When I first posted this I deliberately left out a fair amount of detail from my account in case I was barking up the wrong tree and someone somewhere knew different. I also had to consider the possibility that one or other of the senior Threadgolds were still alive. So I'll try to give the whole story now.
Frank and Hilda when they were in Southend wanted to adopt they had been my 'parents' for much longer than my natural mother.
See letter that leaked from Barnardos:
http://robin.robin.org/~tl
In letters to Southend Children's Officer Frank signs himself Frank Threadgold and in letter to Barnardos he states that he 'has good work as a bricklayer'. Frank appears in Kelly's Directory for Southend as bricklayer until the 1957 edition that would have been compiled in 1956.
I've checked the Calendar of Deed Polls, nothing there, they could of course have changed their names by statutory declaration, which is much more common in recent years, the only record of that would be a document in their own possession and perhaps a copy at the office of a solicitor somewhere.
I have checked the marriages indexes from about 1910 to 1954 as no indication is given in letters of their ages. There is only one marriage of a Frank Threadgold to a Hilda, that took place at what looks like Gorse Hill Methodist Chapel, Stretford(?) (or could be Shefford) in the district of Barton, County of Lancaster, on the 18th May 1940. I don't know much about that area. The marriage certificate shows clearly that that Frank's full name was Frank Lloyd Threadgold his 'Rank or Profession' at that time was 'Crane Driver at a Dynamo Manufacturers'. Hilda's maiden name was Coverly. One of the witnesses was a V. Arashoon again the registrar's writing is not good, the only reference that I have been able to find for that name is a single entry in the Electoral Register for Delhi where it appears to be a middle name. Frank's father was a 'Boot and Shoe Repairer'
Working back, this Frank's birth certificate shows that he was born in Over near Northwich Cheshire on 'Thirtieths September 1910'. Name and surname and maiden name of mother, Edith Parry Threadgold formerly *Lloyd* which is where the Lloyd comes from, it was common in that area to use the mother's maiden name as a middle name. Hilda Coverley was born 24th July 1910 in the District of Manchester sub-district of Ancoats at 122 Sandal Street the daughter of an Iron Turner one John Coverly and his wife Ada nee Webster.
Frank Lloyd Threadgold died 6th January 1969 at Withington Hospital, again the copy of the certificate is not good but the informant is Hilda Threadgold and her address appears to be '76 Bishop Sans Manchester 16' though the 'Sans' could be something completely different it is a very blurred copy, but it is quite clear that his occupation is given as Bricklayer.
In the time for which death indexes are available in digital form (from 1986?) seven Hilda's with the date of birth of 24 July 1910 have died. Hilda Lloyd is the only one in the Manchester area (thanks to Mike at Peopletracer UK for looking that up for me). Hilda Lloyd's death certificate shows the following. That she died 22 December 1989 at Withington Hospital, Manchester. The entry for maiden surname is crossed trough. Occupation and usual address states; Widow of ---- Lloyd (no given name stated) Occupation Unknown. Withington Hospital, Manchester is given as her usual address. The informant is James Fitton his 'Qualification' is given as 'Occupier' and his usual address as Withington Hospital Manchester. She died of bronco-pneumonia, certified by M. Islam MBBS. I was never able to find a death or re-marriage for Hilda Threadgold and she has not appeared on recent Electoral registers.
At the time of my adoption the G ad L tried to find the Threadgolds at their last known address in York Rd., Southend they were no longer there, that was May 1956.
In their letters to Southend Borough Children's Officer, Frank and Hilda state that they have daughters Penelope and Cynthia who were seven and twelve years old in 1954, however there are no records of births in the relevant years in England and Wales or in Scotland for a Penelope or Cynthia Threadgold. There have been no marriages in England and Wales of either a Penelope or Cynthia Threadgold. I am told by someone who has seen my post on the LookupUK website that she was in the children's home in Shoeburyness with a Penelope Threadgold in in 1961 when she was 14 this is the same children's home that my brother grew up in but in different house, he does not remember her.
Barnardos have stated that the Threadgolds were not considered as adopters because their housing was inadequate, however they were living on one floor of a large house that I visited many times in my childhood and teens and long before I knew very much about all of this. It had by then become an old peoples home, where the elderly aunt of a family friend was residing. Then much of what Barnardos have to say about this, is less than believable. The Social Services at Southend simply say that the adoption was not considered appropriate. Whatever, my birth mother was with me for only the first six weeks of my life, the Threadgolds for the first eight months, I have always considered them my first parents and feel that I have as much right to know about them as I do to know about my birth mother. Barnardos was *very* upset that one of its social workers gave me any information at all about the Threadgolds and managers there even considered trying to take action against the local authority for doing so, but I did not feel inclined to co-operate with them in that effort. I've always considered that I was pretty much kidnapped from the Threadgolds who appear to all accounts to have been a very kindly couple. Records that I have seen, make it clear that the Borough Children's Officer, Doris Ridd was very much against the Threadgolds being considered for adoption, even though everyone else involved was prepared to consider them, my guess is that she was concerned that they would remain in contact with my birth mother. The only other possible objection that I know of is some allegations about the disappearance of a family allowance book, but not as far as I know, any suggestion of fraud.
Obviously I still have no proof that the Threadgolds from Manchester are the same Threadgolds as those in Southend, but given the disappearance of the Southend Threadgolds it does seem likely to me that they are the same people. Threadgold is a relatively common name in the south east Essex area compared to rest of the country, but most of the Threadgolds in SE Essex are a good deal more affluent than Frank and Hilda appear to have been, another Frank Threadgold in that area was according to his Will a wealthy landowner with race horses amongst his estate, but not it would appear ever married to a Hilda.
I am speculating that Hilda who died in Withington Hospital was destitute and senile and the death certificate has been filled out as best as anyone was able to with limited information available, by the manager of the unit she was in.
I hope that all explains more fully and that anyone who can throw any further light on this will contact me.
Robin Harritt
http://harritt.net