General Chat

Jayne, Have sent you an email Cathy:)

I want to try to find out something about my grandfather but there seems little hopeas I don't even have a name. My grandmother's name was Lillian Crawley. (She is now dead and has been for about 9 years) .She was a widow in 1943 (she was about 36)when she had a relationship with a man who lived near her ( he may have been younger) and my mother was conceived. My mother was born on 23rd March 1944. My grandmother lived in Newport South Wales in 18 Marshfield Street and my mother believes although is not certain that her 'father' was staying with his relatives in a street nearbypossibly Liscombe Street or Fairfax Road. (Both of these streets and Marshfield Street are off a larger road called Corporation Road.) Another possibility is that he was from Australia (as his family had emigrated there) and possibly a soldier. His name could be John Hunt but this is a long shot as my mother only vaguely remembers a neighbour mentioning this. Obviously his name is not on my mother's birth certificate. My grandmother would never talk about it and for some reason probably not to cause my grandmother any distress my mother didn't press her. We think that my grandmother was very ashamed even though she was a widow -thankfully times have changed. The tragedy is that my mother is 60 in March and knows nothing about her father but would very much like to (even though he may now be dead). I'm not sure that anyone can help at all as the information is so vague. If you do have any suggestions I would greatly appreciate your help. My mother has spent all her life looking after other people - her sister died when my mother was only 17 and she brought up her niece; she's the youngest in her family so her brothers and sister rely on her; she looked after my grandmother for many years including 7 very difficult years when she had to live with us and she didn't have an easy time with my sister as she was ill most of her childhood (she still supports her greatly now as she has an 8 year old daughter who is not well). My mother's name is Faith Crawley (as she was given the name of my grandmother's husband). her life has always been about other people and now I want to do something for her. If you can help I would be so delighted. Jayne Jones