When I’m researching my books, I use various Facebook groups to discover small details that I might not find in books – and people are always so generous in responding. Earlier this year I asked for any detail/stories handed down from grandparents relating to WW1, in particular activity on the docks and minesweeping.
I posted a photo of my great-grandfather, Alfred Evans in his uniform. A man in Australia made a comment on the post stating that he was trying to find the descendants of a James Thomas Sutton, as he had in his possession a widow’s penny.
Alfred Evans, Tracy Baines’ great-grandfather.
He then contacted me privately and asked for my help. He was 72 and had been trying to return the penny to family members for over twenty years with no success. He had tried asking on Facebook and the local newspaper over the years but had drawn a blank.
I asked him to send over details of what he had – he sent a copy of a census, war graves detail and a few other items.
James Sutton was lost when the HMS Good Hope sank on 1st November 1914. His widow was Clara and they lived at 24 Julian Street.
I had no idea where to start but knew an old school friend who might. I hadn’t seen Jayne Parker for over 40 years but knew she was interested in genealogy from what she posted in local heritage groups. I had connected with her through a private Facebook school group as we were the last intake of Grammar school pupils – otherwise, I would never have known about her. I contacted her through Messenger and asked if she could help and she said to send over what I had.
In less than an hour she had discovered a grandson living locally. She contacted Mike and arranged to meet a few days later to explain the story. He was rather cautious but through Jayne, the penny was sent from Australia to the grandson, and she went to hand it over.
Jayne Parker next to Mike Sutton.
Mike Sutton with the widow’s penny.
The man in Australia, ‘S’, used to work on the Grimsby docks in the 70s and 80s and was clearing a loft where he found papers, photos relating to the white fish authority in the early 1900s – and the penny. He donated the photos and documents to the Welholme Gallery (a local museum/archive) and wanted to return the penny to a family member.
Mike’s uncle worked on the docks and Mike believes his uncle might have taken it to show his mates at work and it somehow got left there/mislaid. The uncle was married to the widow’s daughter.
I had imagined the penny to be the size of an old penny, but Jayne has attached a photo of the scale against a 50p piece. It’s about 5 inches across. It is on display at Mike’s home.
The widow’s penny next to a 50p coin.