In my thread on Minnie Grace I already mentioned that the family, now mostly based in #Norfolk and #Suffolk, faked a telegraph to the local post office, letting Olive know about the tragic loss of her husband in a vehicle accident.
Not only was this the story told to the world, it's also what my dad was told had happened to his father growing up.
In reality, however, John was to have one last moment of involvement in Olive's life before finally disappearing forever. 20/?