RESEARCHING my grandmother's maiden name, Kehoe, I found a "skeleton in the cupboard."

It appears she had a much older sister named Mary Ellen who married a much younger man, John Barnes, on January 28 1884.

At first, they lived in Brougham Street, Bolton, where they had been next door neighbours.

When Mary Ellen was expecting her third child, John killed her and served a jail sentence.

Before my mother died she spoke of visiting his children in Blackburn around 1920. So perhaps I may have relatives who could be great-grandchildren of this sad couple.

So far, the archives in Bolton and Blackburn have not aided my search. Can readers help?

W SMITH, 8 St Helens Road, Whittle-le-Woods.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.