Tanks to the tip, I can tell you that Lillian/Leila Cresswell was definitely born Lilian Mary Lewis, married William James Pullen who divorced her in 1932, and died in 1975 as Leila/Lilian Cresswell.
I have been in touch with a family member who tells me that the family believe that Lilian married Donald Cresswell c1947, though no such marriage found. Perhaps began living together is the truth and she adopting his surname. She added that Lilian was somewhat eccentric and treated her daughter Elfrieda as a sister, thinking that being her mother might harm her acting career.
We known that Elfrieda Pullen married a Gordon F Pearce in 1950. They are together in Linden Ave, London on the 1930 electoral rolls. But from the 1952 roll Elfrieda Pearce is living by herself at 36 Gondar Gardens, London, joined on the 1955 roll by Donald and Leila/Lillian Cresswell. Lilian remains there the rest of her life, Elfrieda leaves by the time she remarried in 1959 (incidentally, the family believe because Gordon has died though no such death found), and Donald leaves c1958.
So Lilian/Leila is identified and Donald Cresswell remains a mystery. As does Gordon F Pearce, whose marriage to Elfrieda seems to be over within a year or so, and the family seem to know little about him. Therere three possible Gordon F Pearce born 1915-1922 who may have married Elfrieda, assuming he was around her age.
The family say Donald Cresswell is a mystery to them, and I fear he may remain so to us.
Thanks
John