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The story is that my grandfather ran off with a singer circa 1919 and may have had other children. Whilst he may have tried to change his name and perhaps hide some of his past:-

He would have used his birth year 1877.
That he had brothers and sisters.
That he was a collier.
Could have mentioned he was in the Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in the Great War but couldn't fight because of ill health.
That he received a military pension.
That he came from Staffordshire.
That his grandfather owned a colliery in Nuneaton.

Mention was made by a member of my family that he may have emigrated to America or Australia although my research, which included a visit to Ellis Island in New York where all emigrants had to check in, has yielded nothing.

What I am hoping for is that someone recognises the above facts even if their relative was not known as Alfred Nowell. I know his past and his antecedents. What I don't know is what happened to him after he left Glasshoughton near Castleford in West Yorkshire circa 1919.

Just looking at his service records on Ancestry - is that right that his wife's maiden name was Nowell, too?

Marriages Sep 1905 (>99%)

NOWELL Alfred Leeds 9b 849
TERRY Eliza Hannah Leeds 9b 849

children for above marriage ( according to a tree)

George William Nowell 1906 – 1988
Ethel Evelyn Nowell 1907


edit ***
which appears to be yours

So it's human error with his wife's name on the army records which say he married Eliza Anna Nowell on 6th Nov 1905, church at Burmantofts, Leeds.

Attestation papers say he was a mariner (looks like) when he enlisted 31 Aug 1914 aged 34 years and 8 months (which indicates birth 1879). Born Walsall. Discharged as medically unfit.

Lived Glasshoughton, Castleford. Served with KOYLI

Not seeing anything on immigration records or in newspaper archives.

Previous thread -

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/ancestors/thread/1273110

I know about Alfred's life up to him leaving my grandma (Eliza Hannah Terry), my father (George William) and my aunt (Ethel Evelyn) but know nothing after that. He started up a new life with the person he left my grandma for and may have had children from that association. Just want to know what happened to him. The 1921 census may reveal something.

Oh and thanks everyone for replying. It is appreciated.

You will have to wait until 2021/22 to see the next census though

Jacqueline - was there no family gossip handed down at all about the fancy woman's name?

What was Alfred's actual date of birth? It's a long shot, but in a very few instances we've found people (particularly in America and Australia) by their first name and date of birth.

No names at all. My sister thought he had gone to America but wasn't that sure. I had so many opportunities in the past to find out more about him but didn't take them up because it didn't seem important and family researching was very much in the future. There was no divorce between my grandmother Eliza and grandad Alfred. He caused problems when he left. My father was in grammar school and he had to leave to go down the pit at the age of thirteen plus a few months to provide money for the family.

He was born in 1877 in Staffordshire. I have found possibles on the American Federal Censuses and Australian censuses but how do I find out if one of them is my grandfather? Not easy.

Perhaps the UK 1921 census will throw him up as he may not have left these shores before then, if indeed he went. I do need to find out what happened to him and whether he had children even though he was 42 when he departed.

If you have the time to do a bit of researching for me, fresh eyes and all that, then I'd appreciate that. I'm on holiday from Sunday July 7th for a week or so.