Sort of sad succes story

[StewL]

Hello all

I just had contact this week with a 1st cousin once removed who lives in Sydney. She was born here not long after her parents emigrated in 1929.

The sad part is that when my aunt was in Australia recently (last living aunt) she was shown a photo of a woman and asked who she was, my cousin told her that it was her grandmother Isabella Laurie (Galloway) who died in 1943 when my aunt was about 12. Sadly, although she lived just down the street from her granny, she had never met her. After talking to my cousin it confirms what my sister and I thought, that there was some sort of rift in the family that was never reconciled.

My cousin is going to have a look for the photo this weekend and get either her brother or her daughter to email a copy to me, which would be fantastic.

So what turned out to be a great connection, also resulted in that there is a sad side to the story.

[SarahND]

Hi Stewie,
Congratulations on the contact with your "new" cousin. It's true that we uncover many sad tales in our research. My mother also had a grandmother she never knew about, although she didn't die until my mother was 14 years old. Odd thing is, in the 1930 census she (the grandmother) is just a few blocks from my father as a young boy, never knowing his future wife's unknown grandmother was just down the street... How's that for a convoluted story?
All the best,
Sarah

[StewL]

Hi Sarah

Thanks for your message.

My sister and I always thought there was some sort of rift, and we're prety sure now that we know where and when it was. Around the time my widowed granny lived with a "married man" horror. We thought there was something not right as my father only mentioned in passing his mothers side, only referring to her as an "Anderson" so now it appears that both sides didnt approve of granny's "living in sin"

What would they think of folks in our time A bunch of sinful fornicators
And really this wasnt to far back either it was around the 1930's

[SarahND]

Stewie
I think the reason my mother's father's family never knew his mother was exactly the same After years of searching I finally found her in the 1900 census, living with a man who was previously her employee and several years younger. They claimed they had been married for 30 years-- what??? In addition, she has a mystery child with her, whose parentage remains unknown. I have a feeling it might be an illegitimate child of her son, which explains why his wife would have nothing more to do with her People haven't changed that much!
Regards,
Sarah

[StewL]

Hi again Sarah

My gran and her chap had a son too, born in 1935. I got the information thanks to HeatherH on her trip from Nova Scotia to Scotland

I think I posted about this before on TS, as there was a RCE in 1937 which changed his surname and father from the original real one.
I still cant get my head around how they managed to change it to someone who had died in 1933??

There was some story about his family trying to get hold of my uncle, when the biological father died in 1943, but the maths just dont add up when you consider the RCE in 1937.

Oh well at least I do have a scandal in the family now, we were a tame lot up until then

[HeatherH]

Congrats Stewie,
Though saddened by the revalation of a family rift I'm very happy that you were able to make this connection and the bonus of some family piccies.
Happy Hunting,
HeatherH

[StewL]

Hi Heather

Thanks still hoping to get the piccie And hoping she didnt give it to my aunt on her visit

Yes it seems the BC information you gave me on your last visit to Scotland may have been the cause of the rift. I discussed this with Isabel (cousin ) then again talked to my sister about it, and we feel that this was where the rift might have begun. And as I said in a previous post, the fact that my father only described his mother as an "Anderson" may be an indication that side were not to pleased with her liaison either.