Web of connections

I read the star letter in your March issue, ‘A 70-year secret’, with interest.

My story involves my natural father, who was not a particularly nice person. He separated from my mother when I was around two years old, and I have no memory of him. However, as it is his surname I have, he was the first person I started to research some 20 years ago.

A very abridged version is that he was ‘married’ six times. His first marriage, to my mother, ended in divorce with a son (me) and daughter (my sister). His second marriage was bigamous and was annulled, with one son. His third wife died, followed by two divorces and finally he was living with a partner at the time of his death.

I only found out about my halfbrother in 2006. We share birthday and Christmas cards, updates on our families, photos and are connected on Facebook. I’m also in regular contact with one of his fourth wife’s daughters from her previous marriage, his fifth wife, and one of his last partner’s daughters from her previous marriage.

Shortly after my father died his partner also died. I received a call from her daughter saying his ashes had been returned to the funeral directors, as no-one wanted them. As next of kin I was left with arranging for the disposal of the ashes of someone who I had no memory of and who had played no part whatsoever in my life. I never dreamt of that when I started my research! Paul Robinson Editor replies: What an interesting by-product of your research, Paul!