MARK Genealogy

A strange thing happened while I was preparing a surprise party for my parents Golden Wedding Anniversary, on 25 March, 2000.  I had the folks looking through old photographs one day, about three weeks before the event, and one picture in particular caught my eye, whereby I wondered who the older lady was in the photograph.  However, when asking Mam, she thought I meant the young girl, [who I presumed was her], and answered it was "Hazel", [The older lady in fact turned out to be a very young looking Mary, Mam's Aunt].  Although both Mam and Dad claim I was told as a youngster - I have no recollection of learning, until that point in time, that I had any half-aunties!  It transpired that the young girl turned out to be Mam's half-sister [one of two], Hazel, and Doreen was the other.  I asked Mam if she would like me to find them, but alas all Mam knew was that her father had moved to Littlemore, a suburb of Oxford about 1931. 

 When her Aunt Mary had passed away in the late 60's, she lost all knowledge about her father and two half-sisters.  I didn't  manage to locate either of them in time for their 50th Anniversary, but vowed to find them by the end of the year, on the night! 

On a visit to Cardiff in early May, 2000, [Now there's another tale], my quest picked up speed when I managed to locate both their marriages on the General Register Index, which cross-referenced and gave me their husband's names.  Doreen and her husband I could not locate in the Oxford area, but Hazel had married a Chap listed as Peter GS 'Surname' [To protect the living!], and I knew she had been born in Oxfordshire.  So I looked for a Peter 'Such'n'such' in the trusty BT directory, and found them almost straight away!  I say almost straight away, as I rang them every day, at differing times for four days, and got a little worried that anything may have happened, divorce, death, etc … then on the fifth day I got an answer - they had been away on holiday, and it was Mam's half-sister!  It was very strange ... a whole new world opened up, ... but isn't life too short?!  Their father had died in 1975, and had taken the 'secret' to his grave, as had his wife.

They met up in July for the first time in about 60 years … and got on like there had never been that length of time  between!  Then in September Doreen and John came over from Canada, [where they have lived for over 30 years], and visited the Northeast for a few days.   It's been an honour to reunite them, and lovely to see them all together getting on like a house on fire!  We've been down to visit Hazel & Peter a couple of times and meet their two daughters, Linda & Dena, and their children.  

The MARK saga doesn't stop there ... I continued to research the name, sending away for my Mam's fathers and grandfathers birth certificates, etc, and found out things my Mam didn't even know about her family! 

By chance one night whilst browsing a bulletin board, I came across two other interested parties in the surname.  I sent them both a brief email, explaining who I had traced back to ...

"27/10/2000

Hi,

I have just re-visited the genuki pages, and noticed that you were seeking information regarding "Mark's" in Durham.  Initially, I understood mine were from Northumberland, but that was only from 1898, previously they all came from the Wolsingham/Greatham/Darlington/Stockton areas or similar.  My grandfather was Edward MARK, b 17.3.1902, his father was Edward MARK, b23.8.1862, his father was Charles MARK of Angate St, Wolsingham [when registering Ed. Snr's birth], and his wife was Ann MARK, formerly BRYCE of the same address.  They [Charles & Ann] both seem to have disappeared by the 1881 census, so I have hit a bit of a cold trail at the moment.

I understand that Edward Snr had about 10 brothers and 1 sister, but I can't tally this with the information I have at the moment, the only thing for sure was that one of his brothers was called TOM, and one brother became a poet in Australia.

If this seems familiar at all, please contact me ...

Thanks in anticipation

Fee"

Within ten hours I had a reply from a 'John MARK' in New South Wales, Australia, Annie.  Within a further two days, a further Cousin contacted John, from Middlesbrough, England, with another wealth of information regarding the family!  That's wor Mick! 

John and I have been in [almost] daily contact since, working on the ever growing family tree, both being keen at this genealogy lark, and John is visiting for a few weeks at the end of March 2001 to research and visit back to his roots!  We are planning a visit just as soon as is feasible!

The internet has allowed us to web-cam, ICQ and chat in real time not just together, but with various other members of the family both here in UK and over in Australia.  We have exchanged all sorts of valuable information in building up the MARK family tree, it is amazing what a 'little' research can do!