Ruth Woods 1940s Grantham mother of abandoned baby?

[BumbleB]

Apologies, I didn't come back to you about BMARC.

According to The Book of Grantham by Michael Honeybone -

... Grantham's industrial regeneration in the 1930's was completed by the arrival of R H Neal, the crane firm taking over the Phoenix Iron Works in 1937, and by the establishment of BMAR Co.  The deliberately misleading named British Manufacture and Research Company Limited was established in 1938, on land purchased from Lord Brownlow, to make armaments.  The Company was led by Denis Kendall, who liked to be called the Chief, and during the years 1939-1945 it produced 98,000 aeroplane cannon and 52 million rounds of ammunition, employing 6,500 people at its peak.  The 20 mm cannon armed Spitfire and Hurricane fighter planes. .....

[Meelystar]

I am pretty sure DNA will help you out here. There are a few Ruth Woods in the general vicinity that could be candidates. She could have easily have been an older woman and Woods could also be her married name. The Kendall thing is very interesting though!

[BumbleB]

I do think that Denis had a reputation for "liking" female companionship.  Looking through a lot of the information I have collected on him, he appears to be well known for his socialising. 

[rosie99]

I can't see what happened to this Ruth

Grantham Journal 12 November 1938
Local Divorce Case
Stanley Wood of Old Crosby, Scunthorpe and Ruth Wood of Manthorpe Road, Grantham - co-respondent Wilfred Slowen. 
(Stanley was born c1905)

Marriage June qtr 1930 
Beacroft    Ruth S   
Wood    Stanley   
Glanford B.    7a   1953   

[abbyhill3]

During WW2 people moved from where they normally lived to do a job to help the war effort. Many people had boarders at the time so don't limit the searches for her.

Just a thought if she was in Grantham at the time of conception then possibly someone from RAF Grantham later RAF Spitalgate could be responsible, it's easy walking distance to the centre of Grantham.

Hopefully DNA will help you.

Thank you, I hadn't thought of looking at that. I am not sure if she was in Grantham at the time of conception- I am looking for some form of record of employment for BMARCs to see when she worked there which may help me track her.

[abbyhill3]

I can't see what happened to this Ruth

Grantham Journal 12 November 1938
Local Divorce Case
Stanley Wood of Old Crosby, Scunthorpe and Ruth Wood of Manthorpe Road, Grantham - co-respondent Wilfred Slowen. 
(Stanley was born c1905)

Marriage June qtr 1930 
Beacroft    Ruth S   
Wood    Stanley   
Glanford B.    7a   1953

How do I go about finding papers from the Grantham Journal? Is it available online?

[rosie99]

British newspaper archives which is online, also available on FindMyPast.

That article did not have any more information on the case

[abbyhill3]

I do think that Denis had a reputation for "liking" female companionship.  Looking through a lot of the information I have collected on him, he appears to be well known for his socialising. 

I have heard this too! I have read he had an affair with a lady called Gwen Collier who was also his secretary. If Ruth Woods worked for him too it is plausible she too was a mistress of his.
I had previously dismissed the theory as a rumour but since comparing pictures I can't deny the resemblance is striking.
I am wondering if I could get in touch with the Grantham gentlemen who provided you with the information you have. Would this be possible?

[River Tyne Lass]

You have likely already checked this out but do the workhouse records where your Grandfather was born still exist anywhere?  Perhaps at an archives or library, perhaps?  If they do and if you have not already done it it might pay to have paid research done to look into these records for clues.  As it is less that one hundred years since he was born you would likely have to prove he had died and it would only be the staff who would be allowed to look up info, no one else in the area  would be able to do a random look up for you.

I have looked up things for others in my local area workhouse records and find that these are often very good for picking up clues  (admissions and discharges, the creed registers, birth/maternity registers and even the minutes wherein some  inmates' situation might be discussed.  If they still exist any one of these records just might hold that vital clue.