Helping a friend to compile his family tree, we went to visit a great aunt, who on the phone said she ‘couldn’t tell us much’, but had some old photos and papers we would be welcome to look at.
So off we went to Aylesbury and after making us a cup of tea his aunt got out all the papers and photos, a huge pile in a trunk. Birth, marriage and death certificates, baptism records, rent books, army pay books, and ration books etc etc. a goldmine.
While I was busy photographing all this, my friend was chatting with his great aunt about the people in the photos and came a cross a photo of 3 children. He asked his aunt who they were. ‘They are from your father’s first marriage’ she replied………………………………[stunned silence]………..
My friend had been born in 1960 and both his parents were now deceased. But all through his life, no mention was ever made of this, from anyone in the family either before or after his parent’s demise.
His great aunt had the relevant certificates in her possession. His Father’s first marriage certificate and the children’s birth certs. They were married in 1950 and the children born in 1952, 1953 and 1955. They live in Wellington NZ with their mother.
Don’t know what ‘went on’ and don’t want to know.
They have an uncommon surname and were not to hard to find, my friend has contacted the eldest half sibling, only yesterday. My friend has a sister who lives in Christchurch NZ who was just as ‘gobsmacked’ to hear the news.
Goes to show, those who know everything, know a lot, those who know nothing know more.