Update 1.2.25.

I’m thrilled to say that this beautiful Wedding photo and honeymoon letter are now back with, Joan and George’s son David and family. As I said at the end of this blog I was hopeful of getting a reply to a message I sent to the daughter-in-law of the couple in the photo, she replied!

This is just some of what Tracey said on behalf of the family, shared with her permission: “How fascinating, I’ve learnt things I didn’t know about Joan and George and where they lived prior to me and Dave getting married. This year is our 30th wedding anniversary and even all these years later we all still live in the same house in a lovely village.

Joan and George were lovely kind people and was very much in their nature to take time to thank others when they had helped out.

It’s so lovely that you and your followers have taken the time to find us and connect us to old family memories. A fascinating hobby, rewarding for all parties.

Thank you so much for putting the time and effort into finding us.

We all enjoyed the blog, intriguing and fascinating – a happy little surprise in what was otherwise just a normal day. We would love to have it back if you don’t mind parting with it” They have now received the photo and letter safely.

I shared this super wedding photo on social media about a week ago as one of my puzzle photos to see what followers could find out about the couple featured. I said:

It is dated 29 May 1954.
A name and address given but who are they?

Mr & Mrs S/Lillito/s?
3 Parnaby Avenue, Leeds, Yorkshire.

Are they your ancestors?💕
One of my Old Photos bought at the end of last year from a favourite seller on eBay.

I had a few different suggestions from followers on Twitter and Facebook:

Simon from Charnwood Genealogy and Papagal Express on Twitter both agreed with the marriage being George Sillito and Joan Leeden. John M from Bluesky was also in agreement.

David on Facebook said: “The surname looks like Sillito to me. If it is Sillito there’s a marriage for George Sillito to Joan Leeden in the 2nd quarter 1954 in Yorkshire. Up to 2013, it looks like they were living in Goole with their son David L Sillito born early 1960s”.

So I started a small family tree for the family on Ancestry to see what else I could find. I did find that from 2002 to 2012 from the electoral registers George and Joan were living at a detached property on Station Road, Goole, Yorkshire and with them was their son David and his wife.

What I didn’t share on Social Media on the day with the photo, was this letter written on 4 July 1954, that came with the picture, as I thought I’d save it for this short blog. It is rare to find such a letter with this lovely wedding photo.

Dear Mr & Mrs Parkinson

I should think you will have given up hope of seeing your photograph by now, but here it is at last.

You will have guessed (if you hadn’t before) that we were spending our honeymoon at your house. We thought we would like to send you some cake and take this opportunity of thanking you for looking after us so well. We had a lovely day on May 29th and very happy week with you. The weather has been bad here ever since.

Hoping to see you again sometime.

Yous sincerely Joan & George Sillito.

What a lovely letter, a rare thing these days with social media. I wonder if they did go back?

While researching the family with the aim of getting the photo and letter back to descendants I came across an obituary for Joan, which was wonderful as you can see it meant that Joan and George also had two grandchildren.

Joan Sillito Obituary

SILLITO JOAN On May 16th 2009 in Windsor Court Care Home aged 81 years, of Hensall (late of Leeds). Beloved wife of George, dear mum of David, mother-in-law of Tracey, and loving grandma of Carl and Rowan. Funeral service at Hensall Methodist Church on Friday, May 22nd at 1p.m. followed by cremation at Pontefract crematorium. Family flowers only, please. Donations in lieu, if desired, for Windsor Court Care Home and The Alzheimer’s Society.

Published by Yorkshire Evening Post on May 20, 2009.

George Sillito died on 26 June 2012 in Goole, Yorkshire.

Social Media has been very handy in this case of trying to track down any descendants. I found that their only son who first married in 1988, married again in 1995 to a lady who was the mother of the two children I mentioned, and who I have found has a Facebook account, so I shall send a message hoping for a reply. Will let you know the outcome.

This is the earliest image I can find of 3 Parnaby Avenue, Leeds, Yorkshire, where the couple lived after their wedding, maybe up until they moved to Station Road, Goole.

Till next time then…..