Good evening Humfrey,
Its been a beautiful winter’s day here.
Thankyou for that information. I was wondering what was your Mum’s name and do you have a Birth Certificate. Was just wondering about the little girl that my Aunt, I am told used to visit over a period of time.
We had heard that your father had died in an incident involving a bull.
My Aunt, Annie Doreen Standard, as I said does not remember very much and in her words… “Cathryn, it was such a long time ago”. She did/does have a marriage certificate as she needed to prove her past and present marital status to Centrelink (Social Services) when she came to Australia in 1960.
In the years prior to that and after the marriage annulment she had quite an interesting life. She went to work at 84 Charing Cross Road in London (1951-1958). If you are familiar with the book and movie of the same name, her life and the lives of those who worked there were made into a book and a movie of the same name- you may be familiar with it. Doreen spent a year in South Africa (1958-1959).
I guess your Mum understandably, would not have wanted to talk about the situation in those early days, since my aunt was still married to your Dad when you were born! It would have been a pretty big deal in those days and I guess not easy for anyone involved.
My Aunt Doreen is still alive and well; my Mum passed away in 1999 and my Dad (Doreen's brother) in 2016. The life of my aunt during those times was never brought up by my Mum or Dad. We (us kids at least) never knew she was married and she did not tell us- maybe it was, as you said, a hurtful time in her life.
And here we are in 2020… its all very interesting stuff and with the internet all this is so much easier to access.
If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know. With my aunts permission, i am tidying up her documents. If I find anything that I think may interest you, I will let you know.
Best wishes,
Cathy.
