The Heap Family/ Lovick Family

A Memory of Barnoldswick.

My dad was born in 1923 at 23 East Street, Barnoldswick. He was born out of wedlock to Lilian Victoria Heap; who lived with her father, Harry Heap, in East Street. My father, Harold Heap, had very few memories of his childhood. He remembers walking up hill to go and get a bucket of pig's blood for his aunt (who he thought was his mum, her name was Evelyn and her married name was Smailes). He thought this as his actual mum (Lilian) passed away when my dad was just under 3 years old. After his mum passed, his maternal grandfather (Harry) took custody of him, he passed away just 11 months after. His aunt then was given custody by the Court, so my dad remembered his past in a very confused way. His aunt obviously allowed him to call her mum. When my dad was 10 he was placed in the care of Dr Barnardo's. The records show that Evelyn had at some point, after taking my dad in, had a child of her own, his name was Geoffrey Smailes. Although dad didn't know any of this, he believed his 'mum' had given him up due to a gentleman friend called Mr Swailes, who dad thought did not like children. The Barnardo's records show that they could not financially take care of both boys so they had no choice but to place my dad with Barnardo's. Their records also show that a Norman Randall Lovick tried to prove paternity in Court when my dad's grandfather passed away. But back in those days paternity was hard to prove and the Courts believed that children were far better off being placed with a female relative, if one was a available. Evelyn was the younger sister of Lilian. The tragedy of it all was that my dad passed away in 2008 believing that he wasn't loved as a child; when in fact he was loved by so many people. If anyone has any memories of anyone connected to, or related to my dad, I would be so very grateful. I cannot find out whatever happened to my paternal grandfather Norman Randall Lovick. But I have so much respect for him for trying to prove paternity, back in the 1920's it was very rare for this to happen. So if you could be related via Norman, I wish you to be aware of my respect for him. I look forward to any information for any of these people. Norman and Lilian were both born in 1903. Lilian and her dad passed away with TB. Lilian was aged 23 when she passed away. She named my dad, Harold Heap.


Added 29 January 2013

#239854

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