Who Do You Think You Are - Amy Dowden 2nd Jun

[kiterunner]

Frank is still with the Leighfields on the 1939 Register, so it must be them who unofficially adopted him:
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/reco...36E%2F026%2F24

[kiterunner]

This is Bill Dowden on the 1911 census, a stoker in the Royal Naval Reserve:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...e&pId=54288552

[kiterunner]

William R Dowden died Oct-Dec 1936 Cardiff, age 59. Here is the National Probate Calendar entry:
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageview...rce&pId=904092

DOWDEN William Robert of 100 Queen's-road New Tredegar Monmouthshire died 15 October 1936 at the Royal Infirmary Cardiff Administration (with Will) Llandaff 14 November to Kate Dowden widow. Effects £169 3s 2d.

There is a 1922 marriage in Thornbury district between William R Dowden and Kate Underhill. On the 1939 Register Kate Dowden, widow, has a date of birth of 4/7/80. It wasn't unusual for years of birth on this register to be slightly out.

Louisa Underhill had a sister Kate who was born in 1879. So it seems very likely that Bill married Louisa's sister a year after Louisa's death. Don't know why that wasn't mentioned in the programme.

[kiterunner]

Bill Dowden's RNR records are available free on TNA website (if you log in) and they show that before and after the First World War, he was employed at Llanover Collieries, Argoed.