A MAN is trying to trace his lost Bradford family - members of which he found after studying the recently published 1921 census.

Dave Smith had been trying for some time to find out what happened to his grandmother Kate Littlewood, who was forced to give up his mother Amy in 1926 when she was just four-years-old.

“Amy was fostered in Sedbergh and never knew of her mother and father. She moved to Stoke-on-Trent during the war and married Derick Smith. She gave birth to me in 1955 and she died in 1995,” he said.

“Kate was born Elizabeth Kate Littlewood at Hoyland Common, near Barnsley, in January 1904,” said Dave

The census shows that when she was 17 years, six months old, she was boarding at a house in Heaton Road, Bradford.

She was working as a doffer - someone who removes or ‘doffs’ bobbins, pirns or spindles holding spun fiber such as cotton or wool from a spinning frame and replaces them with empty ones - at Lister’s Mill in Manningham.

According to the census, Amy’s father Fred, who was living in Osborne Street, Little Horton, was also working at Lister’s Mill.

“Further research suggests that Fred may have died in 1923, but Kate married John Wilson in 1936 and they had a daughter, Marjorie, in September 1937,” said Dave, who lives in Goostrey, Cheshire.

The 1939 General Register shows that Kate and John were living at 47 Church Street, Bradford, with her mother Sarah Littlewood (nee Dickinson) who was born in 1868. This house was next door to her sister Alice Simcox and brother-in-law John, who lived in number 45.

Released on January 6 this year, the 1921 Census is the largest census release ever in England and Wales. On 19 June 1921, close to 38 million individuals in England and Wales completed a census return.

Said Dave, who worked in public relations before he retired: “I know Kate Wilson died in June 1987, but that is where the trail goes cold."

"I would love to meet up with Marjorie, who would be 84 if she is still alive, or any other relations.

“My mum died not knowing anything of her parents and I have been trying to piece together what happened to them.

"It is only the publication of the 1921 census last month that has finally enabled me to identify them for certain. We have been waiting for it to be published and it has been fascinating to find out these details. It has made us even more eager to find out more."

Dave and his wife Isabella have two sons Matthew, 32, and Dominic, 29, who are also interested in finding out about their family history.

"They have been pushing me to do more work on our family tree," said Dave.

He adds: “It looks like Kate was part of a much bigger family. - we think she was one of 16 children. It would be great to find out more about her and anyone else in the family.”

If anyone has any information about Kate or other family members please e-mail dave-smith55@hotmail.co.uk

*Are you tracing your family tree and would like help in finding relatives? Or have you found family members that you previously did not know about?

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