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Lateral thinker required

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Willow

Willow Report 5 Dec 2007 11:42

My great grandmother Rowena Rancombe married Charles Pocock in 1918 Abertillery, Monmouthshire, from this marriage there was three children one of which was my grandfather Marcus Charles.

Circa 1930 ish my grandfather was taken to his grandmothers house in Abertillery to live and his other two siblings were placed into the NCH in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, and according to all my sources Rowena just disappeared.

I have a letter about divorce proceedings started by my great grandfather Charles dated June 1968, and I have the decree nisi and absolute which showed that they divorced in 1969. Unfortunately the nisi doesnt give any address.

I have checked the deaths from 1984 - 2005 using her date of birth 25th October 1896 but there are no near matches. I have also searched from 1930 - 2005 for a re-marriage in both the name Pocock and Rancombe, but still nothing.

My thoughts are that she must have met someone and took on their name.

But how do I find her? or perhaps someone can recommend a researcher.

Im getting so frustrated :-(

Alan

Alan Report 5 Dec 2007 12:35

I would check the death registers previous to 1984 as it is more likely she passed away before this date.

The death record is going to be the one with the highest probability of finding (assuming she is not still alive!)

Does she have any middle names she could have used or are there any possible variations on the name Rowena?

Willow

Willow Report 5 Dec 2007 12:47

Hi Insomnia

I have checked the death records previous to 1984 with the names Rancombe and Pocock (should have said) but have found nothing.

According to her birth and marriage certificate she has no middle names, she signed her name Rowie alot but havent found anything with this either.

Wouldnt it be lovely if all of the BMD's were fully searchable.

Thelma

Thelma Report 5 Dec 2007 12:58

I have no experience of divorce proceedings. Is there any indication in the paperwork that she was still alive?

Willow

Willow Report 5 Dec 2007 13:08

Hi Jim

In the solictors letter that I have, thats addressed to my great grandad Charles it says that they have been sucessful in serving a petition on his wife Rowena Pocock, and that Mrs Pocock does not wish to defend the proceedings.

So she must have been alive.

I can see myself manually searching all of the deaths to 1983!

Alan

Alan Report 5 Dec 2007 13:42

Could the decree nisi or absolute have been reported in a local newspaper which may give additional information - a long shot maybe?