Birth of Miss SIMMS in Hertfordshire.

[MaureeninNY]

I'm still wondering where the CROFT family came from and where they went to.

It may hold some clues.

Heatha-what a strange one! And you know we love a puzzle.

Maureen

[Heatha]

Thank you, Maureen.

I am still struggling with the Crofts too. How can two families vanish off the face of the earth and then a daughter reappear to get married 13-15 years later ?

Heatha

[Heatha]

Hello to everyone who has helped along the way with this mystery. Today I have been in contact with Norman's granddaughter. The mystery is, in part, solved.

Miss Simms was brought up by her maternal grandmother in Luton.

Norman and Ethel's marriage was not a happy one. Ethel divorced Norman and remarried Joseph Coffey in the Coventry registration district in 1940. In 1939 she was living with Joseph, in Coventry,  and was calling herself Ethel Coffey, even though they were not married.

Norman was in Strangeways Prison in about 1937. That is where I now need to follow up and find out why and for how long.

[groom]

Norman was in Strangeways Prison in about 1937. That is where I now need to follow up and find out why and for how long.

See if you can find him on the 1939 register, that might help.

ADDED: I think we have already tried that though haven't we?
             It might explain why he wasn't on the electoral register as prisoners aren't allowed to vote.

[Heatha]

I thought that the 1939 register was used as the basis for the NHS register so thought prisoners might be included but I am probably back to front on that one. I imagine prisoners were not of much use in wartime so they would not be considered important !

[chempat]

I imagine prisoners were not of much use in wartime so they would not be considered important !

Today's prisoner is tomorrow's free man.

[cuffie81]

According to WDYTYA Magazine, prisoners were recorded in the 1939 Register with full details.

10 things you should know about the newly-released 1939 Register
http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/10-things-you-should-know-about-newly-released-1939-register

[Heatha]

I now believe that he was out of prison. I have ordered his birth certificate and a possible matching death certificate. Now I am playing the waiting game ........ again !

[Heatha]

For anyone who is still following this thread, Norman Rupert Simms was born on 17th September 1910. He changed his name to Norman John Simms and turns up in Rochdale in 1939 as an asbestos spinner. He died in the Royal Infirmary in Manchester on 3rd March 1985. His occupation was given as Market Trader (Retired). His place of birth is given as Aylesbury, Bucks, which ties in.

I think that it was all smoke screens and mirrors to try and avoid his ex-wife finding him.

It transpires that Ethel Croft was, in fact, Ethel Irene Cockroft, born in Glamorganshire on 22nd October 1909. She changed her married name from Coffey to Goffey. More smoke screens and mirrors. She died in May 2002.

What a challenging exercise this has proved to be. I now have copies of all the relevant certificates.

Thank you to everyone who has helped with suggestions and leads.

It is very gratifying when a problem is actually solved.