CAN anyone help in the search for members of the Hawke family from Poole in Dorset – and possibly St Day in Cornwall?

On August 17 1926, my maternal grandmother – Ethel Dora Dickens – sailed from England to New York as part of a trick cyclist group called The Fandor Troupe who performed a Vaudeville act in America and Canada for six months.

My grandmother’s best friend was a girl named Josepha (Josie) Hawke. The shipping records from the time state that Josepha was from St Day, Cornwall, and her contact on the shipping record was her brother – a Mr Claude Hawke of 1 New Street, Poole. Josepha was born in 1904, but I have no birth year for Claude Hawke.

I would like to contact any descendant of either Ms Josepha Hawke, or her brother Claude Hawke. I am hoping to find any information relating to my grandmother and the troupe that she performed with. Unfortunately my grandmother developed Alzheimers Disease which led to her cutting up and burning every photograph of herself, including her stage memorabilia.

We would dearly love to uncover any further information relating to Ethel Dora and her friend Josepha and their American adventure.

We have recently discovered one photograph from another of their travelling companions which shows my grandmother, and possibly Josepha.

You can contact me on email at findingdora@yahoo.co.uk or telephone 07950 807 280

LAURA HARRISON, Pontypridd, South Wales