Dear all,
I'd like someone to have a look at what seems to be a family secret I've just discovered involving my great-grandmother's brother William James Thatcher and his supposed death and find out the truth. William James Thatcher was born 4 May 1888 or 1889 on City Road in London. He was brother to Nellie Sophia Thatcher (1890-1972), Jessie Maria Thatcher (1892-1975), Louisa Eliza Thatcher (1895-1970) and half-brother to Harry John Hartridge (1898-1983) and Lilian Martha Hartridge (1900-1975). He was the son of Eliza Jessie Trinder (1857-1917) and William Thomas Thatcher (1861-1896). Once widowed, his mother remarried to Harry George Hartridge (1874-1947). The story I was told as a child was that he died in WW1. However, I've found him in the 1939 register living in Lambeth. Moreover, I am quite certain it's him. See my dad remembers he had a girlfriend called Evie Muller. She later changed her surname to Miller, as her father was supposedly German and a German surname was stigmatised during WW1. Supposedly, after his death in WW1, Evie Miller stayed in contact with the family as an 'auntie' of sorts. The problem is that William is clearly there in Lambeth with his girlfriend and her (German) father. This makes me think that the whole story about him dying in WW1 was made up, raising the question of what happened to him and when did he die, which is what I'd like to find out. Knowing that side of the family, this wouldn't be the first time someone was thought to be dead while very much alive
Thanks all,
FG
