Genealogy Chat

I used the GRO traceline service to find my Dad's brother as it was like looking for a needle in a haystack - they also tell you if they are still alive. It may be worth considering as you could be going round the houses for a very long time. Pippa

My saga of trying to find my Dad's cousins continues! I previously posted that my Grandfather's brother- Henry Palmer Shand, married Amy Elizabeth Cooper in St Pancras, London in 1940. They had three children- Terrence (born 1941), Patricia Ann (born 1943) and Colin Palmer (born 1946). At some point after that, Amy and Henry divorced. I know that because Henry remarried a Catherine O Sullivan in 1967 (also in London). Henry then died a year later in 1968. I've tried everything to find his kids. The rumour was that Amy left Henry and took the kids. She possibly remarried and may have moved to Australia? I've found no evidence of her remarrying in this country, I've sent letters to every T and C Shand in Australia AND New Zealand and although I've found other interesting information, I've not found them there. I recently obtained a full list of T and C Shands living in the UK and sent letters to all of those. Again, I've not found them. I have also searched all BMD's in the hope of finding one of them marrying or dieing, but so far nothing. If we were to suppose that Henry and Amy split in the 50's, could the children have been adopted? Or, if Amy did indeed remarry, is it likely that at that time they would have changed their surname to match their mother's new one? I'm open to any suggestions that might crack this incredibly hard nut?