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Thankyou all for your help, yes I have found the family and they know nothing. We shall see how it goes.

Yes I think you may all be right the only record I have found of him is in 1959 in the london gazette

William Grey may have been a Canadian/American serving in the RAF?

As she went on to marry an American it looks likely

According to the info then that Vera Mary Snell arrived in the office..etc, etc

Would prove that she did not marry Wiiliam Grey.

I would not think the family of Vera in the US know about William Grey as they never married

If your dad was adopted, that part of her life may have never been mentioned

I have messaged all relevant tree owners as suggested with a free trial thank you all for your help, always shocks me how many people are prepared to help. Just hope that the living person is William Grey. If not I will need to start a search for him.

On the birth certificate of my dad who is still living it states down the right side that Vera Mary Snell and Maggie Snell arrived into the office in May 1944 and made a statutory declaration and changes to several columns were changed. 4,5 and 6 = father, surnames and father occupation.

Good point Roy. Could it possibly mean that she was known as Grey if she'd been living with him?

Don't forget that although their is no obvious marriage for her to a Mr Grey the fact that on the birth index it lists mmn as Snell Or Grey this usualy means that she had declared a previous marriage, and as such their should be another name listed for her on that birth cert?

Roy

Edit, I have checked the actual image for your dads birth and although the transcription says Snell or Grey

the (or Grey) part was a hand written entry so added at a later date, also their is what looks like the letter A added at the side of the page number?

Oh, i forgot about the Mundia site...........

That would be the best way to go!

Good luck.

This is apparently Vera's death record.

Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003
Name: Vera Mary Sanborn
Death Place: Newburyport
Death Date: 10 Dec 2002
Birth Date: 5 Aug 1921

Spouse: John Sanborn

You can search public Ancestry trees on their sister site Mundia http://www.mundia.com/gb/

It's completely free to register and you can view trees and photos and contact tree owners.

This was Vera arriving in New York:

New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957
Name: Vera Crane
Arrival Date: 4 Jul 1946
Birth Year: abt 1922
Age: 24
Port of Arrival: New York, New York
Ship Name: George W Goethals

Apparently she and Wilbur divorced in 1955 and she remarried.

It might be worth you taking out a 14 day free trial period with Ancestry so that you can contact the tree owners.

Hi Michelle

If David is still living........i will delete my post.

Prickles.

Michelle, I looked through several public trees on Ancestry and there was loads of info and some photos of Vera Mary. No mention whatsoever of any Grays, but as they have (quite rightly) made private the details of living people then there's no way of knowing if they're connected to, or aware of, your father.

Was he adopted or brought up by family?

Yes you have got my dad David Eric Snell 1943 and yes I was unsure if they married. We are trying to find out if his parents were married or not and if he has any siblings/parents still living. Sorry if I confused you all. Any help is grayefully received. The only Vera M Snell was Cosford 1921 Sep, no marriage to William Grey though. I would love to know the link MarieCeleste

The birth I posted above fits the Suffolk connection.

There's a tree on ancestry has loads of info on the Vera Mary Snell who's birth and marriage I posted. (They have sensibly made living people private so I can't check if the 1943 birth fits).

If it is the same person then she married more than once and died in 2002 in USA.

If Michelle confirms then I'll post the relevant records.

PH - the father may still be alive ....

??

Births Jun 1943 (72%)
Grey David E Snell Gipping 4a 1626a
Grey David E Grey Gipping 4a 1626a