Genealogy Chat

I am trying to find more information about my late uncle, Patrick Michael Smith.
He was born 17 Feb 1923, Orsett, Essex, father James Peter Smith, mother Rose Violet (nee Turnage) I know that Patrick was brought up in the "Nazareth House" orphanage, Southend along with his younger brother Anthony from December 1930 until August 1938. (Even though both parents were still alive??)
He served in the Merchant Navy during WWII (Discharge Number R.280169) he then later (1950's) served in the RAF (RAF Regiment I believe)
When he passed away in Derbyshire in 1983 his widow gave her name as Margaret Elizabeth Smith. Their home address was in Manchester.

I would like to find out Margaret's maiden name, when/where they married and if they had any children, who would be my cousins.

Have you tried FreeBMD for the marriage and possible children using their surname combination

Marriages Mar 1974
RAISTRICK MARGARET E SMITH PETERBOROUGH 4B 1189 Scan

available - click to view
SMITH PATRICK M RAISTRICK PETERBOROUGH 4B 1189

could patrick have been married before marring margaret seems late for a first marriage he would be 51 yrs in 1974

Maybe

Marriages Mar 1974
RAISTRICK MARGARET E SMITH PETERBOROUGH 4B. 1189
SMITH PATRICK M RAISTRICK Peterborough 4b 1189

So probably a bit late to be having children

shirley i already added that marriage

Thanks Malyon and Shirley for your quick responses, what leads you to believe the Smith/Raistrick marriage in Peterborough is the right one?

As I said I do not know if he married again but I do know that he had a wife around 1960 but I do not know her name.
I'm not sure if it is worth looking for any children without the mothers maiden name

it wiil be hard to find children he could have lived any where

there is a marriage in essex 1957 to a ellen

i can see only one girl born in essex 1957

there is a death for a ellen smith

Deaths Sep 1962 (>99%)
SMITH Ellen 49 Romford 5a 326

Thread Update.

I have now established that my uncle Patrick Michael Smith did remarry in 1974 to Margaret E Raistrick. On the marriage certificate they both stated that their previous marriages were "dissolved".
I have now also established that his first marriage was to Mary Rigby in 1952 in Blackpool. I do not know when or where they were divorced.

I am now trying to identify any children that may have been born during his first marriage to Mary Rigby, because he was serving in the RAF they could have been born almost anywhere!!.

Terence, may be an uphill task as there are a number of Smith/Rigby marriages to account for Smith/Rigby births, however if you check freebmd and restrict area of birth to Blackpool there are a couple it might be worth looking into.

sending a PM, long shot perhaps (for a 2nd marriage for Mary and death)