Researchers at Finders International, the professional probate genealogy firm that stars in BBC’s Heir Hunters programme, took a peek into the new PM’s genealogy and can reveal a family tree with a military thread particularly on the paternal side of the family, as well as a widely dispersed family, with a vast range of occupations.
Her father, a professor of maths, was one of two boys while her mother, Priscillia Mary Grasby, a teacher, was an only child. Her parents divorced in 2003.
Going back one generation, we have more humble origins with her paternal grandfather, Clifford Truss, working as a clerk at Royal Insurance and her granny listed as ‘unpaid domestic duties’. On the material side, her grandmother was a teacher while her grandfather, George Raymond Grasby who died in Bolton in 2004 served in India’s army during WW11.
Her paternal great grandfathers were Sidney Horace Truss, who was a commercial traveller for hardware, now a-days we’d probably say sales rep, and Richard Ernest Birtwhistle a clergyman. On her mother’s side of the family her great grandfathers were George Grasby, a boot repairer who fought in the WWII where he lost a leg, and Harold Robert Spencer who was a paper maker.
Liz was one of four siblings, the eldest of which sadly died in infancy. Interestingly, her youngest brothers Patrick and Francis do not appear to have been born in the UK. Liz’s mother Priscilla was an only child while her father John only has one sibling, who is still alive.
Interestingly, three of Liz’s grandparents do not have any siblings and grew up as only children. Only one grandparent, Joan Lovell Spencer, has siblings – 5 in total.
While the occupations on the PM’s family tree are quite varied, ranging from travel salesmen, to clergymen, clerks, professors, nurses, teachers, boot repairers and even paper makers there is a strong line of military through the paternal family. Her great-grandfather George Grasby fought in WW1 and lost his leg as a result at the battle of Passchendaele. Her grandfather George Raymond Grasby served in India’s Army during WWI, following many years as a Latin teacher. Robert Orrell Spencer a sibling of Liz’s grandmother Joan Lovell Spencer, was a prisoner of war in Malaya during WWII.
Geographically, there is also a diverse spread, from Abingdon to Kensington, Haslingden, Chesterfield, Watford, Bolton and as far as Driffield.
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