Correspondence from Joan Cross' adoptive mother, letters signed from Mum.
These letters are from Emma Cross, nee Kirkham, Joan's adoptive mother
Includes two press cutting regarding the wedding anniversary of Mr and Mrs Matthew Cross of Upminster, married in 1886.
Also, letter sent from 'Joey' Cross to 'Papa and Mama' dated 20 Dec 1907.
Joan Cross was born as Annie Cross to parents Joseph and Annie Maud Cross in 1900, the youngest of three (sister Jane b. 1891, brother Joseph b. 1994).
Her father, a railway clerk, died when JC was just one year old, and she was informally adopted by her uncle Matthew Cross and his wife Emma, nee Kirkham.
She was most likely not told of this until she received a letter from her birth mother at the age of 25 (letter concerning this found in file ref no. .CRS/3/125).
Joan Cross very rarely referred to Emma Cross, for whom she cared in the 1950s and who died in 1955 at the age of 91, and to nobody else from her family, including her birth parents.