Introduction
These two gentlemen are my 2nd great uncles on my father's side. They were both born in Aberdeen, Scotland to William Henry Benson and Isabella Speid. Their 3rd brother was William Benson, my great grandfather, who went to India as a tea planter, where he died.
James Speid Benson
26 May 1873 -27 Mar 1963
James was the eldest. He was a trained solicitor so did not see overseas action in World War I. He was a Private in the 1st Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders (previously City of Aberdeen Volunteer Regiment). The rest of the entry reads November 1914; commissioned, October 1916. Home service, Aberdeen, 1914-19.
In 1917 he married Blanche Jane Montgomery Falconer and the couple had 2 daughters. I will be saying more about James in other posts.
John Speid Benson
10 Jun 1877 - 23 Jun 1916
John was the youngest of the 3 brothers. The 1819 Scotland Census lists him as a scholar and by 1896 we find him listed on UK Incoming Passenger Lists, returning from New York to Southampton. He is travelling in steerage and is listed as a printer. In 1900 he makes a similar journey from New York to Southampton, also in steerage, but this time he appears to be a miner. Unfortunately the UK Outgoing Passenger Lists do not start until 1890.
On 24 August 1915 John enlisted in the UK Royal Air Force. He was posted to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in Central Africa where he held the rank of Sergeant, in the 26th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Unfortunately he contracted malaria and died on 23 June 1916 at the Blackwater Ridge.
More information about John can be found at: http://www.southafricawargraves.org/search/details.php?id=1613
Showing posts with label military. Show all posts
Showing posts with label military. Show all posts
Friday, 15 November 2019
Wednesday, 13 November 2019
Served in the Military: Borrington
The Borringtons
This surname is a link through my Peake ancestors making them very distant relations, according to Ancestry, or not direct ancestors at all. They all seem to have come from Derbyshire, or at least that is where the family originate from.
Alfred Ernest Borrington
Alfred was born in Derby, Derbyshire to John Thomas Borrington and Sarah Dean. On 29 September 1900 he married Gladys Colebourne. The marriage details show Alfred as a timber merchant. The couple had 8 children: 3 girls and 5 boys.
Alfred held the rank of Sergeant in the 15th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment; Regimental Number 8068, 73298, He died of wounds sustained at the Battle of Passchendale, 3rd Battle of Ypres, and is remembered in Part II, Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
Alfred Ernest Borrington
Alfred is the eldest son of Alfred Ernest Borrington (above) and Gertrude Colebourne. He was also born in Derbyshire.
The British Army WWI Pension Records show Alfred enlisting in the Tank Corps; Regimental Number 320589. The document is dated 1919, and therefore he would not have served for long. The records show that his occupation was a welder.
In October 1920 he married Florence Armson. I know from Ancestry that Alfred and Florence had several children as their records are showing as private. I have not yet traced him after 1920, but expect that he also served in the Second World War.
Albert Edward Borrington
Albert is the 4th son born to Alfred Ernest Borrington (b. 1887) and Gertrude Colebourne, in Derbyshire. One of his older brothers, Harold Arthur, had died in 1912 at the age of 8. His other older brother John Thomas Borrington had married Fanny Baker in 1924 and had several children; as yet no military records have been located, but he must have served.
On 02 June 1930, Albert married Doris Birley, with whom he had 3 children: 1 girl and 2 boys.
The 1939 England and Wales Register lists Albert's occupation as Constructional Engineer Erector Artificial For Heavy Worker. I know he served in the Second World War as there are a couple of photographs of him on Ancestry which say he was in the Royal Marines. I will need to pay to see more the details; I will come back to this in the future.
Frederick Albert Borrington
Frederick was born on Christmas Eve in Derbyshire to Albert Edward Borrington (above) and Doris Birley. He was their middle child, having an older sister (Doris Cissy Ellen) and a younger brother Roger Edward born and died in 1945.
A note next to the photograph above, from Ancestry, says that Frederick served in Borneo; I am not sure when as there have been several conflicts in the region which involved the British military.
In April 1956 Frederick married Mary Claire Moyniham in Windsor. I have yet to find the records of any children, as I guess, if there are any, they are still living.
