Mystery of my grandpa

Dear Editor,

I am writing in the hope that one of your readers may know of my grandfather and where he may have ended up.

His name was Patrick McAleese and he was born in Coatbridge on August 28, 1896.

He married Elizabeth Paxton at St Patrick’s RC Church, Coatbridge on June 1 1917. They had two children: Margaret, born 1917, and John, born 1920.

For whatever reason they separated between 1920 & 1937 as John (my father) had written a letter to Patrick saying he had lived with his mother until he was 17 years old; and then the mother went to live with her sister, Margaret Mullens, in Wishaw.

Elizabeth died in May 1939 and is buried in Cambusnethan Cemetery. The informant was her sister, and death certificate says she was still married. Some facts I do know: He was living in Well Road, Airdrie sometime between 1940 and 1944; this was the home of his sister Isabel.

He went to C-of-M, Manchester, and there was a newspaper clipping of a search request for him (no date and no newspaper identification as this was given to me by another family member).

Parents were John McAleese and Sarah, nee Gallagher, who were both born in Ireland; and he possibly lived at 113D Deedes Street, Airdrie in 1930-31.

In the 1911 census, he was 14 years old and living with his parents and siblings at 6 Commonhead Street in the district of New Monklands, and was an apprentice ironworker.

A letter was sent to Patrick at the Well Road address in April 1944, but I do not know if it was received by him.

Any information from readers who may have known Patrick, or his wife or her sister, would be greatly appreciated. Email lynda. millerd@bigpond.com

Lynda Millerd, Queensland, Australia