Joyce and Derek WRIGHT

[brigidmac]

Joyce 1931-2020 WOOLNOUGH
+ Derek WRIGHT 1930 Bolton.lancs  d .2022

This amazing couple ran A BARNADOS CHILDREN S home from the 1950s
They lived in Chatham Kent but married in Blackpool

I'm going to try and find more about the home and whether there are any articles about the couple or the cared for children

Derek Wright son of Mary Elizabeth CORNTHWAITE  1902 came from a recomposed family + didn't know his birth father  .
I was pleased to find that he came from a family that had fostered relatives and non blood relatives for several generations
and that some of the research into his relatives was from adoptees who have researched their non biological family assiduously.

I'm sure Joyce's story will be just as interesting the couple had one daughter Lyn who was an adopter but unfortunately passed away in her 50s

Moderator comment: edited to reflect comments in reply #8

[japeflakes]

Hope you find more info:

[tomkin]

One from me

[brigidmac]

 wonderful touch ups  thank you .

I * have shared this link with their remaining close relatives

.we didnt manage a 3 way face time conversation  today

 but Dereks sister in Australia has given me more details about his early life . 

* Quote from her email

Part 1
parents Elizabet CORNTHWAITE m Samuel WRIGHT Cameron St Astley Bridge Bolton Lancs.

Derek was first born child

Mary + Sam had bicycle accident ,
as a result of which Sam became ill and  died when Derek was  only 2& their daughter 4 mths

His grandma Emma CORNTHWAITE nee ROBERTS  from Mold Flintshire  known as Moma practically raised  the children as mother Mary had to work .

Derek in royal Navy from age 17-25
went to work in child care srarting Birmingham ,various local council homes including Market Harbourough

[brigidmac]

Part 2 #copiecd and pasted from his younger sisters email

" ...homes  including Market Harborough, after which they went on to run as heads at
a number of homes in Lancashire.

In 1971 Derek got a job as a manager in
the West Midlands office of Dr Barnado's homes. He was responsible for
all the homes in a huge area encompassing the Midlands, Leicestershire,
Derbyshire, Shropshire, etc

He didn't actually run a home for the
organisation but grew into senior management. When he retired at 56
(nice and early) he then went on to lecture on child care and The Child Act at a college in Worcestershire, ending his career when he was just turned 60.

Joyce was working in clerical work and managed a shop in
Stourbridge market. They were wonderful house parents and were very
highly regarded.

[brigidmac]

And here's the link to Derek's ancestors and success linking the descendants who have DNA tested on Ancestry

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=836614.msg7321993

[Ruskie]

Are you looking for any specific information regarding this couple?

Is this your family Brigid? If not, do you have permission from the family to post details about, and photos of, them on this public forum? They are both very recently deceased. I’m afraid I wouldn’t be happy if these were my parents. 

[brigidmac]

 ONLY child deceased .

 (Aus half sister has DNA tested + a first cousin )

derek is the 93 year old mentioned in reply  4 of the link supplied

They  + Eden/ Jones  branch( mr T )are mums second cousins

  Id been  helping Derek for about 2 years  via his grandaughter to know more about his origins .

Descendant s of  Mary Cornthwaite- Wright Brown s later marriage  including their  new dna have been sent links to this topic


There are no other relatives from his side .

I d like  to know about the homes they ran in the late 1950s particularly
And if there was a mother baby unit attached to any of them

He's more eminent than I thought so there must be news articles from his promotions etc.

The DNA match with father unknown hopes  to see more photos of his  cousins uncles and aunts for family resemblance

Since last night they are  all now in contact via email . Facebook and future zooms

There's another branch of even closer matches that we are trying to contact



will ask  moderator to remove any sentences   any FAMILY member object to.

 Thanks for pm. Tomkin

Btw japeflakes I  think black and white was a good idea .

I chose sepia for history film clips often ...have my own semi pro film director !

[brigidmac]

There are mistakes in first post

I've asked moderator s to change a sentence
Also it should say
 I was pleased
Not
He was pleased .