum either. Because of his date of birth, it's likely that his Dad didn't return from war.
50's Northampton Mothers were offered accomodation by the council well awy from nice folks,
quite litteraly on the wrong side of the tracks (Spencer actually)
were they might raise illegit' sprogs out of sight and mind of the great and good in town,
pathetically sad, and not so long either
good thread BTW.
>> Edited by rich 36 on Tuesday 13th September 12:56
quite litteraly on the wrong side of the tracks (Spencer actually)
were they might raise illegit' sprogs out of sight and mind of the great and good in town,
pathetically sad, and not so long either
good thread BTW.
>> Edited by rich 36 on Tuesday 13th September 12:56
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