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Hi I have been searching for many years for information about my Grandmother, who disappeared in the 1950s before I was born. She was born Mary Ann Campbell Harrison on 3rd May 1925 in Moscow Street, Belfast, the youngest of 4 siblings. Her parents were Thomas and Margaret, and she was known as May.
She married Alec Latter in Belfast in 1943, and moved to Wembley in London, and my Mother Margaret Latter was born in November 1943.
When Margaret was 1 Mary Ann left her and Alec and moved to Alperton for a while.
Mary Ann reappeared on the 1939 census back in Moscow Street, and cousins remember Mary visiting her sister in the 1950s for one night, after which she was never seen again! I can find no trace of her death, but I am aware she probably changed her surname. DNA hasn’t helped me find anything so I wondered if any of this might be recognised by anyone! Thank you!

Welcome to Genes and the boards.

It is always sad when someone disappears. Sadly it is extremely unlikely that anyone who knows of her whereabouts would see your post. DNA wouldn’t help unless she had further children who then got tested.

Unless she got divorced it is unlikely she remarried but might have taken another man’s name. Have you looked to see if she emigrated or even returned to The mainland? Have you checked for her on Scotlands People and freebmd.org.uk for England and Wales..

Being born in 1925 suggests that she is probably no longer alive. Have you looked for deaths with that birthdate?

If she is an open record on the 1939 register, her death has almost certainly been recorded and picked up

How is she notated in 1939?

EDITED

How could she 'reappear' in 1939? That was before she married ( she'd have been only 14)

I expect they are all copied but the trees on Ancestry say she went missing in 1949 not the 1950’s.

"Mary Ann reappeared on the 1939 census back in Moscow Street,"

That must have been on the National Register of Northern Ireland, in which case we can't access it online:

https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/1939-national-register.html

However, as already pointed out, that would have been before she married.


In 1918, Thomas Harrison, van man, is listed as the householder at 29 Moscow Street in the Belfast Street Directory.
He's still there in 1951, but in1960 the house is vacant.

Thomas died 10 February 1957, and is buried in the City Cemetery, Glenalina Extension.
There are no other Harrisons, nor anyone named Mary Ann, buried with him.

A very long shot - just because you said she was known as May:

Mary Ann Mawhinney
in the UK and Ireland, Find a Grave Index, 1300s-Current
Name: Mary Ann Mawhinney
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 1925
Birth Place: Northern Ireland
Death Date: 24 Jan 2018
Death Place: Belfast, County Down, Northern Ireland
Cemetery: Roselawn Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place: Belfast, County Down, Northern Ireland

Spouse:
James W Mawhinney [ died 13 Feb 1997 ]


The gravestone gives her name as Mary Ann (May) Mawhinney.

A note added says last residence 145 Parkgate Avenue.
Burial date: 1 Feb 2018


I can't find a marriage, to find out this woman's maiden name.


James Mawhinney
in the Web: Belfast, Northern Ireland, Burial Indexes, 1869-2011
Name: James Mawhinney
Gender: Male
Age: 73
Record Type: Burial
Last Known Residence: 145 Parkgate Ave
Death Date: 13 Feb 1997
Burial Date: 17 Feb 1997
Burial Place: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Cemetery Section: F 90
Cemetery: Roselawn Cemetery
Notes: Earth Burial

The whole inscription is:

In Loving Memory of my dear mother, Jennie Murray , died 27 October 1965,
(then a word obscured by flowers) James W Mawhinney, beloved husband, father, and grandfather died 13th February 1997,
and
Mary Ann (May) Mawhinney
(something) wife, mother, and nanny
1925-2018.



Jane Murray
in the Web: Belfast, Northern Ireland, Burial Indexes, 1869-2011
Name: Jane Murray
Age: 70
Record Type: Burial
Last Known Residence: 24 Downpatrick St
Death Date: 27 Oct 1965
Burial Date: 29 Oct 1965
Burial Place: Belfast, Northern Ireland
Cemetery Section: F 90
Cemetery: Roselawn Cemetery
Notes: Earth Burial



Mrs Jane Murray was at 24 Downpatrick Street from at least 1951 onwards - so if she was James Mawhinney's mother, she must have remarried. Can't see such a marriage..


Re 145 Parkgate Avenue, which was James and Mary Ann's last place of residence - Mary Ann was there from at least 2002, per ER.