Hi Mark,
Thank you for responding. I cannot tell you how exciting it is to find someone who may know something about my father's birth family. My father, Ronald Peter, was born in 1925, the son of Gwendoline Maud Hill, but was given up for adoption. He was always reluctant to talk about this fact and when I asked him directly his response would be that it was for me to find out after he was gone. When he passed on a few years ago I had hoped to find some information among his personal effects, but there was nothing, not even a birth certificate to give me any clue as to who his biological family was. I did not even know his surname at birth.
To cut a long story short I was eventually able to find his birth certificate which led me to his mother, Gwendoline Maud Hill, and a friend of mine who lives in Newcastle (I live in Canada) was kind enough to do some digging in the archives which led me to Maxwell Hill's family.
I have some information about Gwendoline's life from various documents. For instance, in 1925 when my father was born, she gives her address as 6 Woodbine Avenue in Gosforth but on the final adoption papers for my father which are from January 1937 her address is 4 Woodman Road Coulsdon.
In the1939 Register (which I'm sure you know was the mini census done before the start of the Second World War) Gwendoline is still at 4 Woodman Road living with her sister Margaret. Margaret's occupation is given as a ladies hairdresser, Gwendoline's is given as a receptionist at a ladies hairdresser.
I hate to pepper you with requests but I would love to know more about my grandmother Gwendoline or any member of her family that you may have information on. It is intriguing to find that my great-grandfather Maxwell Hill was a naval architect, as although I am a photographer by profession I am fascinated by the design of ships. I would love to learn more about Ninian Hill as well.
From the 1901 and 1911 censuses I have approximate birth years for all the family, and I have Gwendoline and Margaret's exact birthdates from the 1939 register. Do you by chance have birthdates for the other members of the family? Or dates of death?
All four of Maxwell Hill's sons would have been of military age at the start of the First World War - do you perhaps have any record of their war service?
I don't suppose you have any photographs of the Hill family?
As I say, I hate to throw all these questions at you, but I would be happy to share what little information I have found out about Gwendoline with you.
I am sending you a private message through this board with my e-mail address in case contacting me that way would be more convenient for you.
Many Thanks
Nick
