SIR: May I appeal to your readers for help in tracing my family tree?

My maternal grandfather was Ben Byers who was principal trombone player for Wingates Temperance Band when they won the National Championship at Crystal Palace in the 1930s. His father was Richard Byers, photographer, of Church Street, Westhoughton.

It is Ben Byers' first wife's family I am interested in. Her name was Florence (nee Snape) who died after giving birth to my mother in 1927. Her parents were Frederick and Ann (nee Pilkington) Snape and they lived at 230 Bolton Road, Westhoughton, in 1881. Ann's parents, Richard and Elizabeth Pilkington, lived at 240 Bolton Road - only yards away! But what of Frederick Snape? His father is given as Peter Elliott on his marriage certificate and a witness was a "Woodville Elliott". The Snape and Elliott families were reputed to be cousins, but my grandparents refused to speak of it. Had there been some kind of illicit relationship between cousins, frowned on in those days?!

I would love to know who Frederick's mother really was - Snape or Elliott - and solve the mystery concerning the two families!

Julie E Goodman

(daughter of Nora (nee Byers)

22 Braemar Close, Kittering, Northants NN15 5DD

Tel: 01536 312742

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.