Ron Williams knew little about his dad’s father.
But neither did his dad.
Donald Williams was 20 years old when his father died in 1968 and few details were shared about his life, so Donald couldn’t pass down any family history when he had his own children.
Still, the sparse facts Ron Williams had about Alfred Victor Williams was that he landed in Vancouver in June 1947 at the age of 57 and, after taking a room at the Astoria Hotel — then known as the Toronto House Apartments, at 769 East Hastings St. — he married a German immigrant who worked there, bought a home and had two children with her.
His earlier life was never divulged to his 30-year-old bride, with whom he was with for three years.
Eight years ago, Ron Williams, an English teacher at Port Coquitlam’s Terry Fox Secondary, started to think about his mysterious grandfather and dug into a box of his possessions kept by his aunt, his dad’s sister.
Luckily, it offered some clues.
Through his research and online genealogy links like Ancestry.com, Williams began to unpeel the layers to his grandfather’s story, which he captured in a book that’s due to be published on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Titled The Lost Fifty-Seven: A Genealogical Journey of Discovery, Deception, Secrets and Scandal, the memoir explores legal documents held by his grandfather while living in the U.S. under a false name, the English cousins that Williams has since brought together and met, and their familial ties dating back to the times of William I the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England, as well as their connection to the Moreton Corbet Castle.
Williams dedicated the book his dad, who now calls Osoyoos home.
“He always wanted to know if he had any half siblings out there,” Williams said of his father, “so my research has been quite a revelation.”
Besides the possible links to royalty, Williams said he also uncovered an unusual crime in the family: His grandfather’s brother was accused to kidnapping his niece.
As for his mother’s side, Williams said he’s dug up ancient tales about an impaired driving fatality and alcoholism. “They were quite a wild bunch — on both sides,” he said.
Researching family history, he said, “is good for a connectiveness with your living relatives. You can meet the people who are responsible for you and find out where your family came from. It’s fascinating what you can learn with information that’s just at your fingertips.”
Williams’ new book, which was edited by his wife and Kylie Hughes, follows his 2022 début: I Stole Your Love: the 100% True Story of a 100% True KISS Fan.
The Lost Fifty-Seven can be purchased from Amazon or Ron Williams’ website.
📣 Got an opinion on this story or any others in the Tri-Cities? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected].
📲 Want to stay updated on Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
💬 Words missing in an article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
