Lookup for illegitemate childs father or any link at all

[ali607]

Hi everyone,

Many years ago -about ten years really - I frequented this site on a daily basis. I lived here from getting home from work until going to bed! My dad died in 2010 and I suddenly felt that I should be dwelling among the living more than the dead. Recently I have had my first child and something inside of me is calling me to get back to it. You see, Family History was my obsessive hobby back then and I traced my family tree back to the 1700s, except one line...

This line is the only unfinished chapter in my ancestry. Back in 2008 or so when I stopped researching, there were probably limited resources compared to today. I do not have the time to complete this chink in the jigsaw, but would be very very grateful if anyone could help me with this...

My family name is Salter. My dad was Stephen Desmond Salter. His dad Desmond Jervis Salter (although he changed his name to Robert Desney in later life as he was estranged to my dad). I now have all details about his life...in profusion.

Desmond was born 4 Dec 1918 Mill Hill London at Fulham Road Infirmary (369 Fulham Road) in CHelsea. He was illegitemate but his mother was Ethel Salter. She was a munitions worker in 1918 and her normal residence was 5 Marville Road, Fulham. I believe she would have been demobbed in 1919.
He was brought up in a catholic orphanage in Mill Hill. I have lots of information on the orphanges he lived in and his life thereafter - marriages, navy records and RAF etc

But I would dearly love to finish this jigsaw with the last piece. I would love to find a picture of Desmond if anyone has any ideas where one might be lurking. Who was Desmond's father and also who was Ethel and her line back in time? I think she was born in 1895.

I am hoping there are easier methods to find out this information now than ten years ago. I would be interested in anyone who can help for free on here or indeed, anyone who can recommend a 'paid' researcher.

I should also ass that I have an intuitive hunch - and I am a very intuitive person lol - that Desmond was not British (end of the war etc)...I have a hunch towards Eastern European/Russia/Japan...just in case anyone sees any connections to those countries along the way!

Many thanks
Alison xxx

[IgorStrav]

Welcome back to Rootschat!

You probably know that Ethel wasn't at 5 Marville Road, Fulham in the 1911.
The family in the house was the Walkers, and they had three boarders at the time.

Many of the houses on the road seem to have been in multiple occupancy, but number 5 just has one family, William West (a house painter) and his wife Mary, who've been married for 8 years with no children.

They have three lodgers, Frank Andrews, Sam Schopfer (who's French) and Frederic William Palmer.

I only mention them because of course it's possible that one of them was still there when your Ethel was living there, and could possibly be a candidate for your great grandfather -

although possibly the 'Jervis' in Desmond's name is a clue to his father's surname

[ali607]

Hi Igor,

Thanks for the above info...can you clarify a little please?

The Walker family is the main family, and then there is a West man and wife and then the three separate lodgers? Is that right?

Thanks

Alison

[avm228]

The Walkers seem to have lived at 7 Marville Rd, from electoral rolls, so I suggest you disregard them.

[avm228]

William West was the registered voter at 5 Marville Rd until 1914, but by 1915 he had been replaced by Allan Pinkerton.

Later on at 5 Marville Rd:

1918: Allan Pinkerton, jun; David Pinkerton
1919: Allan Pinkerton, jun; David Pinkerton (absent)
1920: Allan Pinkerton, sen; Allan Pinkerton, jun; David Pinkerton; Nelly Pinkerton.

[avm228]

What is the source for Ethel Salter being born in 1895?

[Rosinish]

For the benefit of a chance of duplication of effort (too many to add links at the moment) but I counted 5 posts on this surname etc.

It may be worth people using the 'search' box at top of page & enter/copy & paste;
Desmond Jervis Salter

I did think the name was familiar!

Annie

ADD...Just noticed this was my 10,000th post!   

[whiteout7]

All these multiple postings just make a confusing mess

I would suggest a DNA test, could be completely possible that the fathers surname was "Jervis" and he worked at the munitions factory ......

[brigidmac]

Yes DNA  may well be answer

Also do you have baptism record ?  sometimes there s a clue on there
My grandmother had birth certificate  with her middle name same as birth fathers Surname. (..your JERVIS certainly sounds like a surname)
But 3 months thst later after mothher obtained payments from birth father she was baptised with the middle name she used in adoptive family

I'm wondering if the change to Roger D. Could be to do with baptism name or finding out who his birather father was a d either choosing not to have same name or wanting same name

BTW  you can ask administration to merge the posts or

You could summarise all your findings and ask for your old posts to be deleted