Secret Simblings

[RichardCrane]

To start off her family research, Jane went to see her Aunt Molly (her mother's sister). Jane's grandmother called Doris was Sarah Cunliffe's only child, and Jane was curious to know why. Molly told Jane the story that Sarah (Jane's great grandmother) always told her. Sarah's story said that her mother (Jane's great great grandmother) died when she (Sarah) was only twelve and she had to raise her two younger brothers whilst her father (Jane's great great grandfather) was at work. But when Jane goes to the chapel where she made her first stage appearance as an eight year-old girl, she found out that the story that Sarah told Molly was false! Sarah was, in fact, twenty nine when her parents died. When Jane goes to Rawtenstall Library, her research gets even more complicated! Sarah had six younger simblings (eldest first) Mary, George, Elizabeth, Ernest, Frederick, and William (only Frederick and William were mentioned as the two younger boys that Sarah raised!)

When Jane revealed this to her mother, Barbara as well as her Aunt Molly, all three were very puzzled. Jane even said: "It seems werid in such a small community where everyone knew each other that these other simblings weren't mentioned!"

The possible reason to Sarah's secrecy was her marriage to John Taylor, who's family was "extra religious". But, would it the being of her brother, Ernest moving to Australia and referred to as the "Black Sheep of the Family" be the true reason for Sarah's secrecy?

Richard Crane