Genealogist looking for long-lost members of UK woman’s family in Oakville

A genealogist representing a client in the United Kingdom is trying to determine whether long lost members of the woman’s family may reside in Oakville.

Keith Morris of the Genealogical & Local History Research Service Segontium Searchers, is tracing the history of two sisters who were born in North Wales, but appear to have immigrated to Oakville.

“I am trying to find out what happened to them in later life, and whether they had any family,” said Morris.

Morris’ first target, Gladys Myfanwy Williamson (nee Roberts) was born in 1887 in Wrexham, North Wales and arrived in Canada in 1915.

She married Leonard Williamson on July 7, 1915.

Morris said the couple had two children, Thomas and Gwendolyn, who died in infancy.

Another son, Ted, worked as a salesman for Canadian Charts & Supplies of Oakville. He died at the age of 52 in 1981.

Leonard himself passed away on Dec. 19, 1924 at the age of 37. Morris said it is not known whether the couple had any other children.

Morris’ second target, Dilys Muriel Roberts, was Williamson’s younger sister. She was born in Wrexham on July 1, 1911 and arrived in Canada in 1928.

Morris said as far he knows Roberts never married and worked as a nurse. He said the sisters lived together in Oakville for some time. Their last known address was 1189 Lakeshore Rd. E.

The Canadian Voters’ list shows Williamson to be at that address in 1957 and Roberts to be there in 1958.

Morris said Williamson’s son Ted had a child named William Edward who died in December 1973 at the age of 17.

Morris said his client, Christine Robertson, is trying to trace any living relatives from her grandfather’s side of the family.

The grandfather was first cousin to the two sisters, but lost touch with them when he was adopted out of the family as a young child.

“There seems to be one overriding factor when people decide to try and connect with living relatives who they have never met. They feel the need to connect with their past and they also live in hope that these long-lost relatives might know more about the family and possess personal items that will help them find that connection,” said Morris.

“These items can be anything from personal letters to photographs, or even family stories handed down through the generations. The urge to discover more about one’s family seems to get stronger as one gets older.”

Morris said he would like to appeal to anyone who may have known Gladys Williamson, Dilys Roberts or Ted Williamson to get in touch with him. He can be reached at enquiries@segontium.com or can receive mail at 51 Assheton Terrace, Caernarfon Gwynedd, LL55 2LD, Wales, United Kingdom.