More from Alan W

Alan W wrote to Hamilton on Thursday, 6th September 2012:

Hi Ham,

I’ve just noticed that item 281 on the Picture Gallery wrongly identifies the woman as Henrietta Smith – in fact it’s Henrietta’s elder daughter Ruth Hamilton Smith. I have the original pic which must have come from Germany and I’ve now scanned it as it shows both her date of birth and death.

I may not have already sent you a copy of Ruth’s birth certificate so that’s here and a new certificate in the shape of her first marriage in 1912 when she was 21 years old (and Henrietta could not prevent it ). This evidence supports the story that Ruth married a German but I have nothing yet to confirm that he was arrested and interned when WW1 started two years later. Also, did they divorce or did he die so that Ruth was able to marry another German, Professor Kohler? And was this second marriage in Cologne? Picture Gallery has 026 under 1930’s but has anyone got any letters or other details about Ruth’s life between WW1 and WW2 ?

Meanwhile, the amazing story of Henrietta’s older sister Francesca Temple Hamilton has been slowly un-ravelling this summer and Janet will soon be back in Oz to tell you more. And by then I should have had a chance to read a copy of Francesca’s Will – in fact, it may be in this mornings post so I’m off for another cup of coffee!

Regards

Alan W

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Alan W wrote to Hamilton on Friday, 7th September 2012:

Hi Ham (again)

I meant to include this in my earlier email – so here is birth cert of Raymond Trevor Smith who was the only child of Alured & Ethel Smith. There seems to have been a habit of incorrectly calling him Raymon but I guess that could be down to the Warren sense of humour. Raymond was last heard of at Channels Farm Road, Southampton but he moved to a new address after his mother Ethel died in 1973. He probably re-married as well and may still be alive(!!) but the Smith surname is the most common in UK so searching is difficult. Has anyone in ‘the family warren’ heard anything since 1973 from Ray Smith ?

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On Wednesday, 9th September 2012, Alan W wrote to Hamilton

Hi Ham

Yes, my recent research confirms my Mum’s notes which say that after Francesca’s only child (Violet) died from TB in 1910 she adopted children and liked to be known as Aunty Mum. But some paper records now to hand show some very unexpected twists & turns in the 1920’s and I’m still awaiting the Probate & Will documents from 1939 which will [ probably] confirm that the big house in Maidstone went to one or more of these legally adopted children.

The very busy but short life of Ruth [elder sister of our grandmother] gets linked only in Census 1911 where 19 years old Ruth is a visitor to Francesca’s big place on Wimbledon Common. As you can see from the marriage cert 2 years later Ruth was living just south of Guildford – funnily enough not far from where Cousin Daphne (or Dee as she likes to be called) lives today.

Regards

Alan W