The two images on the right are age-progressed to 17 and 59 years.
The two images on the right are age-progressed to 17 and 59 years.
Name: Maria Bernadette Aldridge
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: February 29, 1968
Location Last Seen: Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
Date of Birth: October 2, 1950
Age: 17 years old
Race: White
Gender: Female
Height: 5'5"
Weight: Unknown (medium build)
Hair Color: Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Wore glasses; hair was light brown, worn short and wavy
Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown
Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown
Ms. Aldridge was a 17-year-old cadet nurse, who was believed to have disappeared sometime during the summer of 1968. While in her second year at her nurse cadet course, she lived at the Old Home Nursing Home at the Dudley Road Hospital, now known as City Hospital. Records show the teenager was studying at the hospital until at least May 1968, but her last contact with family was 28 February 1968 via a letter to her mother found in 2009.
The letter refers to her life in Birmingham, referring to friends named "Sue" and "Evelyn," who are presumably other cadet nurses. Other names mentioned in the letter were Dave Olfrey, Patrick McGill, Christopher Fair, and Jim Taylor. Another person that the police would like to locate is Paul (or John) Gough, who was believed to have been Ms. Aldridge's boyfriend at the time. He traveled to Maria's home in Stourport, Worcestershire, to tell her mother, Mary O'Sullivan, that Maria had disappeared. He has not been seen or heard from since. Maria's mother and sister, Cathy, went to the hospital dormitory to look for her, but was instead greeted by the house matron who handed over Maria's belongings to them.
There was also a mysterious personal advertisement in the Birmingham Evening Mail, which ran on June 1, 1968: "NURSE M – Meet 7p.m. 63 bus, Monday, June 3rd. Hope to see you, Simon." Police believed it was a clue that could lead them to the whereabouts of the young woman, but it did not provdie any leads. Her sister, Cathy Phillips, who now lives in Canada, continues to search for her sister. Detectives from the West Midlands Police are eager to speak with anyone who may have known Ms. Aldridge and/or lived at the Dudley Road Hospital site during this time.
Agency Name: West Midlands Police
Agency Contact Person: Unknown
Agency Phone Number: 0121 626 5967
Agency E-Mail: Unknown
Agency Case Number: Unknown
NamUs Case Number: N/A
NCIC Case Number: Unknown
Nursing Times (13 September 2009)
Birmingham Mail (6 November 2009)
Birmingham Mail (7 September 2014)
Missing Kids UK
Added: 3/14/2010; Last Updated: 08-23-2021 - By: Htmlcnvtr
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information is from the time of disappearance.
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