I am trying to trace my mothers father. The only information she could give me is that she once saw a letter signed Ted.
It is known that grandma, Annie Maud Smith, probably conceived my mother by her fiancée who was home from the forces in Lavenham, Suffolk out of wedlock. Lavenham is where she lived with her parents Frederick Ernest Smith and Lavinia Smith (nee Snell).
Annie married William John Potter in Lavenham, Suffolk on 26 December 1932. He died in the district of Framsden in December 1942. Annie remarried to Earnest Charles Rivett in Winfarthing, Norfolk on 26th April 1948.
My mother, Betty Doreen Potter, was born in West Wymer in the district of Norwich on 22nd December 1929. On her birth certificate no father is listed. On her baptism record from the parish of Ambergate in Derbyshire her father is listed as Edward Smith. (Smith was Annie's surname.)
Betty was adopted with the surname Potter in 1947 by her own mother. (After the death of John Potter and a year before her 2nd marriage to Ernest Rivett). On her adoption order no fathers name is listed.
It is rumoured in the family there was a court case possibly over breach of contract or maintenance. I have checked the Bury Free Press from December 1928 to December 1931 without any luck.
I checked the 1911 census for Lavenham for an Edward of a similar age and the most compatible seems to be Edward Thomas Simpson who worked in the same industry in Lavenham at that time.
I have found the Short Service record for Edward Thomas Simpson of Lavenham dated 24th August 1915.
Can anyone help me with any more information which could link Edward, or suggest any further avenues I can try?
