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Kathleen Stringer b 1917, married an army Captain Gallagher, early in the second world war he was a widower with 2 children Peter and Thelma. He was based at a barracks in Preston Lancs. His father was a sergeant major in Ireland. Kath and husband divorced around 1950. Can anyone find a lead Please.

Regs Derek

Hello Derek,

Are you sure they were married- I've had a quick look and can't see anything obvious. However, There is this marriage (Callaghan- not Gallagher):

Kathleen M Stringer
Spouse : Patrick Callaghan
Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1940
Registration district: Sheffield
Registration county (inferred): Yorkshire - West Riding
Volume Number: 9c
Page Number: 1758

Hi Helen,

Well she is Kathleen Gallagher nee stringer. She is a little vague, but says she did get married in Preston. She lived in Blackburn at the time. Her husband ? she can't remember his Christian name ? was an army captain and they met at a dance at a barracks in Preston. He had 2 children - Peter about 5 Thelma a baby - their mother had died.

Derek

Thelma ? and Peter Gallagher have both contacted Kath in recent years.

How frustrating- still can't see anything, will have another look, Hopefully other people are also looking.

I take it Kath doesn't have details of where Peter and Thelma are living now?

No sorry, she is 92 and a little confused and repeats things over and over. I have found a lot about her family before 1917, but little afterwards. I am trying to get her to remember later information. She said her husband had a dalliance with her friend which ended the relationship and led to divorce. He was a little violent too.

Thelma was about 10 when they divorced.

Derek, Still no luck- although I feel there must be a little truth in this somewhere. My Gran is 94, and this is the sort of titbit of information she gives me!! I think this will keep me awake tonight!

I'll bookmark this and hopefully have another look tomorrow- or at least nudge it up for you.

Are you sure Kath was born Kathleen Stringer (eg. not a different first name, or previously married?)

Did Kath and Mr Gallagher have any children?

Does Kath know if Mr Gallagher remarried the 'friend' or someone else?

Hi Helen,
Yes when you get stated it keeps irritating the grey cells. Lol.

No Kathleen Stringer was her name, born 1917 to Susie Stringer1894 out of wedlock - father unknown in Brackley in Northants. A few days after birth she was adopted by a local butcher and family. Alfred Whitton 1874 .I have confirmed a lot of her early links. She trained as a telephonist and lived in Blackburn Lancs in a house bought by an aunt Alice and Uncle Albert Copping. Her grandmother Edith Stringer1873. had her mother Susie out of wedlock, then later married Harry Copping. So she has various Coppings in her family - alas also difficult to research as she didn't have contact after being adopted. Susie Stringer1894 was engaged to a medical doctor and became pregnant by him (Kath) but he died soon after in the First World War before they could marry. Kath in her early 20's, visited a barracks in nearby Preston and met her husband a Captain stationed there. He was a widower with 2 children. aI think they were married for around 10 years. She then went to London to work as a telephonist supervisor in Holborn I estimate until the early 1960's, when she moved to Kent.

Thanks for your help Derek

No she never married again, and couldn't have children from illness in childhood.

Derek

If I understand you correctly......Kathleen was born Stringer in 1917 but adopted by Alfred Whitton?

Therefore would she not have been known as Kathleen Whitton when she married??

Mary

Hi Mary,

She may well have, but she is a little confused. Thanks for Suggestion. She of course considered the Whittons as her family until she left them in late teens to live and work in Blackburn with an Aunt Alice Copping and husband Albert.

Derek

Hi Derek

using the following search terms:

Surname Gallagher
1945 +/- 5 years
area = Preston

there is only ONE female with the 1st name of Kathleen getting married at that time and place and that is a Kathleen Rice to John Gallagher in 1940.

So unless your Kathleen used the name Rice, there just is NO marriage for her!

It may be a case of the record not making it to the GRO, so perhaps a call to the Register Office in Preston is your only other option, see if they can find it?

Mary

Thanks Mary,

Kath Did Live in Blackburn and had family there - could she have married there ?. I will talk to Kath when I see her this week and see if she can remember anything else

Derek

Can only see one birth for a Thelma F Gallagher in1943 Surrey. Mothers maiden name Hohans. Can't see a birth for a Peter with MMN same.

Looked for Gallagher/Hohans marriage. Frances G Gallagher married Winifred Hohans 1939 in Liverpool.

Hi all,
Thanks for your efforts. Spoke to Kath today and she is still very confused. She says she married in Blackburn in the war and lived in 10 Russia Street, Accrington. Her husband was an army captain based at Preston Barracks. Son Peter was about 5 and Thelma about 2 both from previous marriage where wife had died. Marriage seems to have lasted 8 or 10 years.

Regs Derek

Hello Derek,

As you have an address, you could try the historical electoral registers - most likely held at Lancashire central library.

EDIT* not available for war years, but worth searching 1945+

You could try posting a look up request for the electoral register (and other info) at the forum below- all enquiries relate to Accrington:

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/

Hi Helen,
Thanks. Have joined Accrington site as suggested, but no response yet.

Derek

Kath thinks she was married in 1943 in Blackburn.