Sunday 6 September 2015
ainsley wilson <amcwwilson@hotmail.com>
To: Ian Kendall
Looking for Melba KENDALL.... my Dads Mum

Hi Ian,
My name is Ainsley Charlton. We have been searching long and hard to find my fathers  ( Brian Charlton) birth mother. Her name is  Melva Marie KENDALL born in Newtown 1923. She was also known as Maria, Melba and Melva.  There is no information anywhere on her, we do know is she married a Ronald Paxton Speed in March 1944 divorced him August 1945. Then married William Arthur LEE in 1955 aged 32 ( as Melva Marie Kendall ( SPEED)) in Redfern. They had 3 children. William, Darlene and Mark. Mr Lee died in 1982 aged 49. Alone and so decayed the coroner cant determine how he died. From the transcripts we already have we know for certain that Melvas parents were Francis Joesph (dec) and Ethel Maude Kendall.
I got so excited when I found your site. It has lead me right back. How amazing to be a part of the Kendall/Rutter Family.
Ronald Speed, Melvas first husband is the father written on my Dads birth certificate, I have found the family and he is not the father. Dad was born in 1948 long after they divorced.
 
I would love to simply be able to give my Dad the chance to know about his past. He knows nothing at all.
As far as the family tree goes now at least I can show my Dad there is a line to follow. For my Dad to get some answers would be brilliant.
Just thought I would see if you might know the best way to find her or know anything about her or her siblings.
 
Thanks.
Look forward to hearing from you..

Ainsley xxx


Sunday 6 September 2015 10:28 pm
Ian Kendall
To: ainsley wilson
Re: Looking for Melba KENDALL.... my Dads Mum.

Hi Ainsley,

Thank you for contacting me. I would love to add the information you have to my website, if I may. I would acknowledge you as the source.

It is a mystery! Is the name “Charlton” a clue? My first thought is DNA testing. Your father can be tested quite easily with a mouth and cheek cells swab. I belong to Family Tree DNA <Family Tree DNA http://www.FamilyTreeDNA.com “History Unearthed Daily”>. Check their web site for the costs and the details. My DNA has been tested but has not yet been linked with any close relatives, which just means no close relatives of mine have been tested although the surname Jubbie appears some generations back but there are, to my knowledge, no Jubbies in my family tree, especially the direct male line.

Otherwise, I am happy to have a look around for you and see if I can find anything.

Cheers
Ian Kendall

Monday 7 September 2015
ainsley wilson
To: Ian Kendall
RE: Looking for Melba KENDALL.... my Dads Mum.

Hi Again Ian ... gosh this family tree thing is addictive...
You are more than welcome to add whatever extra info I forward to you and if you would like the family info from Dads marriage to my mum and my brother and sister etc please just let me know.   Also in my searching I have found a lot of death notices etc for the Kendall name from old newspapers online.
Dad also remembers an older sister, she was only about 5 and was there one day and gone one morning when he woke up. . But was told in later years his mum just couldn't keep them both.... her name was Chrissy/ Christina/Christine ??? No clue on surmane.
 
Charlton is Dads adopted surname. He was adopted by Amy ( one of 10 children) (nee Symons) and John (Jack) Charlton. Amy died of anorexia in 1957 my Dad tried to wake her one morning and she was dead.  Buried at Eastern Suburbs Crem with her parents. and Jack was a violent man so Dad was taken off  him and went and back into welfare as a state ward  and then Amys mother Elizabeth Ellen ( nee JENKINS)  Symons took him in, she lived on The Esplanade in Thirroull. We have a thought that Melva and Amy were good friends. 
Today I am going to do a lot of searching on the Charlton name. We will definitely look into the DNA I am dying to find out what nationality I am other than what I have found out yesterday ... for me that's my big question.  My Dad looks like an Italian or something like that. I have brown hair my sister red my brother blonde. All from the same parents. My brother and I get asked all the time if we are N.Z  apparently we have an accent and the look.
I don't think we will ever find out who his Dad was. When I phoned Ronald Speed his sister told me she Melva was a harlot. Oh boy.. !!! So I guess his Dad could be anyone. At the time 2 ships from America came into Wollongong Harbour and Im guessing his Dad may have been on one of those ships.
 
Thanks so much for being willing to listen and help out. I appreciate it greatly. My Dad has been a very sad, lonely and angry man all my life because of all the not knowing and the fact that not one of the people that knew his story would speak up even when asked on death beds and now they have all passed.
 
Thanks again Ian. Have a fabulous week.

 
Ainsley xxx