Carol Clements
2004-06-23 11:34:06 UTC
I don't like posting to newsgroups because of the amount of spam it
tends to generate, but this is important.
Since finding both my sisters earlier this year and last year, we
embarked on a concerted effort to find our mother.
We succeeded this week. We found out that our mother died in 1978.
All my searches for a death record had yielded nothing, but a phone
call from France confirmed that she had died of kidney failure,
leaving 5 further children orphaned.
We discovered this from a contact with a half-brother, who has
informed us that one of our brothers is also dead (at 32 of a
heart-attack), and there are 3 siblings missing.
One of them was adopted (and we know her adopted surname). Another
was found in a women's refuge some years ago and didn't want to know
her brother any more.
And finally...and this is the one I'm asking for help with. A brother
was fostered by a Greek wrestler in London. The wrestler died, and my
brother loved him so much he changed his surname. Presumably by deed
poll, but he may have just adopted the name. If it was by deed poll,
is there any way of finding out? Are there records kept?
My brother is desperate to find his youngest brother and sister. Any
suggestions would be most welcome.
The saddest thing of all is that for my mother there is no grave to
visit and not even a plaque at the cemetery where her ashes were
scattered. Nor are there any photographs of her, or of the children
when they were young. We have no mememtoes of any kind, and the three
oldest sisters (myself and the two I have recently found) are now
dealing with grief that may never be resolved.
One comfort is the knowledge that, according to our brother, he and
his younger siblings were always told that they had 3 older sisters in
Manchester. We were not kept a secret. Surprising how much that
means to us now. And it's made us more determined to bring as many
members of the family together as we can.
I'd like to thank those of you who have been helpful to me in the
past, and hope that you will be able to make some suggestions now.
Regards,
Carol
tends to generate, but this is important.
Since finding both my sisters earlier this year and last year, we
embarked on a concerted effort to find our mother.
We succeeded this week. We found out that our mother died in 1978.
All my searches for a death record had yielded nothing, but a phone
call from France confirmed that she had died of kidney failure,
leaving 5 further children orphaned.
We discovered this from a contact with a half-brother, who has
informed us that one of our brothers is also dead (at 32 of a
heart-attack), and there are 3 siblings missing.
One of them was adopted (and we know her adopted surname). Another
was found in a women's refuge some years ago and didn't want to know
her brother any more.
And finally...and this is the one I'm asking for help with. A brother
was fostered by a Greek wrestler in London. The wrestler died, and my
brother loved him so much he changed his surname. Presumably by deed
poll, but he may have just adopted the name. If it was by deed poll,
is there any way of finding out? Are there records kept?
My brother is desperate to find his youngest brother and sister. Any
suggestions would be most welcome.
The saddest thing of all is that for my mother there is no grave to
visit and not even a plaque at the cemetery where her ashes were
scattered. Nor are there any photographs of her, or of the children
when they were young. We have no mememtoes of any kind, and the three
oldest sisters (myself and the two I have recently found) are now
dealing with grief that may never be resolved.
One comfort is the knowledge that, according to our brother, he and
his younger siblings were always told that they had 3 older sisters in
Manchester. We were not kept a secret. Surprising how much that
means to us now. And it's made us more determined to bring as many
members of the family together as we can.
I'd like to thank those of you who have been helpful to me in the
past, and hope that you will be able to make some suggestions now.
Regards,
Carol