Frank RHODES, born 1877 Cinderford, now coal miner in Wigan. (General)

by smashton , Saturday, March 05, 2016, 12:11 (3194 days ago) @ Jefff

Thanks all. This is indeed my ancestor and much of the information I have as Frank Rhodes who married Margaret Jenkinson was my paternal grandads father.
As I have been doing this family history lark on and off for about 30 years now I was lucky enough to interview him and gather lots of memories from him. Unlike many of the older generation he did have recollection of family names and vague relationships and these were invaluable in tracing the links from Lancashire to the Forest of Dean in the first place.
However, that was my first stumbling block as the first line most people trace is the family name and I only got back to Frank to find he's illegitimate and we're not really Rhodes'.
Never mind, I thought, I'll still trace the Rhodes line - only to get back just a couple more generations to find the Rhodes ancestor was an interloper the FOD and I cant prove the link to probable parents in Nottinghamshire.
These 2 'challenges' of my tree (Franks possible real father, and the family/ home town of Thomas Rhodes born c 1780 Nottinghamshire - have a strong suspect but no proof) are readdressed every few years and every time I gather a few more clue-lets with the help/pointers of people such as yourselves (additional eyes/ideas so helpful to uncover different angles).
And if anyone is working on Rhodes in FOD at some stage in the future I hope to be able to help them as much as I've been helped!