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I'm fairly resigned to never discovering my paternal grandfather, as my gran never spoke of it to anyone, but just in case anyone has any ideas...

My father was born in Beverley, East Yorkshire, in September 1946. My gran was unmarried (Edna Foster) and thought to have been a bit of a live wire in her youth. During WW2 she worked putting rivets on aircraft. As my father must have been conceived post-war (Dec 1945/Jan 1946?), I'm wondering if he was the result of post-war high spirits, so to speak.

My father never knew, and in his youth never pushed the issue, feeling that if his father didn't want to know him, then neither did he. It didn't even really occur to me until my teens that my father and my aunt (his younger sisters) had different biological fathers.

There's a vague suspicion that perhaps the man in question was military, perhaps Canadian or US Air Force. But this is probably just a flight of fancy on my part.

My aunt revealed that my dad did once say he wondered if he was the result of something more sinister, as he'd heard of a woman being raped on/near Swinemoor Rd in Beverley, about the time he could have been conceived. This would certainly explain the secrecy by my gran.

Sadly, my gran's closest sibling, and possible confidente, passed away a few years ago. She does still have one living brother, so my aunt and I may raise the question, but doubt he will know anything.

Just wondering if there is anything at all I can persue, no matter how unlikely? It just feels odd, not knowing 25% of my heritage!

Thank you.

What was your father's name, as I can't seem to find a birth in the third or fourth quarter of 1946 for a male with the surname Foster with mmn Foster in Beverley.

I was just wondering if he had a middle name as sometimes an illegitimate child is given his father's surname as a middle name.

Kath. x

Have you thought of doing a DNA test & uploading the results to some of the genealogical sites? If you're matched to a distant cousin coming from an unknown branch, you might be able to work down & identify a number of grt grandparent possibilities. You're still unlikely to find the sperm donor.

JoonieCloonie, if she spots this thread, knows a lot about the pros & cons.

No middle name Kath - look at Holderness birth reg. ?

Dea x

Was your father baptised?

There is just a chance that his father was named on the record.
He could not be named on the birth certificate without his permission, if the couple were not married, but the church forms didn't have the same criteria.

there is a birth in Holderness which has the Beverley district foster mother foster

Don't know why but the Holderness birth is not coming up on Findmypast .

Kath. x

Thanks all for your replies so far - I have considered a DNA test, and I don't know that he was baptised/christened. :(

Dea/Malyon are right - he is on Holderness records - Graham Foster. I've seen the index record. He later took his stepfather's surname of Sweeney. I've seen a copy of a copy birth certificate but it doesn't go as far as mentioning parent names.

Parents' names will be on a full birth certificate.

Perhaps you viewed a short certificate, which does not name parents of a child.

He only shows as Foster on the gro records so no fathers name will be on the full cert

Did Mr Sweeney formally adopt your father?

If so, there is a chance that his natural father might be named on the adoption papers.

I'm not 100% sure, will check with my Aunty! Thanks :)

Is it possible that any of Edna's siblings may have known who was your Dad's father?


Foster Household (7 People)
46 Swinemoor Lane , Beverley M.B., Yorkshire (East Riding), England

Ernest E Foster
DOB 12 Jun 1897
SEX Male
OCCUPATION Aircraft Tech Cost Estima
MARITAL STATUS Married
SCHEDULE 251
SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER 1

Ethel Foster
DOB 07 May 1898
SEX Female
OCCUPATION Unpaid Domestic Dutie
MARITAL STATUS Married
SCHEDULE 251
SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER 2

Ernest E Foster
DOB 28 Oct 1918
SEX Male
OCCUPATION Aircraft Fitter
MARITAL STATUS Single
SCHEDULE 251
SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER 3

Ronald Foster
DOB 29 Jun 1920
SEX Male
OCCUPATION Fitter & Turner (Appre
MARITAL STATUS Single
SCHEDULE 251
SCHEDULE SUB NUMBER 4

Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.

Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record.

Sorry, this record is officially closed. Check if you can open a closed record

Ref: RG101/3173H/002/20 Letter Code:
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Hi rootgatherer, sadly we think not. Gran was closest to her brother Norman, who passed a few years ago. My Aunt is going to try asking Peter though, he's her only surviving sibling.

It was just a thought. I know my Mum was able to tell me quite a bit about the "hushed up" bits of the family history. :-)

Have you considered that his father's surname may have been Graham? Or does the surname Graham come from his Mum's side?

No sign of Graham in my gran's side, so that could very well be a good shout. Hopefully my Aunty will speak to my great uncle Peter soon and get some leads.

Thanks again all.

there is another birth in Holderness 1948 foster mother foster