Hello, I am trying to trace my great-grandfather who "disappeared" after WW2. It seems my great-grandmother had married previously and her first husband was thought to be killed in the war, only he reappeared. Two's company and three's a crowd, so my great-grandfather left, never to be seen again. I know he worked as a sign writer and a story in the family is that he painted the ballroom at Blackpool Tower. Would a sign writer or painter be listed in any trade directories? Does Blackpool library hold any such directories? Where else could I look? Electoral registers would be a problem as I would have to try every street until I got lucky. What about telephone directories? When did telephones become common? Could I perhaps look there? If anyone has access to any of the above, he is John Thomas Edmundson, born Blackburn 1887. The family lived in Blackpool and that's all I know! If anyone could look him up, as I am some miles away, it would be a great help. Thanks, Stephen.

Hello Stephen central.library@blackpool.gov.uk Above is the email address for Blackpool central library. A lot of documents including electoral rolls were lost in a big fire which occurred at the Town Hall in the 1930s. The Library have directories, but whether your John would be entered as a tradesman, I am not sure. Telephones would not be available for an ordinary household, but maybe if he worked for a firm they may have an entry. They have a few directories at the Library, not sure of the dates. Have you found a death for him, do you think it likely that he died in Blackpool? A wife, or children, any other clues to help? Olive

> Hello Stephen > central.library@blackpool.gov.uk > Above is the email address for Blackpool central library. Thank you. I did visit there some months ago whilst looking for my great-grandmother and the staff were very helpful. I have already sent them an e-mail. > A lot of > documents including electoral rolls were lost in a big fire which occurred > at the Town Hall in the 1930s. When I visited they told me they did not have early electoral registers but never explained why. This explains a lot. > The Library have directories, but whether your John would be entered as a > tradesman, I am not sure. I've not looked at trade directories before. What do they list and what don't they? > Telephones would not be available for an ordinary household, but maybe if he > worked for a firm they may have an entry. The problem is that if the firm have an entry, I won't know that he worked there. I was hoping for "J Edmundson Blackpool 12345" and his address. > Have you found a death for him, do you think it likely that he died in > Blackpool? He was from Blackburn but met my great-grandmother in Blackpool. Stories in the family suggest they knew each other from schooldays and all lived in Blackpool, but I don't have any firm evidence of that. He left without knowing that his wife was pregnant, so never knew he had a son. If he did, perhaps he would have kept in touch. I assume he stayed in Blackpool but the family never saw him again. I'd like to think he stayed in Lancs. but he could have gone anywhere. > A wife, or children, any other clues to help? He may have remarried and started another family, but our family know nothing about what he did when he left. Someone on this list found a JTE death which was in Lancs, not Blackpool, and although the age at death did not match exactly, the other poster said that the informant was probably just a few years out with their estimate. I suppose I should look for (re-)marriage certificates and death certificates.. Thanks.