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I had got quite excited when I found this, especially given the occupation:

U.S., World War II Cadet Nursing Corps Card Files, 1942-1948
Name: Jane E Ficke
Issue Date: May 1944
Educational Institution: Silver Cross Hospital School of Nursing
School Location: Joliet, Illinois

Sadly, I also found this:

U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-Current
Name: Jane E. Ficke
SSN: 358-12-3975
BORN: 8 Dec 1908
Died: 11 Sep 1991
State (Year) SSN issued: Illinois (Before 1951)

along with her birth in Iowa and have tracked her through the census and city directories, she can be eliminated.

Just having another dig around on Roger Stiles, he had been in England in 1930 and 1932. When he departed on both occasions his address had been Barnets Wood , Bromley Common, Kent.

Mike - does that address have any connection to the Fickes or Armsbys?

The only other clue I can see, is the City directory for 1945 gives Roger S (Marion H) - and it states "rem to Australia".

Not sure what this means, as they both appear to have died in US - Roger in 1951, Marion in 1973.

That's curious Flip as it was January 1945 when Roger left Glasgow for the US (sadly no UK side passenger list for that).

He was no stranger to England, have found his first arrival in 1902. I have a gut feeling that there may be some sort of family or friendship connection.

Thanks again,

Flip/PricklyHolly, the threads that you mention are all accounted for as I have a copy of the will.

MarieCeleste/Flip, I'm getting towards the eight year point on this one so boggled eyes is a problem that I can understand!

I've found no reason to suspect a Scottish connection apart from the fact that, as in wartime, in 1945 Glasgow was still the main departure point for the US.

I've come across Jane E Ficke before and also felt excitement. The US however, is knee deep in Fickes who (like my gtgrandfather) left Germany in the mid 1800s so there is ample opportunity for dissapointment.

I'm fairly confident that Jane died pre 1955. There's no trace of any divorce nor any talk of one from surviving relatives but in 1955 Frederick married his long term partner and on the certificate is described as "widower".

As for Barnet's Wood - that might well give him London contacts.

I have dug around the Stiles and found that all of the children are now deceased. They were a well travelled couple with homes in both the Virgin Islands and the US. I have however, found three grandsons and will shortly be composing a letter.

I will plod on.....

Mike - don't write that letter yet!

I THINK she was only stopping off in the USA en-route to Australia, I'd been puzzling what the scribble was next to her name under the Final Destination column.

I've enlarged it and now think it says "Australia via San Francisco". Here's a link for second opinions:

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/keepsafe/asset/details/6124497

I can see what you mean and have put the pen down!

It's interesting too that on the 1945 city directory for the Stiles that Flip referred to it says "Rem to Australia" - there is definitely something going on here, highly possible to be a nurse to the children if the Stiles were travelling as much.

Unfortunately there's not much on-line re passenger lists for Australia at that time and a quick search of Trove (Australian Newspaper Archives) hasn't yielded anything yet.

Will give Cherilyn the Australian researcher a shout.

The Stiles connection to England is Roger's father Francis Walter Talman Stiles (born Gloustershire 1861), the son of Rev Robert Canning Stiles - he was the former rector of Shepton Mallett, born in Wiltshire c1833, but I can't see any obvious connection to Jane's family. (Roger's marriage to Marion was reported in the NY Evening post 9/3/1931).

I agree with MC, think the chase moves to Australia!

I read the wedding article Flip, her gran's dress that she wore sounded lovely.

I think I'm going to relocate the chase to the Virgin Islands - Roger Stiles died St Thomas VI in 1951 (perhaps Jane could have been his nurse too?). The 1951 city directory says "Rem to Virgin Islands" and wife Marian died 1973 in a plane "over Chicago" (death registered Oregon) so presumably en route to/from VI?

Working on the hypothesis (and that's all it is, I guess) that Jane stayed with the family then she could possibly have died Virgin Islands? Haven't a clue how you'd find records for there - have checked overseas deaths for British nationals but it could be complicated if it was the US Virgin Islands.

EDIT: FamilySearch has images for parish records for St Thomas, US Virgin Islands but sadly the burial records only go to 1937. :-(

The other problem is that there probably won't be travel records between Virgin Islands, mainland US and/or Australia.

I gave the Virgin Islands a lot of time yesterday. The Stiles family seemed to own a house there that was how I found the grandsons. I also checked death records without success.

Returning to the "via San Francisco", there is little information re sailings to Australia or, for that matter, arrivals in Australia. If Jane did go there, she did so at the start of a heavy post war migration period and again, details are hard to find at this point.

I might pick up my pen again.....

Yes, I think it's worth pursuing Mike.

Do let us know if you get any response.

One thing bothers me, what evidence to you have Jane was a nurse? The 1911 census does not say this, and the 2 travel records found - both state housewife.

Flip, the "nurse" comes from family information from a number of sources and over the years. Mind you, historically the term has covered a multitude of sins so it may be that she worked domestically and not in a hospital as we would know it today.