Eagle-eyed Ayrshire Live readers have helped put some pieces together of a puzzle surrounding a man whose identity bracelet was found thousands of miles away – near a lake in Canada.
Last week we told how an appeal was issued to help track down the descendants of Ayrshire man Granville W. Graham, whose bracelet was found on a shore near Lake Winnipeg, in the Canadian province of Manitoba.
Keen metal detectorist Randy Gerylo discovered the underground stash during a sweep on the shores.
Among the items he uncovered were an ID bracelet which says ‘Granville W. Graham, 6 Alloway Place, Ayr.’ Other items found nearby included cutlery, coins dating back to 1917 and 1960, some rings and what appeared to be a toy pick-up truck.
The find left Canadian Randy, 61, baffled, so he enlisted the help of Ayrshire Live and our readers to help track down Granvillie’s family, or descendants.
And we now know who Granville W. Graham really was.
Morna Mitchell wrote in to say: “Granville Graham’s mother lived next door to us when we lived at 10 Holmston Road, Ayr.
“Many years ago, Mr and Mrs Graham owned The Windsor Hotel which was at 6 Alloway Place. Ayr, so this ties up with the name and address on the bracelet. And I know that Granville was in the RAF.”
We have also learned that Granville’s mother and father were called Elizabeth and Thomas Wilson Graham. And he had a sister, Isobel.
His mother Elizabeth was born in Auchinleck in 1903 and her maiden name was Highet.
A friend of Randy’s discovered that a Granville J. Graham flew with the RAF back in the day, but the middle name doesn’t tally with the ‘W’ etched on the bracelet.
However, we now understand that the J stands for 'Jock' which was a common nickname for Scots airmen.
And given the fact the bracelet was found by Gimli Manitoba, where there was an RAF training base, it now seems highly likely that Granville was stationed there for training.
Jennifer Lochrie also got in touch to tell us that she found a book where a Granville W, (Wilson) Graham is listed as an airman for the 14th RAF Squadron, who flew on a Phantom jet as navigator.
And Aileen Scott was another reader who rode to the rescue.
She found out that Granville Wilson Graham was born in 1932 and, until 2016, he had been registered on the voters’ roll as living at 6 Alloway Place Ayr. Also registered there at the time is believed to be Granvillie’s wife Margaret (Maggie).
And Eileen Ansell got in touch with added background information, adding: “According to the electoral records there was a Mr Granville W. Graham, in 2003-2008, and 2010 (other records show 2010-2016) living at 12 Holmston Road, KA7 3BB, Ayrshire. Born circa 1930-1932.”
Sadly, though, we've also learned that Granville passed away in 2019 at Creggan Bahn Court, aged 86.
Randy is still keen, though, to reunite Granvillie’s bracelet with family members, or descendants and is willing to post it over to them.
If you are a family member, or one of Granvillie’s descendants, e-mail us at news@ayrshirepost.co.uk and we’ll pass on your details to Randy.
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