We’re always happy to help out in the community but recently we had a request for help from… Sweden!
I’m very pleased to publish this request and if anybody has any information or leads, please contact us at info@maidencombeunity.org and we will pass on the information to Jonas.
My name is Jonas and I write to you from a small village in Sweden called Charlottenberg . I am doing some research regarding the history of a missing relative of mine, and I would be extremely grateful for even the slightest piece of information that you could possible help me with in this matter.
Anna Karlsson who went missing in 1919 was a close relative of my grandfather. She emigrated to England in 1913 and her last address was from Brimhill Lodge, Maidencombe, Teignmouth. On January the 16th 1919 she married a man called George but unfortunately his surname remains unknown to us. What we do know is that they were planning to emigrate to Canada later that year, but my grandfather never received any more letters, so their fate still remains a mystery.
My hope is that your church might advise me in how to continue my search in England. Could their marriage have been registered anywhere in any of the churches directories/archives that would still be preserved?
Anna Karlsson was a girl that probably did an impression through her lovely character so maybe she made many friends where she lived in England? Although many years have passed, my hope is that someone in your village may have heard about Anna and George, the young couple who just disappeared? What I have heard about Anna was that she had a good sense of humor, liked to fish and was very fond of animals. At that time she must have been considered as a very adventurous girl who longed to see the world and brave and determined enough to do so. Before she went to England she left our small village here in Sweden for the big city of Christiania (today Oslo ) in Norway, where she was employed as a housekeeper for a wealthy ship owner family. It was through her contacts with this family that later brought her to England.
I enclose a picture of Anna and George’s wedding photography, and please note that their two witnesses are also included in their picture, maybe they were locals? I also enclose a Christmas card from Anna in which she has written her current address.
I thank you very much on beforehand