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I've never found her in those two years, either. And haven't found the marriage. My mother used to call herself the first woman to get married in a long, long line of single moms.

In the calm of the day, instead of the emotional 2:30 AM moment, I reminded myself to slow down and start researching. And that grandma Dinah's absolute position was:  never tell them anything about the family. It was a survival position, I know -- so no problem with understanding it.
Jan

Well, that would certainly make sense, wouldn't it? To be registered perhaps as William Rose's daughter? Very interesting. (And yes -- I am *finally* learning not to jump to conclusions! lol)

I put Dinah's birth cert up on the site where I have the tree; no father's name, address 4 West Street, Pontypool. Mother's name Sarah Elizabeth Burrows.  I know my Moms used to say that she was "the first one in a long line of moms who was married". (She used to laugh at the vogue of not marrying that really took hold in my teens -- said she went to all that work not realizing she'd be in fashion!)

Sarah Elizabeth's death cert is also now up in the tree. I'd sent away for the death certificate after finding the date on BMD. I was wrong when I said I had Sally's -- I got muddled with Dinah's daughter Sally's.

Thanks so much for helping!

Yes, it all brings up so many questions, doesn't it?

Dinah and Diana sailed on the SS Majestic, White Star Line, out of Southampton, on 26 March, 1930. Dinah was 22, and Diana 7 months old. In Diana's 1953 US Naturalization Application, she wrote that their destination had been with her aunt, Sally Nichols, in Los Angeles. That was news to me -- I knew Sally had preceded them to the US, but I don't know at what age -- or what name. The paperwork said she resided at 101 South Norton in Hollywood. I had never heard anything about her having married, or the name Nichols, until I received all of Moms' paperwork from my father a couple of weeks ago. From my mother's recounting, I don't believe she would have been married, but that could all be untrue. Sally committed suicide over a romantic breakup (with a "rich Hollywood type") when my mother was little. Using the name Sally Nichols, I was finally able to find a matching name in the 1935 California death registry. I am waiting for a response from California regarding further information -- such as next of kin, where buried, etc.

I'll have a look again -- I wouldn't have thought to look for a marriage for Sally, given what I had been told about her. And I have the US Immigration tickets for my mom and grandmom, with the ship name, departure city, and arrival date -- but I don't find the destination information on the passenger list. (On the passenger list, their names are swapped. I would not be surprised either way:  that it was intentional on the part of Dinah, or that the shipping line made a mistake.)

I am very grateful for your response and assistance! I know the story is out there somewhere!

I am trying to find any insight/information about my great grandmother, Sarah Elizabeth Burrows, born around 1887-1890, possibly in Pontypool, Monmouthshire, Wales. Died in the Coed e Gric / Griffithstown poor house in 1953. She was Roma, and had two daughters: my grandmother Dinah Burrows, b. 1908, Pontypool – d. 1998 San Francisco, CA; and her (half) sister Sarah Elizabeth (Sally) Burrows, b. 1910, Pontypool - d. 1935, Los Angeles, CA.

The two daughters identified themselves as Roma, although there is little detail about that. I am aware that there was a Romani encampment outside Pontypool around the time of her birth. My grandmother and her sister each emigrated to the US in 1929 and 1930, in part to get away from the maltreatment of Roma in England.

I have tried everything I know to figure out Sarah Elizabeth’s family of origin. My mother speculated possibly Scotland, because they used to receive (dictated) letters from her, and some of them referred to “wee little ones”.

My grandmother Dinah had a deep distrust and dislike of authorities, which lasted her entire life. She refused to answer anything about her family, other than to equate anti-Gipsy discrimination as somewhat like the treatment of African Americans in the US.  However, my mother, Diana Elizabeth Burrows (b. 1929, St. Giles, London) described my Grandma Dinah in terms of what my mom called Roma culture: frequent moves; never turning away someone who knocked on her door for food, no matter how little there was; handcrafting skills; not accumulating possessions; and several key moments when she demonstrated that she had second sight, or deep intuition, about family members. (Their description, not mine.)
•   DNA appears to indicate a relationship with Stanleys, and Coopers. Possible source of Burrows surname from Berrows/Burrows, Matthews/Mathews, Couzens, however they seem pretty settled out.
•   One person, Allen Burrows, would be a possible link among the families.
•   Per electoral registers, Allen Burrows lived together with Dahlia/Daylia Stanley after her children with William Rose were born. However, Sarah Elizabeth was born before Dahlia’s children with William Rose. And, depending on the actual birth year, Dahlia may have been pretty young to have children when Sarah Elizabeth was born.

Thoughts? Insights? I am comfortable knowing that women traditionally have had to live by whatever means they could, so no need to dance around that topic. But I’m hoping that someone might have something to share.

I posted a similar question on the Digger Stanley board, which I hope is ok to have done. I’d appreciate any feedback at all that might help break through the proverbial brick wall!
Jan