Vanishing Thomasina

[Just Kia]

Thomasina Gillies MILNE b.28 Sep 1913 in Aberdeen (GROS 168/01 1153).
Daughter of Hugh MILNE & Thomasina (nee GILLIES), they also had a son in 1917 - Hugh.
Thomasina married Alexander Nicol DEVOS (b 1904, Aberdeen) 6 May 1930 in London (St Geo Han Sq 1a 1204).
They had 2 children but as there is a chance they may still be living I'm not including details.
1935 Alexander is in Yorkshire with his new "wife", Margaret (b 1909, Aberdeen)(they didn't actually marry - most likely because he was still married to Thomasina) where they had a daughter who was adopted. 1936 they're in Oxford where they had my grandfather, who was also adopted. 1942 They'd gone back to Aberdeen where they had a 3rd child (who wasn't adopted). All 3 children are now deceased. I'm fully up to date with Alexander right up to his death in 1962, and Margaret up to her death in 2004.
Alexander's death cert states "(Married to Thomasina Milne)" and the informant was Margaret Devos "intimate friend".
I'm not sure if that suggests Thomasina was still alive then? It doesn't say (deceased) or "widower of"... not definitive, I know but the Scots do like to be somewhat helpful with little tid-bits on their records very often.
But I can not find Thomasina after the birth of her children with Alexander.
I can't find a death (or re-marriage) for her. I've looked for marriages/deaths of her children with no joy - although I appreciate there's a small chance that they may still be living and unmarried.
I don't know if Thomasina left Alexander or if her left her?
I'm wondering if she may have changed her name (and her children) - maybe living as married and assumed the name of her would be husband, or if she emigrated.
I don't have the slightest hint as to whether Thomasina would have remained in London, returned "home" to Aberdeen, gone somewhere else in the UK or departed for a further destination.

[Neale1961]

There is a Thomasina G Milne who appears on the Aberdeen Electoral roll in the 1960s and early 1970s

[Just Kia]

I'm almost certain that's her mother, died 1974 in Aberdeen.
The 1963 Electoral Roll has Hugh listed as well.

[djm297]

Westminster & Pimlico News 23 June 1933
Alexander Nicol Davos, a waiter, of Lillington Street, Pimlico,   in Westminster Police court for the possession of an automatic pistol and 4 rounds of ammunition without a licence.

"Certain information had been given the police by the prisoner's wife who had complained of his threats".

The police refer to him as being "an old Borstal boy", who had been "several times convicted at Aberdeen".
The wife was in court and "said that her husband could not use it( the pistol) against her".

She said "He is a good husband but his temper is horrible.He is a good husband and father to me and my baby".

Alexander was fined 30 shillings

djm297

[Just Kia]

Oooh! djm297 what an exciting find, thank you.

[djm297]

FindMyPast also has newspaper articles about some of his misdemeanors in the 1920s in Aberdeen:
9 April 1923-  Report of Alexander Devos jun-Age 19-sent to Borstal for 2 years for theft- Arrested in Glasgow- tried in Police Court, Aberdeen.
31 Jan 1929-Report of Alexander Devos jun sentenced to 6 months for theft-Aberdeen
21 April 1944- report of Alexander Nicol Devos receiving coal when not registered with the supplier- 2 weeks  in prison or £2 fine.- Aberdeen.

I can not find anything else about Thomasina - or her children!Intriguing!

djm297

[Gallicrow]

In freebmd I noticed that the second child, whose birth was registered in Lambeth in 1934, has had her birth registered with an alternative surname as well. It must be the same person as the registration district, mother's maiden name etc all match. The GRO index only has the record with this alternative surname.

Perhaps it would be worth looking for Thomasina with this surname, as it might be a remarriage or at least a name she was using by 1934?

[JenB]

Thomasina Gillies MILNE b.28 Sep 1913 in Aberdeen

Following up the previous posting and having looked at the other surname on free BMD,
take a look at the date of birth of Ina Renfield, living in Battersea in 1939.

[Just Kia]

djm297 - goodness me 😮
I'll see if I can find these on FindMyPast - thank you.

Gallicrow - I'm ashamed to admit that I never once thought to check if the children were registered with another name (and I've got plenty in my research that are listed under more than one name). Silly me, but thank you 😊

JenB - Ina as in short for Thomasina fab find, thank you.

Well, I know what I'm going to be doing this morning