Terentieff & Priestley

[Starteck2002]

I've been working on my family tree for quite some time but have no idea how to get further info about my Grandmother (never met her).

Maria Terentieff married Eric Roland Priestley in 1934 in Portsmouth and my Dad (Michael Roland Priestley) tells me that his Mother was found around the age of 2 clutching a body (presumed her mother) during the time of the Russian Revolution.  She was brought to the UK.  According to the marriage certificate she was resident at the Havant War Memorial Hospital but her occupation is not stated.  She was 19 when she married in 1934.  I can find no other records of her whereabouts.  Eric Roland Priestley was born in 1909 and was also in the Navy (HMS Restless in Portsmouth at the time of marriage) - my Dad tells me he was dishonorably discharged.  There is a number on his marriage certificate 'Able Seaman 'G112895' but i can't find anything relating to this at National Archives.

Does anyone have any idea how I can find out more about how she came to be in the UK and also if she worked at the hospital?  Any help with the other questions would be really appreciated too.

Thanks,

Dave

[Starteck2002]

Spoke with my Dad who has given me a little more to add to this story;

Marie is actually 'Mara' and she was found at age 2 by two women named 'Mucia' and 'Barbischa' (spellings?).  One of these ladies was a multilinguist.  The sneaked her out in blankets by foot, over some mountains.  They all came to the UK as refugees....

That is all we know...  any help would be really appreciated.

David

[Starteck2002]

New information (posting this here in case it helps others).

Mara was adopted at 3 weeks of age by Miss E H Boothroyd, a linguist who was living and working in Siberia.  She escaped with Mara through Scandinavia and eventually sailing from Bergen (presume Germany) to the UK when Mara was 2 years old (so around 1917).  In 1939 she was living at 5 De-Cham Road, St Leonards, East Sussex which can be confirmed by an article in the Hastings and St. Leonards Observer dated Saturday 25th March, 1939.

Miss E H Boothroyd (forenames not discovered yet) had worked as a translator and teacher for a mining company in the Urals. 

In the UK she was a member of the Linguist Club in Portsmouth and also involved in setting one up at St. Leonards Parish Room, Marcatoria.  During the Great War (need to confirm which war) she was involved in postal censorship work.

[bearkat]

An interesting story but one that is going to be difficult to prove.  The most recent census available is the 1911 census which is too early.  1917 is too early for an official adoption.

Does her marriage certificate give her father's name?