Author Topic: Alice Kate Smith/Herron/Hayes/Hill  (Read 984 times)

Offline zumaro

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Alice Kate Smith/Herron/Hayes/Hill
« on: Friday 09 April 21 09:41 BST (UK) »
I am getting a little lost tracking my relative Alice Kate Smith.  She is born in Dunedin, New Zealand on 17 December 1885, daughter of Robert Fergus Smith and Alice Maria Poole.  Sometime around 1886 the family must have moved to London, as her later siblings are born there.

In 1907 she marries Kenneth Chester Herron, having 3 children (Kenneth Vernon Chester 1908, Eleanor Christina 1909 and Margaret Alice Leslie 1913), but sadly her husband is killed in action in 1918, while flying as an observer in the RAF.  After this the trail gets harder to follow.

In 1924 she marries Reginald Hewlett Hayes in Kensington, but by 1927 she has remarried to Francis J Hill in Gloucester.  There must be a divorce in the middle of these 2 marriages, as Reginald Hayes (who seems to be quite a big name in London medicine) died in 1951.  Beyond the marriage record, I can find no trace that Alice ever lived with Reginald Hayes. Alice remains Alice Hill up to her death in Portugal on 21 May 1964. However at least one ancestry family tree says she has a daughter Jennifer with Francis Hill, I will guess before 1930, as Jennifer is marrying Geoffrey Robinson by 1948.

My questions are
1. What happened to Alice's 2nd marriage to Reginald Hewlett Hayes? Is there any way to find divorce records?
2.  Who is Francis J Hill? Alice is certainly not marrying down, as her address in 1933 when her daughter Eleanor marries is 27 Phillimore Gardens in Kensington, and the Google street view reveals a place that I would certainly like to live in...

My ancestry page for Alice is https://www.ancestry.com.au/family-tree/person/tree/102124726/person/240089057956/facts where I have assembled all I can find so far.
Smith: East Lothian, Scotland
Mack: Berwick, Scotland
Fell: Yorkshire, England
Smeeton: Leicester, England
Haigh: Marsden, Yorkshire, England
Sullivan: Kerry, Ireland

Offline rosie99

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Re: Alice Kate Smith/Herron/Hayes/Hill
« Reply #1 on: Friday 09 April 21 12:26 BST (UK) »
Divorce
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C8040190
Divorce Court File: 6929.
Appellant: Alice Kate Hayes.
Respondent: Reginald Hewlett Hayes.
Type: Wife's petition for divorce [wd].
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline rosie99

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Re: Alice Kate Smith/Herron/Hayes/Hill
« Reply #2 on: Friday 09 April 21 12:40 BST (UK) »

2.  Who is Francis J Hill?


Have you looked for Alice in 1939 register, she is with him in Sussex then.
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline rosie99

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Re: Alice Kate Smith/Herron/Hayes/Hill
« Reply #3 on: Friday 09 April 21 12:48 BST (UK) »
However at least one ancestry family tree says she has a daughter Jennifer with Francis Hill, I will guess before 1930, as Jennifer is marrying Geoffrey Robinson by 1948.
The Tatler 23 June 1948
Engagement announcement & photo of Jennifer- dtr of Mr & Mrs F J Hill of Beckley, Sussex
Census information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline zumaro

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Re: Alice Kate Smith/Herron/Hayes/Hill
« Reply #4 on: Friday 09 April 21 16:29 BST (UK) »
Thanks Rosie! Your search techniques are clearly better than mine. I didn't find that entry in the Tatler at all - I will look around more in the newspapers and see what else I can find.

I have now learnt where divorce records are kept. This part of my family seems rather cavalier with marriage, so I think I will be trawling through the archives for more details.

I finally found Alice in the 1939 records - she has subtracted a year off her age I see, but at least this now gives us a birth date for Francis and an occupation. Margaret Dickenson is Alice's married daughter, from her first marriage, also living with them.

An excellent response thank you - I am very grateful.
Smith: East Lothian, Scotland
Mack: Berwick, Scotland
Fell: Yorkshire, England
Smeeton: Leicester, England
Haigh: Marsden, Yorkshire, England
Sullivan: Kerry, Ireland