RootsChat.Com

Hi Will, I have some bits and pieces, what's your interest?, regards Simon

Hey Simon, thanks. I'm interested in the adoption of Dorothy by Josephine. Are there any adoption records, who was Dorothy's mother, was there any guardian other than Josephine?

Also, any sign of a birth certificate?

So many questions, it's a real mystery.

Cheers

Will

you guys are blowing my mind.

this is my first time researching someone like this.

I feel quite stupid.

Where you finding all this info?

censuses, death certificates, marriage certificates..?

she never officially enlisted but had papers under the name of Denis Smith.

is there a way of searching newspapers from 100 years ago? I'd like to see if she is mentioned in any articles, and to see some of her own as well.

looks like most of my info is a load of crap.

I want to find out more about the rape allegation she made against her guardian. any ideas?

I think Samuel Fitzgerald died in 1890.

Hello

I am researching the life of Dorothy Lawrence, I want to write a film about her. She was a freelance journalist who ventured to the front lines during WW1 disguised as a soldier and spent ten days in the trenches with the 179 Tunnelling Company, 51st Division, Royal Engineers before succumbing to illness.

She was forced by the war office to not disclose any details of her adventures while the war continued. After which she released her book Sapper Dorothy Lawrence: The Only English Woman Soldier.

I am struggling to find information on her life, especially before and after the war. There are a lot of conflicting stories.

I believe she was adopted in 1901 by Josephine Fitzgerald of 31 The Close, Salisbury, who died in 1926.

In 1925 Dorothy accused her guardian - a prominent Church of England figure - of raping her during her youth. Soon after she was sent to Colney Hatch Lunatic Asylum where she remained until her death in 1964.

Any information on Dorothy's life, or that of Josephine Fitzgerald, would be hugely appreciated.

Cheers

Will