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Dear Editor,

I'm trying to put together a jigsaw of sorts from Australia of a lost relative in the hope it may jog the memory of a reader.
 

I am trying to trace, John Martin or maybe a son, daughter, niece nephew or grandchild.

The piece of the jigsaw I'm looking for is my father's older brother, John Martin who was married to a woman with possibly the name Elizabeth and had a daughter called Linda or Leanne.

In the 60s John owned dog kennels in Folkestone.

My father Gavin Trevor Martin was born in Portsmouth in 1929 and had 2 brothers Mick and John and a sister named Grace.
My father served in the Royal Marines.

My fathers father was Albert Edward Martin who served in the Royal Navy, he was married to a woman with the surname Harris. They as a family lived in Bradford Street, Portsmouth or Colindale up until my grandparents separated in the late 30s early 40s.

My grandmother passed away in or around 1980 and my grandfather died, possibly in the late 60s or early 70s.

My father Gavin was given custody to his father and his younger brother Mick remained with his mother.

My fathers older sister married a Frenchman and had a son by the name of Lucien.

In 1963 my father emigrated to Australia with his wife Rita and four children, David, Diana, Susan, and Gary.

Another clue to this jigsaw is that upon leaving the UK my father gave his niece his war medals.

He also had a paternal aunt called Jesse who my grandfather lived with in retirement.

The latest information sent to me from a reply on the Folkestone message board posting of mine was that John Martin had dog kennels in the village of Hawkinge.

I hope someone can help me even with the smallest of detail to filling in the pieces.

Regards and thanks,

Paul Martin
Queensland
Australia

Please Email the Hawkinge Gazette if you can help and we will forward all replies to Paul Martin....click here