The following  pages are notes written by Dorothy Cawdle (Smythe) (the sister of the authors mother) about the family and provide some useful information.

Both Dorothy and Evelyn were orphaned when both their parents died while they were living in South Africa. They were kept in an orphanage for 2 years until their Aunt Lottie Cawdle was eventual traced back in England. She agreed to adopt them and went to Africa with her daughter Beryl and brought them back to England.

Lottie Cawdle's daughter Beryl wrote a book entitled Love on a Shoestring which I have scanned in and can be accessed by the link on the left. There is mention in the book about their trip to Africa and Evelyn and Dorothy.

Once Lottie came back to England, Lottie find it financially difficult to cope with 2 adopted children. She also had her parents to support until they died and matters were made worse when the Stock Market crashed where they lost their money. Lottie tried to obtain support from other members of the family, but they were also going through a difficult time financially, (see notes below). As a result Lottie severed all links with the rest of the family who had immigrated to Canada and Australia. It was only in 2006 that the family have been reunited through the GeneUnited web site and contact was made firstly Keith Clay in Canada and then with Kenneth Turnball in Australia.

Once back in England, Evelyn was subsequently adopted by the Macdonald's family, but Dorothy stayed with Lottie.

Notes from Keith Clay about his grandpaerents life around the Stock Market Crash:-

I just wanted to tell you a little of what I know of my grandmothers life around the time of the stock market crash. Grandpa and grandma (May Cawdle) had a farm near Stanley in Southern, Saskatchewan. Grandpa's brother Richard Young and Albert Cawdle farmed near by. Albert brought May to Canada to run his home for him. May and John Young were married in 1913 and had their own farm. Around 1930 John required an operation, the family moved into Stanley and rented out the farm, grandpa had the operation and nearly lost his life. While he recovered May taught music to keep the family in food. They moved back to the farm and fought drought conditions until 1932. When they sold, Albert Cawdle with wife Bertha and 3 children left for New Brunswick. John and May with there 6 kids traveled to Northern, Saskatchewan by covered wagon, it took one month to get there. In 1934 grandpa put down $20 on a homestead consisting of 160 acres of bush, the price of the land was $160. I've attached a letter from the District field officer regarding his findings on the land and the families’ financial condition. You can see by this letter that Granny was in no condition to help Lottie out financially to assist her looking after her Parents. It took Grandpa until 1948 to pay for this land. He later put his land up as collateral to the bank for his son John to buy a farm. Unfortunately John was not able to make a go of the farm and both Grandpa and John lost there farms. Both moved into Nipawin I believe in 1958 and by 1959 grandpa died of a heart attack. Granny moved in with her daughter Gladys Fyfe and lived with them until her passing in 1978. My mother kept a diary of the move north to Nipawin, I'll send it along shortly. I guess aunt Lottie's decision to sever families ties was made at a time when her feelings were hurt and she felt let down by the rest of her family, its sad when you think that decision would last 75 years and affect 3 generations. it is so good to be reconnected again and I am looking forward to getting to know you.