I've hit (along with my cousin whose Grandmother we are looking for) a solid brick wall.
This is what we know so far:
Elizabeth Carson Drain was born 1 Sept 1880 in 115 Copland St, Dalbeattie, Kirkcudbrightshire, she grew up in Dalbeattie, since we find her in 1881 and 1891 census with her parent(s).
In 1897 she had an illegitimate daughter Williamina Drain, and in 1899 she had another illegitimate daughter Elizabeth Drain.
in 1901 she was a chambermaid at the Station Hotel in Dumfries.
on the 9th Feb 1903 she married David Brown and had 3 children to him,
Margaret McTURK Brown
1903 – 1974
Christina Bell Brown
1905 – 1991
William John DRAIN Brown
1907 – 1985
David died in 1923 and on 17 Jun 1930 at the age of 49 living at 21 Hope St, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, she married James Mayneilly.
She liked to travel, visiting her siblings some of whom lived in Manchester and Nottingham, but one of her sisters had emitrated to San Franscisco, and another to South Africa. My mum (only a child at the time) remembers Aunt Eliza talking about thinking about a visit to Aggy, (Agnes) in South Africa, and we always believed that she had in fact made the journey.
Her sister Jemima in San Franscisco had died in 1936 so we know that the visit wasn't to her, although it could have been to see the nephews etc,
Agnes died in South Africa in 1945, and we believe that Elizabeth died about 1945 to 1947.
My cousin paid for a search in South Africa but came up with nothing for Elizabeth. The story goes that she died just before the ship docked. But, surely there would still be a record somewhere of her death.
We cannot trace her, and being that death records are necessary for burial it would seem obvious that the records must be in existence somewhere.
Any ideas or thoughts as to what direction we should search in would be greatly welcomed!
This is one of those mysteries that won't let you sleep
Beverley
