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Sunday 23 February 2014

Marriage Certificates can pinpoint Family-Secrets.

I discovered from my parents' marriage certificate that this was not my mother's first. It also was not my father's.

A new name has been brought into my family-tree from the certificate details. In column 4 titled 'Condition' I'm informed that Dad was 'The divorced husband of Alice Victoria Leagas'. This was a surprise – the third from one piece of paper.

Research confirmed his marriage to Alice was in October 1926, twenty-four years earlier than his second. I'm assuming there wasn't a third: well I haven't found another one yet.

There was a question that needed to be asked: could there be any children from the marriage?

The answer – Yes.

It took some lateral thinking to find them, but I have Birth Certificates which confirm Fred and Alice had two daughters; Eileen in August 1927 and Barbara in April 1929.

I've discovered that I have two half-sisters! Two living-secrets kept from me, and my brother when he was alive. Thanks Dad.

Of course I have to wonder whether Eileen and Barbara know their father had two sons some twenty years after them. Would they want to know? Would their parents have wanted them to know?

I've confirmed that my new-found-siblings have married, and now I need to investigate further to determine whether I have any other living half-relatives.

For the forty-five years, since my brother died, I believed that I was my father's sole living child: another illusion shattered.

 © Elliot Sampford 2014

1 comment:

  1. Do you know if they are still alive Elliott? If so and they are of sound mind, they may be delighted to learn that they have an astute...half brother. On the other hand, they may not!! You can never tell with folk...Go for it. Explore further. Good luck.

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