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A Real Puzzle - Frances May Whipp

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#1
Hello. I know some people like a who-dunnit sometimes so here's a right puzzle I'm having on behalf of helping a close friend with his genealogy and I'd be very grateful if anyone can help at all.

My friend's mother was called Frances May Whipp and she was born on 24th December 1932 in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire. She married a man called Edward Poyser on 14th June 1965 in Blackpool and died in February 1989 also in Blackpool. All straight forward so far but here's where it gets interesting and puzzling! :)

Frances May Whipps mother was called ... Frances May Whipp who was born on 14th August 2010. I found a birth record for a Frances May Whipp a few weeks ago in the birth register for Leeds (9b 346). We also know from few records I can find that the older Frances May got married to a Frank Pepper between October and December 1933 in Newcastle under Lyme in Staffordshire.

So, what my friend and I asking ourselves is when, how or why did she move from Leeds to Staffordshire?! This was obviously before my friend's mother (the younger of the 2 FMW's) was born in December 1932. I've had a good look at the Staffordshire records (e-rolls, censuses etc) but pretty much drawn a blank on the elder of the 2 Whipps so my friend suggested trying to find any similar records in Leeds or surrounding part(s) of Yorkshire, so here I am. :)

My friend suspects that she left Leeds because she was pregnant with her daughter (and whilst we know that she married Frank Pepper, we can't assume that he was, in fact, the father!) then decided to give up the baby and move on with her life. Her new family might not even have known about her daughter, my friend's mother!

I have found Frank Pepper and Frances May Whipp on the 1939 register/census showing them both married and living with 2 children, Elizabeth J Pepper born 8th March 1934 a school pupil, and her brother, Frank E Pepper, born 16th March 1935, an infant. There's a note in the right margin for Elizabeth J suggesting she married on 13th April 1951 (anyone know what the KGA might stand for please?) and on the left margin, a note for Frank E with a long NHS number dated 21st September 1956. I have no idea what that refers to either. I will attach this at the end for you to see. There is also one closed record for this family and because the whole page was apparently too large to attach, I've taken a snippet which hopefully won't be so the address they are living at there is 46 Wood Lane, Newcastle under Lyme.

Finally I'd love to try to find out more about the older FMW's marriage and any other children there may have been after 1939 because obviously if there were, or if those 2 children went on to have children of their own, and this does turn out to be my friend's maternal grandmother, then obviously any descendants are his relatives!

OK I'll leave it there. If anyone can kindly take a look and see what you can find, any information or suggestions would be very welcome indeed and hopefully help us move on with this and find more out. Thank you very much indeed in anticipation, Nick
 

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gibbo

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#2
So, what my friend and I asking ourselves is when, how or why did she move from Leeds to Staffordshire?! This was obviously before my friend's mother (the younger of the 2 FMW's) was born in December 1932.
It was not unusual for a single girl to be "sent away" to have a baby. Do you have the birth certificate for Frances born 1932? It should have the address on where she was born so that will help to determine if it was a unmarried mother's home or elsewhere to shed a bit more light onto her story. It should also state the name of the informant of the birth etc.
 

gibbo

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Ok found this, her records would/should show if her mother had any contact with her or the home but i would expect the 100 year privacy rule would stop anyone from getting information.

1939 register
Frances (M) Poyser (Whipp)
YOB 1932
Stafford M.B.
Staffordshire
England
52 Stafford County Council Children House Stone Road
 
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Hello gibbo. Many thanks for your replies and info/suggestions. No I don't think we do have her birth certificate but I'll suggest it to my friend when I speak to him on Sunday and ask if he has it somewhere. She wasn't adopted as far as we know, no. As for the 1939, she died already which is probably why her record is available to be seen but then there are many others closed who I know should be open too so they obviously don't have time or staff or whatever to update them more often. :( I will contact whoever has those archives and ask them if they can tell us more about her time there. They can only say no but as I say, she's deceased so hopefully it will be fine. :)
 
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