Lydia MARKS b. 1875 UK in Cape Town c1930s

[mollipops1]

Lydia CHAPMAN, daughter of William CHAPMAN and Emma MORLEY, born in 1875 in London UK. She first married David Henry HUNTER (my gt grandfather) in 1900 in Kent, England. He died there in 1915 but in the 1911 UK Census he is shown as widowed, a boarder, married 7 years with 2 children. Neither of the children are with him (my grandfather was in hospital, aged 6, can't find his sister Lily/Lilian).

By 1934, my grandfather (also David Hy) had emigrated to Australia, where he married my grandmother. His newspaper engagement announcement states "son of Mrs. L. Marks, Cape Town, South Africa" - another newspaper has her as Mrs Le Marks (I believe the L is for Lydia and the 'Le' Marks an error).

This was a huge surprise as the family story was that she had died in childbirth with her 3rd child. But neither her death nor the baby's is to be found. So now I suspect she left the family and the story was a cover up.

I have been unable to trace her at all remarrying in England and wonder if there is any record of her emigration, marriage and/or death in South Africa please?

Any help at all much appreciated, this is a long-standing brick wall for me! Thank you.

[rosie99]

Do you know what happened to Lily 

[mollipops1]

She also came to Australia with her husband and son.

Lydia is the real mystery!

I've just found a possible death for her back in Wandsworth area in 1942 aged 70. Age is a little out but seems a huge coincidence! Pity UK death certs are next to useless for family tree purposes.

[rosie99]

If she died in 1942 she should appear on the 1939 register (forgot, she may still be in SA  )

[rosie99]

It is likely that the death you found relates to this marriage
June qtr 1898 
Thomas Bradley Marks   
Lydia Smith
Shoreditch    1c   195

[mollipops1]

Oh darn, never mind - it was good to find something and then rule it out before I got carried away!!

[rosie99]

I think we may need to know a bit about the children, especially as David knew that his mother was in South Africa and had 'remarried'

There is a David Henry Hunter age 20 going to Western Australia in 1924 - address in England was Hollesley, Suffolk.

When /where was Lily born and who did she marry and when.

[mollipops1]

Name: Lily Vivian Hunter
Record Type: Baptism
Estimated Birth Date: abt 1905
Baptism Date: 24 Nov 1905
Father's name: David Henry Hunter
Mother's name: Lydia Hunter
Parish or Poor Law Union: Wandsworth St Faith
Borough: Wandsworth

Can't find marriage but know from family this is the right Lilian:
Sydney Charles BROWN, Lilian BROWN nee HUNTER, B*** P*** BROWN [Assisted migrants to Australia 1950s]

Daughter B born London 1945. No death found for Lilian.

[mollipops1]

David Henry HUNTER jnr

At the time of his birth in 1904, the family were living at 41 Dalby Road, Wandsworth, London (I have this certificate).

1911 Census he was in Queen Mary's Hospital for Children in Carshalton, Surrey, aged 6. His father was a lodger at 75 Troughton Rd, Charlton, Kent, shown as a widower with 2 children. It appears Lilian was in a children's home (workhouse) in Wandsworth. No trace of Lydia. DHH snr (who was in the navy) died in 1915.

DHH jnr departed London 29 May 1924 aboard Baradine, age 20, bound for Fremantle, Western Australia. UK address: Hollesley Bay, Suffolk.

At the time of his engagement (Dec 1934) he was living in Kalgoorlie, WA.