RootsChat.Com

Thank you  for that information Treespirit.

I don't have many details. All I know is that their mother's name was Alice Marion Elen. She was born in London, England in 1877 and died in 1942 in Port Elizabeth. Some time between 1891 census (UK) and 1941 (2nd marriage in SA), she married a Mr Smith, had two daughters, was widowed and moved to South Africa, but don't know in which order! 

I have been unable to find the Smith marriage or the death of Mr Smith either in UK or SA and the daughters' births do not appear on the GRO.  It appears that mother and daughters were settled in SA for a number of years before the mother's death, but whether that was before or after the Smith marriage is unclear.

I am assuming that Alice Marion is the older daughter, as it was usual for the first born to be named after the mother. She was married to a Mr Sherman before 1942 (from mother's will), possibly in SA. The younger daughter, Rosina Amy, married Walter Harold Powell on 5 Sep 1934 in Port Elizabeth when she was 24 years old.

Thank you for so much information jonw65. You have certainly filled in a lot of gaps!

I cannot see any births for Alice Marion Elen's children in England. If the births of Alice Marion Smith and Rosina Amy Smith were registered in South Africa, where they state the name of the father, Alice's first husband's name could be found and possibly even their marriage.

Thanks, that's a pity...it must have been a typo then.

Frederick was the only Smith on the GRO with mmn Elen.

Thank you Comberton, that's very helpful.

The GRO has a Frederick Smith with mmn Elen registered Q1 1900 in Glanford Brigg, Lincolnshire. Elen is an unusual name, so it is possible that Alice Marion Elen married Mr Smith about 1899, and he died some time before 1941.