Help !! Anyone any advise on a challenging search ??

[Ruthiebeee]

Hi.

Thank you for take the time to read, and consider helping ! 

I'm trying to find my dads birth dad -

Dad was born in 1950 in York.
When he was 2 years old, his father left when his secret was exposed. He was a bigamist.

He was never heard of again.

My gran would never discuss him. My great gran let slip that he came from Doncaster and was called Derek smith. Yep .... A smith !! Nightmare to locate.

My dad was adopted 7 years later by my grans new husband.

We have managed to get a copy of his original birth certificate. Which shows Derek was actually "Alfred Derek smith". And he was a grocery manager.

I can not locate any wedding between my gran and Alfred.

I've found a birth of Alfred Derek smith in Doncaster in 1924. It shows his fathers occupation as a hawker. I believe that is a travelling sales person/maybe a gypsy ??
But with so many smiths I don't know how to find any marriages and descendants. Without ordering lots of birth and marriage certificates. I'm running out of ideas. So any help is appreciated.

Thank you 😉 X

[JJen]

Hi,

Welcome to RootsChat

Have you seen the marriage in q3 1946, Doncaster Vol 2b Page 981? Could this be your Gran or Alfred's first wife?

I will not post the name of the spouse as she may still be alive (RootsChat have a policy where a person cannot be named if there is a possibility of them being alive).

JJ

[Ruthiebeee]

Hi JJ.

Thank you for replying and welcoming me 😉

Is that the one to MB ??
Also found one in 1955 to NS

But how to do I find out, and any suggestions on what I should do ??

And could dad have any siblings ?? Oh my list of questions goes on lol

Thanks

Ruth x

[JJen]

Yes, the marriage is to MB, I presume that neither of these marriages are your Gran's?

Are you sure that the Alfred you have born 1924 is the correct one and if so what were his parents names on the bc?

JJ

[Ruthiebeee]

Not 100% certain.

We are going off great gran telling dad the family were from Doncaster.

And dads birth certificate stating Alfred Derek smith.

Gran was Rosemary Frances Sparling ( her father was Harold smith Sparling). Yep more confusing. More smith.

I have grans "2nd" marriage is to frank Vincent - the certificate says her name was Rosemary smith and she is a spinster !! ?? And her fathers name as Harold smith.

Arghhhh !!
The plot thickens ...

[JJen]

Have just found your Gran on the 1949 West Yorks Electoral Roll living at 199 Abbotts Road, Barkston Ash under the name of Smith and living with her is Alfred D  and another lady MH.

Not the info you asked for but thought you might like to know of the above. 

The 1924 birth for Alfred records his mother's surname as Clark, therefore this could be his parents marriage -

Alfred D S Smith
Spouse Hilda Clark
q4 1912, Doncaster
Vol 9c Page 1757

JJ

[Ruthiebeee]

Wow that's amazing.

Who would MH be ?? That's not a name I know !!

Do you think that Alfred is the same - with parents smith/Clark, and marrying my gran ?

So we'd be on the right tracks ??

Thank you xx

[Ruthiebeee]

Can u locate a marriage ?? Then I could apply for a certificate ?? 

[JJen]

I'll pm you the name of MH (just in case she is still with us).

You could be on the right track, however it would be better if we could locate a marriage for your Gran but as yet I have been unable to locate one.

JJ