My maternal GGM died in the Grand Hotel, in early 1895.
The wonderfully-named John Howell Frederick Augustus Chandler, an affluent 33-yo watchmaker from Leamington Spa, had an affair (...although it also could've been rape) with my maternal GGM, Hilda Gertrude Hindle, a young woman then working in the Grand Hotel, Birmingham. As Hilda was unmarried she was sent away for her confinement and my GM was actually born in the General Lying-In Hospital in central London. While the baby survived, unfortunately Hilda never recovered her health and died within 6-mths, back at work in the Hotel, at the age of 21, the child never knowingly having been acknowledged by the father (he may never even have known of the birth). My GM was adopted by a local family, the Nethercotts, but never knew any of her history. A sad but fascinating story, with still quite a bit yet to be discovered (...the Hindles/Longbottoms were themselves quite a shady bunch, by all accounts), and in any case much of this has only recently come to light through DNA testing.
Does anyone know this story? I've previously contacted the GH, but have been told that no records remain of that period. I'd love to know more, or even find some pictures of any of the players mentioned. Chandler apparently had jewellers stores in London, Paris and Leamington at one time.
Paul