When I was 15 I decided I wanted to know who my father was. It wasn't too hard because my mother had told me his name, his age when I was born, and where he was born. Very quickly, through NZ Births, Deaths and Marriages, I found his birth record which led me to his parents and then to his grandparents. At that time my father would have been 71 years old so I called the Department of Social Welfare to see if they would pass on a letter to one of their superannuitants, knowing they would never give out the names and addresses of their clients. The person I spoke to, after listening to this "needing to know my roots" teenager, told me that it would be possible although she hadn't heard that it had been done before. While she was talking to me she must have been looking at records (I would like to say "computer" but I doubt any computer the department might have had would have been as user friendly as ours are today!) because she was able to tell me that they had no client by my father's name receiving a pension and therefore could not pass on a letter. I decided that he must have been dead. He was! Shortly after I found his death record at BDM. On this record was the name of his first wife although the marriage had been dissolved. No children were listed. My father had died the year before. He had been living in a hostel and whomever had informed BDM of his death probably knew nothing about him or at least nothing about any next of kin.

Many years have passed. I am heading towards 50 (a lot faster than I'd like), and I have done a lot of research into other branches of my family and had some success. However, revisiting my Walker side from time to time, was like running into an invisible force field. It never budged. That is until recently. Last year I received a message through ancestry.com in response to a posting I had made. This related to the O'Neill's who were my fathers great grandparent. Since that message it seems that portals have been opening up and names have been pouring forth, not just about the O'Neill's but also relating to the Walkers. (By the way I was the first of the Walker descendents that the O'Neills had met up with). Unfortunately, my father: Richard Edward Walker, was the blacksheep of the family. He was one of four children and the only son. I have been reunited with the descendents of my fathers eldest sister: Margaret Jane (married David Adams) and will endeavour to find the descendents of his sister Ada Emily (married Leo Turchie. My fathers youngest sister was Helen May. Helen (Aunty Ellen) died young and without children. Genes don't lie. Family resemblances abound. I had always wondered where I had got my nose...questions such as this have now been answered!

These discoveries and opportunities to meet new cousins and family have been wonderful. However, there has been a niggling detail that just would not be scratched! I am also the first Walker contact that Margaret Jane's descendents have met. They knew nothing about my father other than that he attended his own father's funeral (1949)in ...wait for it...handcuffs! They knew nothing of his children and nothing of his life. I have been a bit of a surprise to my cousins. You see I am of the same generation, so to speak, as the children of my first cousins (even a bit younger!). This is rub...my father was 56 when I was born, he and my mother also had two sons, my younger brothers. This means that it is entirely possible that my father had another family well before my own. These children really would be the same generation as my new cousins.

Two weeks ago I had one of those brainwaves that hit when you toss and turn and just can't get to sleep. My fathers first wife: Myrtle Ruby Grace Fitness, must have remarried and that was why I had not found her. Next morning, not only did I find her remarriage but I also found her death. With excited anticipation I sent away for her death record because I knew that in all likelihood, any children that she would have had would have been my father's children...my brothers and sisters! (My father and Myrtle were married from 1928 to 1947 - most if not all of Myrtle's child bearing years!)

They say "truth is stranger than fiction"! Last Thursday I recieved Myrtle's death record. My eyes went straight to the "If Issue living state ages each sex". Listed in this column were the ages of...four living sons...and...six living daughters!!! Ten children! I was stunned. All these years I had been worried that I might end up dating a brother, then deciding it really was just my two brothers and I, only to find out I had good cause to worry, there were ten more children. TEN MORE!!

After settling down somewhat I started being rational and worked out estimated birth years for these children. It is unlikely that the last baby is my father's and possibly the one before her. But it is entirely likely that I have at least eight other brothers and sisters. My task now is to find them. All I need is one of them and I have no doubt I will be led to the rest.

So...if there are any descendents of Richard Edward Walker or Myrtle Ruby Grace Fitness...I would love to hear from you! Once again I await with baited breath and in excited anticipation!!...