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lohengrin
29-04-2006, 3:24 PM
I have just registered with this forum, and perhaps this is the last place where I could find even the smallest hint as to my father's background. I have spent more than five years searching, paying fees, hiring professional researchers etc. and all for naught. I suspect he was either illegitimate or adopted as no verification of the sworn statements of the person claiming to be his mother can be found.

I have reason to believe that my father, Peter Fox, was related to the Reis family, specifically one Audley Harcourt Reis. I have little doubt that the Reis family were Jewish, and perhaps that is why names were changed and false evidence given on affidavits. It was not unusual for Jews of a certain period to want to change their names or attempt to hide their ancestry. My father was a prominent lawyer in a small town in California in the late 40's to mid 50's.

I have hit the biggest brick wall possible and I have no idea where to go next, except trying to find this very elusive Reis. Since he was born in 1910 in England, I very much doubt he is alive, however, even obtaining a death certificate could possibly be of some assistance.

Any ideas anyone may have on how to continue with this research would be greatly appreciated.

Geoffers
29-04-2006, 4:23 PM
I have reason to believe that my father, Peter FoxOkedoke, let's begin with the obvious. Where did your dad get married? Was this in the UK and if so does the certificate record his father's name and occupation?


trying to find this very elusive Reis. Since he was born in 1910 in England, I very much doubt in is alive, however, even obtaining a death certificate could possible be of some assistance.Have you searched the GRO index of deaths and have you tried the Probate Registry?


Geoffers

lohengrin
30-04-2006, 5:48 PM
I have done all the obvious things: I have Peter's death certificate, marriage certificate, obituaries, military records, university diplomas, records in city directories etc. All of the information has as its ultimate source the woman who claimed to be Peter Fox's mother. This person swore affidavits that she was a British subject born in London England, married in Bristol 1913 and gave birth to my father in Barnstaple Devon in 1914. None of what she swore can be verified. I paid various fees to the GRO and they reported that no records could be found for the birth or marriage respecting my father and his parents. It is obvious to me that Peter's alleged mother gave false testimony regarding her background and that of Peter's. Even the immigration records are in error or do not exist. What few I have found give contradictory evidence or were generated many years after the event.

I have checked the free on-line BMD's and probate records and nothing comes up for Audley Harcourt Reis. I checked AHR's known birth for 1910 and nothing was revealed there either, so I have doubts about the accuracy of these free sites.

I do have a name of a distant Reis cousin living in England with a surname of Hudson, but I don't know how to track him down. Any ideas in that regard would be helpful.

Peter Goodey
30-04-2006, 7:48 PM
I'd also be interested in the answers to Geoffer's questions.


Also what was the "mother's" name? Was a maiden name given and why the affidavits?

Wirral
30-04-2006, 7:50 PM
Although I can't find an Audley Harcourt Reis, I have found a Harcourt Rees family. What was the name of your grandmother? What was the name & occupation of his father that Peter gave on his marriage certificate? What is the connection between your father & the Rees family? Is it supposed to be by marriage or by blood?

lohengrin
01-05-2006, 12:21 AM
In answer to Wirral and Peter Goodey, Peter's mother was Lilian Stevens aka Samuel. Members of the Reis family and Samuel family were frequently married to each other including 1st cousins. Peter's marriage certificate provided no information as to his mother or father (or course it only would have been the information of Lilian's which is highly suspect). Lilian's affidavits were part of her applications for U.S. citizenship where she swore she married Peter's father one Thomas A. Fox in Bristol in 1913 and her child, Peter, was born in Barnstable in 1914. None of the above information can be confirmed. The GRO says there were no birth or marriage certificates respecting Peter or his alleged mother and father. Audley Harcourt Reis was supposed to be Peter's cousin, I would guess through the Samuel marriage connection. I strongly believe that Lilian falsified most of her statements in the affidavits, thus making it extremely difficult to verify anything. No documents that are not first-hand or primary can really be accepted given the fact that Lilian's testimony cannot be verified.

Since my last post I was able to track down the Hudson (Reis) relative and today I had a long telephone conversation with him, that unfortunately did not provide any information regarding AHR, except that he thought AHR may have died outside of England.

I guess I'm looking for some kind of miracle, since records either do not exist or were falsified.

marymog
01-05-2006, 2:05 AM
HI
I found a Sydney N.P.Stevens (mother Stevens) Barnstaple JFM 1914 5b 700

long shot

mm

Peter Goodey
01-05-2006, 8:27 AM
I found a Sydney N.P.Stevens (mother Stevens) Barnstaple JFM 1914 5b 700

Probably worth following up, particularly in the absence of any other leads.

Geoffers
01-05-2006, 8:59 AM
Peter's marriage certificate provided no information as to his mother or fatherIf the marriage certificate is English and does not record a father's name, this suggests an illegitimate birth. Then, unless some court case ensued to force the father to pay for the upkeep of his child - or - unless some private correspondence exists naming the father - or unless the father made a will acknowledging his paternity; you are unlikely to locate any record naming teh father.


I have checked the free on-line BMD's and probate records and nothing comes up for Audley Harcourt Reis.Not too sure if you mean that you've just checked free online BMDS and free online probate records, or if you have also checked the original indexes. If you have not, you should try them, particularly the index to probate records which includes British nationals who died abroad and had property in the UK at the time of their death. The index to wills and admons has been copied onto film and can be see at many county record offices and local studies libraries in the UK.

Geoffers

Wirral
01-05-2006, 12:23 PM
I presume you have already seen this web site about the Reis & Samuel families: http://www.manfamily.org/Reis_Family.htm It has an interesting bit about H. Samuel, the jewellers. I didn't realise that they were originally a Liverpool firm.

The "Samuel" page gives other surnames that the families changed to, including Ellis. This may be a bit wide of the mark, but I found the birth of Peter H. Fox (mother's maiden name Ellis), March quarter 1915, Barrow Registration District, volume 7a page 294. It doesn't look as likely as the birth in Barnstaple that Marymog found, but might be worth a look if that isn't the right chap.

lohengrin
02-05-2006, 12:29 AM
Thanks to all who responded to my enquiry. I will seek a birth certificate from the GRO for Sydney NP Stevens, it does sound promising.

I am indeed familar with the Man family website, that is how I first found the reference to Audley Harcourt Reis.

I will post any findings that I find from the GRO.

As for the Ellis name and Peter H. Fox in 1915, that is not too likely as it would make my father one year older (although nothing is impossible).

Again many thanks for your time and assistance.