This is my fathers family. Beginning with his grandfather DAVID ELLIOT b.1842-1915 Hawick Scotl. and g/mother ELIZABETH BROWN b1846-1917 Nottingham Engl. DAVID was a carpenter and became a succesful builder with six or so men working for him, the family seemed to move around a fair bit I suppose working at his trade!! They had only two children ALEXANDER b1869-1945 Wolverhampton Durham and years late JOHN b 1880 Gateshead Durham. I found JOHN just recently on the 1881 census and now is alluding me again.

ALEXANDER b1869-1945 was my g/father who was married to FRANCES BENTON HETHERINGTON b1870-1956. Although Dad never spoke about his faimly it is was said his father was very strick and Dad actually run away to Western Australia at the age ninteen., but I digress, ALEXANDER and FRANCES had a large family eleven childen.I would like to go through the family so you will learn a little about them.

The first born ALEXANDER b1898 has always allured me too only knowing his birth date and place although he was in the printing business. Then came NORAH ADELINE [I like the name ADELINE it has a freshness to it after the other names in the families] b.1899 died when only a few months old was buried in Blackhill Cemetrey Durham Peter a gentleman who lives near the cemetrey went and took some photos of the area where her grave was, the place seems so peaceful and well kept the grass so green. Now comes along DAVID WILLIAM he's hiding himself too all I know is his birth year 1990 Castleside Durham I often think he may not have survived.

PHYLLIS MAY was b.1904 I guess you can say was the first daughter [who Dad talked about] married twice first to a GODFREY MacDONALD [we always knew him as Ernie may be his second name]] date and where? and then RICHARD RIDDELL they had a son which papers readsMALCOAM K. RIDDELL, mother,PHYLLIS MacDONALD, my thinking is when MALCOM was born took his father's name then while waiting I guess for PHYLLIS'S divorce, she did devorce, in 1944 went for a judicial seperation. Sadly PHYLLIS died in a car and bus accident Christmas 1955 after the bus and car collided. The car which she was in ran a bank hit a light post, she never regained consciouness, RICHARD at home was worried, time was passing by so drove out to find her and came upon the accident, she was comming home from a day out at the races.

As you will see the children were born very close together only a matter of one or two years between them. MARJORIE MONA [we here in W.A. knew her only as MONA,[these are the things that make research a little hard] arrived in 1904 Castleside Durham. During the war she was an anmbulance driver and going by her photo looked lovely in her uniform. after the war worked the as a phone operater and did that work all her life at different places. Married GODFREY MacDONALD DAVIS 1942 Surry, I don't know if they divorced but they did live apart. Their only son DONALD who is still alive was a phone operater as well, spent time working in South Africa , disappointingly he is not interested in family history so have to leave it at that. But I might have some luck Malcom may still be alive he was born around the some time as Donald only have to find him !!! big job. MAJORIE died of a kiddney codition in 1954 a year before her sister, don't know what happened to GODFREY. It is ashame I don't have stories to tell it would jazz things up abit

Abit of Dad's history When ALEXANDER b1869 died Dad had to go back to England so the will could be read which upset the family know end. Because Dad was the only one of the family who had left England, they had wait two years, [it was the only time he heard from his older brothers while he lived here in West. Aust.] The reason, the war was comming to a close and premission to sail had to be granted which took some months to get, in the mean time Dad had to save for his fare buy some clothes, a suit was a must [the relations were not to be told all this, he was going back to England with the appearance of being well off]. Mum, LINDA MARY TRACEY followed three month later, Dad had money, the three of us were meant to go too but in the end only JOHN went he was three, MARGARET and I went to boarding school. It broke my heart. [that's another story]. Mun was'nt taken with the family and vice versa, it was BESSIE who took Mum under her wing [CHARLES's wife]they liked each other straight away. We are practicing Catholics the ELLIOTS strong Church of England. Dad became a Catholic before he meet LINDA actually it was at a church picnic that they meet. [got to stop here digressing again but it's a nice story] I'm off track. I was trying to tell you Mum was glad to get back home.

This my journal is getting to long and have to remind you it is a large family. WALTER was Dad's twin they were b1905 Consett Durham. died I believe a few weeks old and buried with his sister NORAH ADELINE, here again Peter went to the cemetrey office and found this inform. It was g/father DAVID b1842 who bought the plot for NORAH his g/daugh. then the grave was ready for Walter his g/son.. Strange how things work, stories and events come through the blood. My g/son PAUL DAVID CASWELL is buried with his g/grandparents JOHN and LINDA ELLIOT and my g/daug LAUREN CASWELL's son SETH WATSON is with his g.g./gradparents JOHN and LINDA. I think this is strange ALEXANDER b1869 [my g/father] died in England and was buried with his parents in Scotland [have a copy of the headstone] SO what happened to his wife Frances, where is she buried?

Frances [same spelling as his mother] b.1907 Castleside Durham, very strick father causeing his eldest daughter CHRISTINE BOWATER to have a nervous breakdown. Frances religously kept journals entering something each day and when he died CHRISTINE burnt every single one, sad all that history gone but I understand [know need to say more]. m.1955 to GLADYS FAIRCHILD they had three girls CHRISTINE, ANGELA and JANET. They travelled around working on farms and large homes, GLAYS housework and FRANCES general outside work. As I said Dad didn't talk about his family, it was Uncle FRANK who visited us for a couple of weeks who gave me the family history. This I guess started me out on this journey. FRANCES had colon cancer had the shortened and had to ate small meals often. He died 1980 was cremated. St.Albans, Hertfordshire. I found him to be nice person and interesting.

CHARLES brn 1908 Castleside Durham. Know very little about him died in the eighties I think Yorshire married BESSIS? [LINDA's friend] worked poultry farms, no children. When he died BESSIE went to a home, where? CHARLIEE did say at one time "The best thing JACKIE ever did was getting out of England" I know Dad got belted to the point where he was in bed for over a week with his Mum looking after him. [Uncle Franks story], he had put money into the collection box in church and took out some change.

Two to go Douglas and Gordon [better known as DOUGIE and GORDIE] DOUGLAS STEWART b.1909 Castleside, Lanchester Durham, married for a short while to ? Stocks. Died Coventry 1997. Lived Warwickshire Coventry, know stories but I do have a photo of him and appears to be quite short in stature, [Dad was'nt overly tall]. worked for years for the Jaguar Car Com. and made pocket money [as he said] buying and selling antiques. GORDON I know nothing at all about him know stories or what he did, Uncle FRANK did't say much about him if anything Dad mention his name now and again. He married Hilda ? had three son GORDEN Jnr. GRAHAM and CLYDE The family lived somewhere in ? Cambridge I've heard the word a three lettered word Elm, Ell or Eli or.....

So there is the history of my fathers generation, sorry this is so long but, you know regardless of the mistakes and wordings, I found doing this rewarding and yes healing. I have never written anything so long before let alone letting it go print [I used those words it sounds cleaver] so I must thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to do something I've never done before or even thought of doing. It is quite amazing what life brings to us. The author, [sounds cleaver], Trish