Would you please help me finding Welsh Ms Margaret Joan Watkin Griffith, born abt 1928?

Question

Hi, I am looking for Welsh Ms Margaret Joan Watkin Griffith (this is her maiden name), born in 1928 (or about 1928), probably in Caernarfonshire, who lived and worked in Liverpool in the late 1940’s and travelled to Sydney by boat in 1950. She returned to the UK in 1953 or 1954 and it seems she worked in a beauty shop then. Would anyone please help me finding her or a relative of hers?

Thank you so much.

Mateus

Comments

Is this her birth record?  Mothers maiden name Watkins.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV32-FRKD

Answer 1

Thank you very much for your reply. I really don't know if her mother's maiden name is Watkins. I only have a document dating from 1950 where Ms Joan states that her full name is Margaret Joan Watkin Griffith. "Watkin" with no "s", and "Griffith" with no "s" as well. But the register you are showing me might be hers, I suppose, because I also have a newspaper clip of an article about her where her surname "Griffith" is spelled "Griffiths". How can I get to the family of this one Joan today? Can you please help me with that?

Thank you.

Answer 2

Suggest try "Find my Past" 1939 Register.

In preparation for War a National Register was prepared which formed the basis of the information for Identity Cards which had to be carried by all during the war.  If she was in the UK in 1939 she will be in the register.

Good Luck

Comments

I appreciate your answer. I will try the 1939 Register.

My biggest problem is that I don't know the names of her parents nor if she got married or if eventually she died already, and "Griffith(s)" seems to be a very common name in Wales. The search has been very difficult so far.

Thank you very much for your help.

Mateus

Answer 3

Mateus - I think the Watkin/Watkins in her name is a massive clue.  And I wouldn't get too hung up on both the Griffiths and Watkins sometimes having an "s" and sometimes not, it all depends on who is giving the info and who is writing it down.  I have 14 variants of one family name over a 100 year period.

But back to Margaret Jean, I agree with Mary that she has most likely found the correct birth reference for her, like I said, the Watkins is a big clue.  I found the same reference on Freebmd too, and found too possible siblings, twins by the looks of things, and a good candidate for the parents:

Births Dec 1923
Griffiths  Gwendoline R  Watkins  Carnarvon     11b    613      
Griffiths  Iorwerth H       Watkins  Carnarvon     11b    614
      
Births Mar 1928
Griffiths  Margaret J W     Watkins   Caernarvon     11b    573

Marriages Dec 1921
Griffiths David             Watkins   Carnarvon     11b    808      
Watkins Florence J     Griffiths   Carnarvon     11b    808

Out of interest, what is the newspaper clipping about?  Are there any other clues to be gleaned from it?  Like, what is the newspaper and where was it located.

Comments

Hi, Brenda. Thank you so much for these new clues. Yes, I agree with you, I think Mary Cole may have found the correct birth reference. I am still trying to gather more information on Joan. She didn't use the name "Margaret", everybody would call her "Joan". I am pretty sure she was born in 1928, and the family seems to be from Pontllyfni. In the documents I read she mentioned a brother; she also mentioned, in 1949, her father was already dead, and I believe he died in the war. The newspaper clipping is about a trip she took to Tahiti. I think she went there while she was still in Australia or after living Sydney, on her way back to the UK. The clipping was taken from the "Daily Mirror", dated November 9, 1953, but it doesn't add anything to the information I already have.

The amazing thing in your message is the parents; I knew the initials of her mother's name could be JWG or FWG. So, after reading your message, I believe you are right, her name is most likely Florence Watkin(s) Griffith(s). I understand what you say about the "s". I think this is a problem all languages face when it comes to names and surnames and registers. I am new here, I am not even a member, but I decided to ask for your help because it would be really important for me to find Ms Joan or any relative of hers. I don't know yet how I may get to her or her family with the information you gave me, but maybe it will be easier now.

I really appreciated your help, and Mary's and Barry's. If you'll get more information on Joan, I'll be happy to hear from you.

Thanks again.

Mateus