Vera May (Munro) James (1911 - 1991)

Born 18 Dec 1911 in Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Ancestors

Daughter of Lawrence Valentine Munro and [mother unknown]

Wife of Richard Edward James — married 1934 in New Zealand

Descendants

Died 1991 at about age 79 in Auckland, New Zealand

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Amelia Utting [send private message]

Biography

Very May Munro was born in 1912 in New Zealand. She was registered at birth as the daughter of Lawrence Valentine and Mabel Gertrude Munro (née Armer).^[1] However, it is family knowledge that Vera was in fact the biological daughter of Lawrence and his secretary, whose identity is unknown. He purportedly paid Vera’s mother to take her and leave the family alone.

She married Richard Edward James, son of Henry Raymond and Jane James (née Keily) in 1934 in New Zealand.^[2]

They had the following known children:

1. Allen Henry James
2. Richard Barrie James

She died in 1991.

At Vera’s funeral, it’s reported that her son Allen was almost involved in an altercation with her half-brothers Albert and Bruce, who Allen felt had ‘disrespected’ Vera by appearing to be caring brothers at her decease when they supposedly didn’t care much for her while she was alive because she was an illegitimate relation.

Research Notes

Potential daughter

It’s possible that Vera herself had an illegitimate daughter prior to her marriage to Richard, registered under the name of her biological father and his family much like Vera was, but this is still being researched and is unproven as of 2022. Utting-102 00:29, 25 August 2022 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Birth Registration of Vera May Munro, child of Lawrence Valentine and [incorrect mother] ; citing Birth Certificate 1912/11729.
2. ↑ "Births, Deaths & Marriages Online", New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz), Death Registration of Vera May James, Date of Birth 18 December 1911 ; citing Death Certificate 1991/34079.

• Maternal relationship is confirmed by an AncestryDNA test match between Amy Utting and her second cousin twice removed Linda A. Their most recent common ancestors are Philip Munro and Mary Ann Theobald, based on sharing 60 cM across 3 segments.