Elena

[elena]

Hi everyone. I hope you are having a lovely Sunday. My tracing problem appears to be insurmountable. I have spent many hours trying to trace a family who disappeared from the face of the earth in 1938. It all started with a challenge from my dear friend, Kath, to trace her husband's grandfather, of whom very little was known except that he had abandoned his infant children following the death of their mother. There was some story that he had 'gone to sea'. It was all very vague. However, I took up the challenge and found grandfather's birth and marriage details together with his naval record which stretched from 1919 to 1927. I also found the death records of his wife and his subsequent remarriage in 1938. That is where I have lost the trail. I think I have been on every genealogy website known to man without success. I wonder if I could print the following names which may ring a bell with someone out there. Mark Frederick Henry Wickham, Margaret Wickham (nee Porteous) and Helena M Wickham born in the last quarter of 1938. They were married in the Parish of Westminster during 1938. Mark's occupation at that time was listed as a chef. I have been unable to find out any further information about the family since that time. The family were obviously in service but I have been unable to find out details of the employer save that he had a very nice property in St.George's square and that he was listed in the Court Directory for that year. Is there anyone out there who could give me a clue. Casualties of the London Blitz has occurred to me but I have drawn a blank there also.

[hughar]

Probably not insurmountable, but just a long hard slog.

Since Mark F.H.Wickham was born in 1901, there is a strong probability that he will be dead by now. You don't give Margaret's age, but since they married in 1938 she was probably born before 1920, so is also likely to be dead. That means a long search back through the GRO death indexes, also keeping a look out for Helena, just in case she stayed single. It's not impossible - just tedious.

If they don't show up in the death indexes, you can try looking for Helena's marriage, probably some time after 1956. Then there are the telephone directories that are now online at a well known but 'unmentionable' web site. Also the electoral rolls, just in case they are still alive. And if all that fails, then it will be time to consider the possibility that they emigrated.

[elena]

You are telling me it is a long hard slog. I think Kath would like to tell her father in law where Mark is buried. It would be nice to know. I gues Margaret was born in 1913/1914. I have looked through the BDM indices up to 1983 on the well known but 'unmentionable' website without success. I did find one Mark Wickham in the deaths but the death certificate was largely inconclusive. I found one marriage for Helen M Wickham but the child's name was Helena not Helen, although there could have been a mistake on the register. I have checked a lot of overseas websites for the names including the US social security index without success. It really is a puzzle.

[jeeb]

Hi Elena,
What is interesting here is a death registration in 2005. It is Helena M. Wickham born 27 July 1937 and registered dead Tower Hamlets Sept 2005. You stated Helena Wickham was registered last quarter of 1938, infact she was registered July/Sep 1938. This means her birthday could well be in July. It is highly likely the person who registered her death in 2005 would have known her birthday but may well have given the wrong year. Following on from this is a birth registration in Sept 1992 at Tower Hamlets of Helena Kate Wickham. The mother's maiden name of this child was Heyman. It may all turn out to be coincidence but I think it could well prove that this is your Helena and there are living relatives.

Jeremy

[Peter Goodey]

Helena M Wickham born in the last quarter of 1938.

You don't have that Birth certificate, do you? You really ought to get it. I would suggest that you need to know what "M" stands for and when she was born.

[hughar]

If Margaret was born 1913/1914, take a look at the death of Margaret Wickham in May 1984, Newmarket, Vol.10, Page 2790. This had a DOB of 1914, so must be a possibility.

[busyglen]

Hi Elena,
What is interesting here is a death registration in 2005. It is Helena M. Wickham born 27 July 1937 and registered dead Tower Hamlets Sept 2005. You stated Helena Wickham was registered last quarter of 1938, infact she was registered July/Sep 1838. This means her birthday could well be in July. It is highly likely the person who registered her death in 2005 would have known her birthday but may well have given the wrong year. Following on from this is a birth registration in Sept 1992 at Tower Hamlets of Helena Kate Wickham. The mother's maiden name of this child was Heyman. It may all turn out to be coincidence but I think it could well prove that this is your Helena and there are living relatives.

Jeremy

I'd really look into this if you can.....Jeremy solved a long standing problem for me turning up something similar, which proved to be correct.

Good luck.

Glenys

[Peter Goodey]

It is Helena M. Wickham born 27 July 1937 and registered dead Tower Hamlets Sept 2005.

This is precisely why I suggested getting the birth certificate (you and I posted at the same time).

[elena]

Hi Elena,
What is interesting here is a death registration in 2005. It is Helena M. Wickham born 27 July 1937 and registered dead Tower Hamlets Sept 2005. You stated Helena Wickham was registered last quarter of 1938, infact she was registered July/Sep 1838. This means her birthday could well be in July. It is highly likely the person who registered her death in 2005 would have known her birthday but may well have given the wrong year. Following on from this is a birth registration in Sept 1992 at Tower Hamlets of Helena Kate Wickham. The mother's maiden name of this child was Heyman. It may all turn out to be coincidence but I think it could well prove that this is your Helena and there are living relatives.

Jeremy

Hello Jeremy, thank you so much. I am more than excited by this information. I will contact Kath immediately and apply for a copy of the death certificate. I will, of course, let you know if the puzzle is solved. If it is Kath's Helena, it is tragic because she has living half siblings and she would possibly have been able to give a lot of information about the elusive Mark.

Regards,

Elena

[Peter Goodey]

I will contact Kath immediately and apply for a copy of the death certificate.

As indicated above, you need to know her birth date for which you need her birth certificate. There is no point ordering the death certificate unless you have confirmed that the birth date matches.