Hello
I am trying to trace my paternal grandmother. As she died when my father was 12 my information is sketchy. My dad was born in Stockport and according to his birth certificate, his fathers name was Mark Webb and his mother Phyllis Web nee Lestrange. My dad never knew his father, he was always told he had died when my father was a baby.
My grandmother died aged 48 on 30th April 1937 while she and my dad were living in a rented room above Longhorn general shop, 91 North Street, Scarborough. At that time she was known as Phyllis Smith, but her death certificate shows her as Phyllis Winifred Manley-Smith, widow of James Manley-Smith, a master builder. Again this is someone my dad never knew. My dad was then placed into Sunnyside Children's Home until he was 13 and he was then sent to another home in Corsham, nr Portsmouth. From there he joined the army and was told that according to records his name was Web-Smith, but he doesn't know what records these were.
My dad was told that at some time she had worked at the Grand Hotel in Scarborough as a chef, but this is still to be confirmed. In 1978 my dad wrote to Scarborough Borough Council to try to find any available information. They wrote to the county archivist and although mention is made of my father (John Smith/Webb) in the minutes of North Riding Public Assistance Committee of 1937, there is no mention of his mother. In the register of children in care there is mention of a John Philip Smith-Manley with a brief note of his mother Mrs Phyllis W Smith-Manley (deceased). They also tried the Social Services department but no records could be found. This was all the information the council could give my dad.
I have been unable to find any birth/marriage records for my grandmother and would like to ask if anyone can advise me of other avenues to try. I have spoken to some very helpful people on the Stockport forum but again with no luck.
Many Thanks
Lesley
