People   (Re-unions, trace old friends and relatives.)

A little bit of an update to end the week.

LRO checked the Haydock Patient Registers for 1928 to 1930 and found nothing for either a Clara Betton, or Clara Ryan. However, they did caution my cousin that not all patient activity was logged in the registers and a closer search of all documentation would be needed to confirm one way or the other, Clara’s presence.

A second asylum, Whittingham at Preston is another possibility. My cousin can access some of those records on line, but will be heading to the LRO in person soon to have a more detailed look to see what she can find.

In the meantime we are reviewing what other asylums might have been in the Wigan Area that can be looked into.

Another possibility has come to mind regarding Clara’s whereabouts in the late 1930’s. She may have born her 5th and last child from her husband, Charlie Ryan, unbeknownst to him and left to work as a Nanny for a family. That could mean she would be hiding in the 1939 Registry as a ‘domestic’ with her son. Possibly living with the family she was working for, which means she would show up listed in a residence of 6 people: a Husband and Wife with two sons and Clara and her son.

Snippets of family information suggest a Minister from her church, the Primitive Methodist on Ashton Street, Ince, may have helped Clara leave. It is possible this help, rather than financial, or physical, may simply have been writing a Letter of Recommendation for Clara, with which she could have gained employment somewhere.

Time for yet another pot of tea!

David