What do you think? COMPLETED!!!!

[Tees]

Hi Lizdb,

Yes, that was her. She was pregnant with my auntie--so that's why her father, an American soldier, and she got married.

As to Gwennie, according to my Auntie, she ran away to London because she cannot endure any longer under her strict grandmother's thumb in Ferry Hill.

Auntie was pretty confident that her grandad remained up in Ferry Hill, Co Durham which means he had to die there. 

Kind regards,

Tees

[lizdb]

Got to go now - but will perhaps have another think another time.

Deaths are frustrating - because you know they had to die sometime and somewhere!

Presumably 'strict grandmother' was Arthurs second wife, and Gwennie's step-mum. Do you know any more about her at all - a name or anything. Just thinking if we could find Arthurs second marriage and childrens births then maybe that would help trace his movements, if any. Also finding these step children marriage certs might show if their dad was still alive then.

Another idea - What about when Arthur's parents died? Do you know anything about their deaths? Reason I say is that maybe if they left wills you can find if Arthur was alive a) when they made the will and more likely b) when the will was proved if he was an executor.

Just ideas of things that have given me clues in the past.

[Tees]

Hi Lizdb,

You have many valid questions. OK, I am going to answer them as best I could to my knowledge.

1. This "strict grandmother" was Arthur's mum named Dorothy A Brain(e).

2. As to the step-mother or half-sister, I have no idea about their names or any further information regarding them.

3. Finding a second marriage would be most helpful but I honestly do not know when they got married--I had searched from 1919 onwards to 1926. Maybe he got married much later than I thought.

4. Arthur's parents--his father Benjamin Brain(e) died when he was a young lad leaving his mother and three brothers poor. Hard life. His mum Dorothy A Braine died in 1940s (have asked my auntie to look in her file holding all the certs I found for her on her family for me).

I do not know she would have left anything for her children as she remained the widow all her life. We could try and find out if she left any will--how do we go about it? She remained in Ferry Hill, Co Durham.

I have sent a letter to the "Looking for the Relatives" section in a local newsletter up in Co Durham. No e-mail confirming the receipt of my e-mail. I think they may have disregard it.  It was done on this Monday.

Kind regards,

Tees

[lizdb]

Sorry, I got my generations a bit mixed when visualizing the strict grandmother.

The only other idea I have had in the meantime is electoral rolls.
There are often some avialble at local record offices, and they can be a boon to tracing peoples movements in  latter years.

Bearing in mind there are probably several Arthur Brain's around (There seemed to be loads when I tried to look for his second marriage) it might be best to first try and find the family pre Gwennie's marriage -  but after she is 21 - thus finding Gwennie, and therefore the correct family. A bonus may be to find stepmum's Christain name, and if step siblings are over 21 then them aswell.
But really I was thinking this would give you the address of the famliy. Youcould then trace this address through whatever years they have electoral rolls available.
if the whole family moves, it wont help, but if they continue to be registered there after Gwennie leaves, and then at some point Mrs Brain continues to be registered there but no Arthur, then it might just indicate that he had died (he could of course have left her).  Thus narowing down possible years.
bu tI dont know where you are, and whether a trip to the Local Record office is feasible. Yoy might like to email them first to see what info they have and how much in the way of look ups they will do for you. Or even before that, you may find out a bit more from local Rottschatters on the board which covers Ferry Hil, Co Durham. Sorry - not my part of the world at all!

Hope you eventually, by some means or other, find his death! It is a trivky one, cos even if you send for a death cert (e.g the one you found in the indexes at beginnig of theis thread!) you will have no way of knowing if it is him or not - it will probably be registered by his wife or child  - neither of which you know the names of. so without 'filling out' more info about his life I dont think you can meaningfully find his death.

[Tees]

Hi Lizdb,

Electoral rolls---you do have a right idea--just a wee problem with this is that if I recalled correctly--elections have suspended during the Second World War. The earliest electoral rolls would be sometimes before and after the Second World War. Perhaps I am mistaken.

We are on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Knowing the country record office(s) up in Co Durham--they are not exactly friendly and only wanted money upfront first before doing anything.

I will try your suggestion to see if it is feasible. Otherwise, I will inform my Auntie that it is the dead end for her grandpa. She (and I) had hard time trying find her mysterious father whom disappeared from her life when she was a young girl. Never know where or when he died or what happened to him in these years. (The post-9/11 changed everything and it made a bit difficult to trace your folks because of many restrictions on the information especially your family. It varied from the state to state--unfortunately, where Auntie live in--it is the toughest one.)

Remarkably, she carried on so well with her children and did a marvellous job of mothering than her mother and father did for her. Even with her disability.  I often wondered if her children did appreciate what she had done for them.

Many, many thanks for all the efforts you have given in this search for my Auntie's Brain(e)s! I truly appreciate it very much!

With much gratitude,

Tees

[Josephine]

Tees,

Does your Auntie know where the family cemetery was?  If so, you could write to them.

If not, you could write to the local cemeteries and ask about burials.

Or the local family history society might have transcripts of tombstones in local cemeteries (which would be helpful only if the person in question had a stone).

Regards,
Josephine

[Tees]

Hi Josephine,

Thank you for your helpful suggestions. Will try them out as well.

No, my auntie does not know where the family cemetery was.

Regards,

Tees

[Josephine]

Good luck, Tees!

 

Regards,
Josephine

[sue.whelan]

Also Looking for Gwendoline Brain. Would have been born 1914/1915.

I have found marriage 1932 in London To Andrew D Roberston and then the one you found in 1943. The timings fit to my family story.

If we are talking the same person here she married 1932 Lambeth and had 3 daughters one of whom is my Mother. The family story is she divorced sometime during 1942/45- still trying to get date.

If you have any other background that ties in please reply. Have applied for marriage cert from 1932 to get DOB for Gwendoline