Bilborough - Valerie Anne Smitham; Marriott; Offiler


Recommended Posts

Regarding Bilborough; this is a very long shot.

I was adopted at eight weeks; I do have the basic facts of my birth mother and searches on Friends Reunited yielded an aunt Sylvia (my mother's sister) in California. My mother was born Valerie Ann Smitham in 1940, and she came from Bilborough. Her parents had divorced, her mother re-married in 1953 and her step-father's surname was Marriott. She attended a secondary school and was top of the "B" form, leaving at the age of 15. She had moved to Leeds prior to my birth, where she worked as a waitress at the Mecca Ballroom, where she met my father who was the dance-band leader.

Correspondence with my aunt revealed that the family had lost contact with my mother after about 1964; all I know is that she married a Jewish gentleman some years older than herself and had a daughter with him.

My mother came from quite a large family, related on one side to the Offiler family who owned the eponymous brewery in Derby. I understand that some cousins etc still live in the Bilborough area; Smitham being a fairly uncommon surname, does it ring bells with anyone please?

Thanks in advance.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Scriv , can see the birth of your mum in 1940 . As you say it says her mothers maiden name was Offiler .

There is a marriage in 1967 in Leeds for Valerie Ann Smitham to a Judah Segal .

The only Valerie A. Segal I can see on the Electoral Rolls was last listed in Malden Essex in 2005 . The only other occupant is a Ronald Stillwell .

Of course this could easily be some other Valerie A Segal !

Link to post
Share on other sites

Scriv

I had found the same as David but was wary of posting. I would imagine these posts would come up in a Google search and may come as a shock to her or her friends or family. I think you have to be careful how you go about finding her, which would perhaps be better done privately

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks Ann. My aunt has already made them aware that I exist, and she herself would appreciate any information that might be forthcoming as she has not had any contact with her sister for about 50 years; I did have contact with a second cousin in the Nottingham area but regrettably due to a computer crash I lost her details.

I do appreciate your comments about sensitivity, have been through it myself as my own children ended up in care after my first marriage went wrong, though thankfully we are now re-united.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 months later...

A bit of closure on this one. I have traced the relevant people; I'd like to thank those who've posted on here and sent PM's for their input, which has proved very useful.

As this is a sensitive issue, out of respect for others concerned I'll not go into detail on this on here but if anyone who has helped wishes to know the outcome please PM me.

Thanks again.

Scriv

  • Upvote 3
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 6 months later...

Hi Scriv. Must be a terrific feeling having traced your Mum! Are you now aware of your Mum`s sister, Erica? I`m married to her and after more than fifty years of it, I`m beginning to warm to this family. I think it was when you mentioned Brewery!

Like Sylvia, Erica wondered for decades what became of Val and would love to know more. Any chance of a PM?

SPIKEISLAND9

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 year later...

Would love to be put in contact with my aunt Erica smitham as was believe she lives in Bridgford area also any of her sisters or family please have tried getting details from my parents but my mother is very prickly where this is concerned as this is my dads step family and although he is in touch through my aunt Mary (migs) I cannot get past my mum :(

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 years later...

Hello,

 

Samuel Nicholas Smitham born 23 March 1910 married in 1928 to Hilda Offiler born 14 May 1907 who subsequently married John M. Marriot in 1952 after she and Samuel were divorced.

 

They were living at 18 Claypole road in the 1939 register.

 

Samuel is my grandmother's youngest brother, and I have some information regarding the 9 children Hilda & Samuel had before they divorced.

 

I would like to know if Anthony P. Smitham born 1960 is related to Samuel

 

(I can't upload anything due to the file size limit.)

 

Regards

 

George

Link to post
Share on other sites
14 hours ago, gjs1949 said:

(I can't upload anything due to the file size limit.)

 

What exactly do you want to upload ?   The file size limit here is a waste of time and space.

 

If you want to post an image or document, you need to use one of the free file-hosting sites    https://www.google.com/search?q=free+image+hosting&oq=free+i&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j69i60l2j0j69i59j69i60.5215j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

Link to post
Share on other sites
22 hours ago, gjs1949 said:

 

 

I would like to know if Anthony P. Smitham born 1960 is related to Samuel

 

 

 

The BDMS give Anthony P Smithams mothers maiden name as Smitham , so assume it was an illegitimate birth . Unless someone knew him personally , the only way to proceed further would probably be to purchase his birth cert .

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 3/20/2019 at 7:29 PM, DAVIDW said:

The BDMS give Anthony P Smithams mothers maiden name as Smitham , so assume it was an illegitimate birth . Unless someone knew him personally , the only way to proceed further would probably be to purchase his birth cert .

I have a number of lateral Smitham lines, so as he is not a direct forebear I will have to forego the cost and wait for someone to hopefully make a link.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...