Welcome to our forum, which is for all those seeking information about their Douglas ancestors, or related material. Feel free to post a message. Alternatively, visit our Community Network.
Yes, that is her. She was also illegitimate. She and her sister Gladys were daughters of Louisa Adeline Simpkin. As far as they could remember my father and his sister were brought up by Louisa, who had by then taken the name of Bradford. However it is possible that Violet had put them into care previously. I assume I will need to contact The Children's Society for information. Louisa lived with John Bradford for a while and called herself Mrs Bradford although I have been unable to find a marriage. I have done my DNA with Ancestry and also uploaded to other DNA sites but have no close matches at all. So I have missing fathers in 2 successive generations, very frustrating!
The reason I posted in this forum is that I suspect that Violet took the name of Douglas when she was expecting my aunt in 1919 and my father in 1922 because that was the surname of their father. I have nothing else to go on except that my father was named Owen Claude, which was an unusual name at that time. By the way, she was living with Edmund Billing as his housekeeper in 1939, still called Violet Douglas, and began calling herself Mrs Billing sometime in the 1950s.
Owen Claude Douglas, service number 57068 was a Pilot Officer 24th July 1947, with seniority from 16th March 1945. (Source: The London Gazette Volume 3 Page 4585
Thank you, I have his service record and pilot log books. He served in the RAF from 1937 until 1962 leaving as a Flight Lieutenant.
Could you please let me know where the information re Waifs and Strays came from?
