I had tried to trace my late dads side of the family, with no luck at all. I knew nothing at all about my grandparents, except my granddad died in 1934 when my dad was 17 and my grandma died in 1969. on my dad's birth certificate, grandmas maiden name was given as Cahill, even though we had been told by my dad's 2 older sisters-whom have also passed away, and my older cousin, that her maiden name was Hornby. By chance I logged on to Ancestry one day, and a military record popped up for my granddad, giving his next of kin as my grandma Margaret Buckley, dependants names and D.O.B. Robert Hornby Cahill 16.6.04, son then my 2 aunts and my dad. I was shocked as nobody had ever mentioned/heard of Robert, but it turns out he is my dad's and aunts half brother-my uncle. I sent for my grandparents marriage certificate, and sure enough it's says my grandmas name at the time of marriage was Margaret Cahill-widowed, her Fathers name Robert Hornby whom she named her son after, and she went to Cheshire from Garston in Lancs, where she lived and Robert was born, when Robert was 6yr old-she left him in Liverpool,eventually met and married my grandad and then sent for Robert whom was then aged 10. She then had my 2 aunts and my dad. My dad-the youngest joined the army when he was 17, so they all lived at the same address till then, but not once had/as anyone mentioned him....we didn't know he existed till I stumbled across the military records. I am now trying to find out more about him, but I should imagine unlike your uncle who as made contact with you, mine would have passed away ! but hopefully, he would have married, had children and maybe if not any cousins out there, I may have cousins once removed. I just need to see how I find out more info on Robert and how to go about checking in Garston. Good luck with your contact, and hope all turns out well.
