Finding relatives of missing airgunner William Robert Louth of Hayes Middlesex

[fulliautomatix]

I am meeting the family of William Louth next Monday! Also interviewing them for a documentary I am making....

That's great news! So glad to have put you in touch with each other

[David Van Coolwijk]

I have met Christine, the cousin of sergeant Louth about a month ago.

We had a nice chat and visited several locations related to Sgt Louth and had an interview for the documentary I am making!

She mentioned Kathleen Ivy Hunter, the widow of Sgt. Louth. Her father (Louth' brother) went to visit Kathleen (Kitty) quite often, but his wife thought that was not a very good idea because Kathleen remarried and started a new life.

Christine didn't have much information, but interesting none the less!

William was a band leader and loved making music!
Kathleen did that also and had an absolute hearing!
His hair turned white during the war.
etc.

What I have learned is that all the documents regarding the missing of William were sent to Kathleen, because, of course, he was his wife.

From this thread I have learned that Kathleen married a certain Mr. McCaskell in September 1947.
I have found out on FreeBMD that she was born in 1920 in Sheffield and her mothers name is probably Beer.

What I am hinting at, is I want to try and find (if she is still alive, not completely impossible) her or her next of kin to learn if there is still something left in her family about William Louth.

It is a longshot, but I think, because they spent several years together, that she might have saved somethings about her first husband.

What do you guys think? In for another search?

The search for Crawford and Shepherd's families are still ongoing, no updates yet!

(don't mind the beard, I already shaved lol)

[nanny jan]

Thank you for the update, much appreciated.

[philipsearching]

What do you guys think? In for another search?

Too right!  Bring it on!

p.s. - nothing wrong with the beard.  I am envious - my hair is now silver/grey and my beard (when I have one) is pure white 

Philip

[David Van Coolwijk]

Thanks Philip, usually I let it grow during autumn and winter. But recently I applied for the firebrigade, and it is not allowed to have a beard.

I am having a hard time finding anything else on the net about Kathleen, or "aunt" Kitty as Christine calls her. I have been looking for obituary's in Leicester, but there are so many "Hunters" and no McCaskells. So that is looking for a needle in a haystack.

[Annette7]

As has already been stated, William Robert Louth was married to Kathleen Ivy Hunter - however, she was not the one mentioned previously as being born in 1920 Sheffield.  Again, as already mentioned on this thread, on 1939 register she is listed as Ivy K.   She presumably preferred her second name, especially as remembered by her niece as 'Kitty'.

She was actually registered as Ivy K. Hunter in Mar.qtr.1917 Leicester - mothers maiden name Dwyer.   We also know she remarried to a James McCaskell in 1947.

I have found her death entry in Scotland (per Scotlands People) - Ivy Kathleen McCaskell aged 88 (b.1917), died 2005 Vale of Leven registration district (West Dunbartonshire) - mmn Dwyer!  There is also a separate entry in the name of Kathleen suggesting this was the name she went by.

There is also a death entry for a James McWilliam McCaskell aged 62 - mmn Cameron - in 1982 Vale of Leven who may well have been her husband (birth index shows he was born in 1920 Bonhill, Dunbartonshire).

So, it's looking as if her second husband was Scottish and that sometime after marrying in Leicester they moved up to Scotland.   No idea if they had any children - nothing shown in Leicester and can see nothing obvious in Scottish births either in the correct time frame. (Luckily, not a common surname).

Annette
 

[nanny jan]

Good find Annette.  Her new surname did hint at a Scottish link.

[David Van Coolwijk]

Thanks Annette!

So there is a slim chance that there are children?

[Wendy2305]

There are McCaskell deaths up to 2001 in Vale of Leven none with mothers ms Hunter but could be relations of her husband there are also marriages in 1990's and births up to 2002 so potenionally still family in the area
this appears to be one of the local newspaper website http://www.dumbartonreporter.co.uk/