Hi

There is a child born in 1920 southend on sea attributed to him (Maud Olive Millard) who is my Granny; she was always told by her mother that Millard was not her real father, that a William Ross who would visit her was in fact the father. The details are:

Birth CertificateD8964 No. 94 issued June 1931, Rochford County of Essex & Southend on Sea. So that is Essex.

I've a sneaking suspicion that Samuel Millard was alive for some time after she left him, my Grandmother tells me that she attended dameschool in Chichester (I'd have to check my notes as this may not be quite accurate but certainly in Glostershire) and that Great Granny was really shocked one day as the allowance stopped. It is Grannys belief that the allowance stopped as he either died, or the penny dropped that the girl he believed to be his daughter possibly wasn't.

Great Granny had certainly left his company by 1920 when Granny was born as she said that Granny was almost born in South Africa (but the contact in South Africa is William Millard who may be Samuels brother so perhaps there was a disgrace and he shipped her off, she certainly got into trouble with William Ross if I understand correctly what is going on). She could not have been too far from Samuel Millard or the allowance would have ceased much earlier. That my granny can remember the allowance stopping implies that she is in the age of memory which for most people begins at 4-5 (1925ish). By 1930 Great granny had taken off to Canada with Joseph Caldwell, prior toi that date they lived and ran the Ness Poultry Farm Corton Lowestoft Suffolk (I think its near Yarmoth).

When they went to South Africa she was also connected to William Millard who may be a brother of Samuel I've just realised. I'll start looking to see if this might be the case (you really are quite a muse as everytime I write to you I think of another possible lead, thanks slowhands).

In later life when Great Granny was losing her mind a little, she used to say that the brewery people were after her. She also said that she had done terible things but never elaborated beyond that. I'm pretty sure that terrible was restricted to bigamy and sleeping about also possibly getting shot at (she also seems to have deserted her son to the care of her Grandparents which rates as a terrible thing to some degree but as I was pretty much bought up by my Grandparents I'll not condemn it). Anyway I'm hoping that she wasn't referring to something sinister and am optimistic as I haven't found any records of her in prison or anything (thats good :-)

Thanks for your help yet again.

Hi Slowhands

Not sure why but I've only now noticed your post

"1911
SMITH OLIVE F 1889 22 Westbury on Severn Gloucestershire"

Do you remember where you located that from or if there were household details? I examined the Ada Smith/Beale marriage but conclusivley proved that it was not my GG.

Ciao

Lawrence
PS been off list for a while but am still slogging away at the family geneaolgy...