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Trying to find info on my great grandmother. All I know is that she adopted my grandfather and kept his original surname ERIC WILLSON. All I know of her is she was known as nanna saville and had other children who used to "tease" my grandfather that he was only adopted for the money she was paid to keep him. Apparently nanna saville came to the uk from france when she was 16 and couldn't speak a word of english. other than that I know very little

Do you have any dates or areas to go on?

but if nana saville adopted him she is not therefore his mother is she?
you also give no dates or area of where they were in england which would help a great deal.

is this your grandfathers birth?

Births Dec 1922 (99%)
Willson Eric Willson Camberwell 1d 1255

so you searched trees as well then!

???


England & Wales, Death Index: 1984-2005
about Eric Willson
Name: Eric Willson
Birth Date: 29 Nov 1922
Death Registration Month/Year: Nov 1991
Age at death (estimated): 69
Registration district: Thurrock
Inferred County: Essex
Volume: 9
Page: 3542

yep, sorry, forgot that, dates would help, it was late and I wasn't thinking.

However, the Eric Willson noted in the last post, birth 1922, death 1991in thurrock is indeed my grandfather.

I know that "nanna" saville would not be his natural mother, but would like to find the family who brought him up.

Thanks for the time and effort you all put in in replying, will remember to include important info next time

Do you have any address for your grandfather, ... maybe when he was enlisted for War service, ...or got married?

A check of the electoral lists for that address might show some details of other house occupants.

Gwyn

you say that nana saville was 16 when she came to england ,do you have any idea when?any guess is better than none.
do you know when or about when she married mr saville?or was that her maiden name
do you have any idea of when and where she died and we may be able to find a death record for her,death certificates can offer some info like perhaps a family member being the informant of her death and of course the address at the time of the informant or even if she died at home.
there are lots of ways we can try to help and every scrap of info that you give can help lead to a breakthrough on finding things for you.

Thanks for the reply vivienne.

Unfortunately, at the moment, I have no other information and it's hearsay that she came over at 16.

It gives me very little to go on, and it doesn't help us that I dont even know, or have anyway of finding out at the moment, what her first name, or maiden name was (assuming saville isnt her maiden name)

thanks for your replies, will keep looking and see if I can find any more info to help

colin
if you find more info please put it on here rather than start a new thread as it saves people doing the same work again on any of it.

as long as its not years down the line that is of course


some of the other childrens names that your grandad was brought up with could help
good luck

ok, managed to find some more info, some is known, some is conjecture, but we shall see

Her name was Marie Saville (possible maiden name of Chanssade)

her date of birth is believed to be 25.01.1875

she left france for england in 1891 (will see if I can confirm this with any shipping records if possible)

She was married once before becoming saville and her previous maiden name was possibly "small"

Thanks for any help anyone is able to offer

then we have this marriage

Marriages Mar 1916 (>99%)

Saville Robert Small Epping 4a 840
Small Marie C R Saville Epping 4a 840

I think she's Fresne on image. She's a different household with a different address to the Coles. She's living on her own.

1901 England Census
Name: Marie C R Frease
Age: 24
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1877
Relation: Servant
Gender: Female
Where born: France
Civil Parish: Farnham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas on the Bourne
Town: The Bourne
County/Island: Surrey
Country: England
Street address: Drayton Grove

Occupation: servant

Condition as to marriage: single

Registration district: Farnham
Sub registration district: Frensham
ED, institution, or vessel: 8
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 79
Household Members:
Name Age
George R Cole 64
Amelia Cole 68
Blanche Cole 28
Marie C R Frease 24

Marriages Dec 1902 (>99%
Fresne Marie Charlotte R Alton 2c 421
Small James Alton 2c 421

1911

HOUSEHOLD SMALL JAMES M 1868 43 Epping Essex
HOUSEHOLD SMALL MARIE C R F 1879 32 Epping Essex
HOUSEHOLD SMALL MARCELLE H F 1905 6 Epping Essex
HOUSEHOLD SMALL EMILIE M F 1907 4 Epping Essex
HOUSEHOLD SMALL MAURICE G M 1909 2 Epping Essex
HOUSEHOLD SMALL RENEE M F 1910 5 MONTHS Epping Essex

no epping births but this one where they married

Births Mar 1866 (>99%)
Small James Alton 2c 168

Births Sep 1907
SMALL Emily Marie Epping 4a 498

Marriages Mar 1931
Bickford William G Small Orsett 4a 775
Small Emily M Bickford Orsett 4a 775

Looks like they moved to the Orsett district probably after 1916.

OMG!!!

You lot are fantastic!!

In a set of photos I have which include her there is mention of an aunt Em, Renee, Marcelle and maurice. Didn't mention this before as I had no idea who they were or how they were related, now I know!

I cant thank you all enough as I have found out tonight that other members of the family are trying to trace her too and will find this information extremely helpful

Thanks again

Col.