Widdows family

[polomint]

My grandmother was Leah Widdows form Churchill in Oxfordshire. Among her effects I’ve found a marriage announcement for Doris Irene Widdows to George de Serionne in 1944. The wedding was in Leicestershire. I can’t find any death notice for her, could she still be alive?

[rosie99]

Maybe she was calling herself Doreen

Doreen Irene De Serionne
BIRTH 17 Dec 1903
DEATH Jun 1982 - York,  England

Births Mar qtr 1904   
WIDDOWS    Doris Irene       
Chipping Norton    3a   1115

[rosie99]

Wedding announcement in The Times calls her Doreen Irene Widdows.  GRO marriage index has both options Doreen / Doris

Her probate has her as a Countess.

[rosie99]

http://www.chippingcampdenhistory.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/cms/st_catharines_graveyard1.pdf

de Serrionne George 31/1/1960 - A 27 F
de Serrionne Doreen 5/ 4/ 1982 - A 27 F

[polomint]

Hello Rosie, I’m confused now, they married in 1944 and on the marriage announcement she’s Doris Irene Widdows. George was born in 1889 and died in 1960, I suppose Doris/Doreen could have lived until 1982!  Crikey, a countess eh? Strange to change from Doris to Doreen especially with Irene as a second name. Did she leave a fortune to a long lost family member? 😄 It sounds like a French surname to me but I can’t find any trace of it anywhere, they obviously stayed in the UK and lived in York, I wonder if they had children.
Unfortunately I let my Genes Reunited membership lapse and I haven’t got round to renewing it so I can’t check where she comes in the family tree. Where did you find the Times announcement and the probate information?
Thank you so much for your help.
Liz

[bevj]

What an interesting man!

http://www.monlib.org.uk/papers/aj/aj1960serionne.pdf

Bev

[polomint]

What a fascinating find Bev! I had no idea of this at all, finding the little card piqued my interest in the family tree but I never expected to find something so exciting. It says in that article that he’s buried in Chipping Campden, although on GR it shows him dying in York. Chipping Campden is one of our favourite places,hopefully we shall visit when the weather improves and I’ll see if I can find his grave.
This forum is brilliant, thank you again.
Liz

[rosie99]

Probate information can be found here
https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills

Times newspaper - my county library service allows this paper to be searched from home using my library card numberto log in with.

Doris/Doreen has clearly called herself Doreen.  Her marriage is entered under both names.

[polomint]

Perhaps she felt Countess Doris sounded a bit down Market ! Thanks for the link to the probate records.