Albert Victor Borrington
Feb 1895 - 05 Dec 1917
Albert was born in Derby, Derbyshire to John James Borrington and Catherine Annie Borrington, who were cousins. His father was the brother of Alfred Ernest Borrington (b. 1887). The 1911 England Census lists Albert as working in a cotton factory. He was unmarried.
Albert held the rank of Private in the 2/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Regiment. He was accidentally killed in a stove accident, while stationed at Ribicourt, France; from what I have deciphered from his records I believe he may have been a cook at the time. Albert is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial at Louverval.
Joseph James Horatio Nelson Dawson Borrington
Abt. 1837 - December 1855
This rather grandly named ancester was born in Derby, about 1840 to James Borrington and Catherine Dawson. James Borrington was a plumber and glazier and son Joseph had another 8 siblings: 4 brothers and 4 sisters.I have yet to work out the link between Joseph's family and those above.
Joseph had gone to fight in the Crimean War, as a volunteer in the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot. I can only speculate as to why the eldest son would have chosen to go off to a distance land, rather than joining his father in the plumbing and glazing business. Perhaps he was keen to leave behind his conventional life and have an exciting adventure. I can only imagine that the Crimean War was "promoted" a little like the First World War would be, and that those going to fight, never really thought they would be at any real risk.
An account of the Regiment's time during the Crimea War can be read at: https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/95th-derbyshire-regiment-foot
With more general information about the war available here: https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/crimean-war
Unfortunately Joseph must have discovered the realities of trench warfare, as he was killed at the Siege of Sebastopol, aged only 19.
William Harold Borrington
Dec 1874 - Jan 1932
Walter was born in Derby, Derbyshire to James John Borrington and Amelia Edwards. He was 1 of 12 children: 8 sons and 4 daughters. His eldest brother James John (b. 1866) was a photographer's assistant in 1911; Walter Edward (b. 1867) was a house painter in 1911, and went on to have 2 sons who also served (below); Thomas Horatio (b. 1869) is listed in the 1939 England and Wales Register as a harness maker. Frederick (b. 1871) was living in Gateshead in 1911 and working for the British Railway.
William was the next son, who had married Emma Maddocks in 1894. The 1911 England Census lists him as a funterer (dealer), living with Emma and their daughter. On 14 October 1914 William was enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps of the Territorial Army, as a Private, Regimental Number 2513. Unfortunately his service was short, as he was deemed unfit for duty and was discharged on 29 October 1914.
Arthur Septimus Borrington
21 Mar 1884 - Apr 1960
Between Arthur and William there was a brother John Alfred (b. 1876), who also worked as a funterer and is listed in 1925 as a fried fish dealer. I am currently getting no service records for him.
Arthur joined the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment; Regimental Number 305952. I have not yet found his service records.
In 1939 Arthur is working as a green grocer living with other members of the extended Borrington family.
Charles Percy Borrington
Apr 1887 - 21 Apr 1964
Charles is the youngest brother and child of James John and Amelia. He was also born in Derbyshire. The 1911 England Census shows him living at Crownhill Barracks in Devon. He is a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Regiment; Regimental Number 11109.
On 24 April 1916 Chas Percy (as he liked to be known) married Margaret Bosworth in Derbyshire, possibly because they already had 1 daughter born in 1915. Another followed in 1917. I am not sure what his occupation was after he was discharged, and there is no clue from his probate records.
Walter Alfred Borrington
24 Aug 1899 - 23 May 1969
Walter was born in Derbyshire, England to Walter Edward Borrington and Elizabeth Tillson. Walter was the couple's eldest son, and he had 6 other siblings: 4 brothers and 2 sisters.
Walter enlisted on 30 August 1914 and his records, when they can be deciphered, make for interesting reading. Walter was sent to France as a Private in the Suffolk Regiment; Service Number 19075. The records go on to include a letter from his father to someone he addresses as Your Lordship. He says he has already written to the senior officer in the Regiment, but has had no success. He explains that his son has been fighting for 6 months and that he felt that he had done is share, being only 16, and could they please send him home. Based on this it is clear that Walter had lied about his age when he enlisted saying that he was 19 years, 4 months. After being provided with a copy of Walter's birth certificate, by his father, he is discharged and returned to the UK.
The transcription of the records suggest that Walter joined the Highland Cyclist Battalion; Regimental Number 12725. I am not sure if this is true, on his return. If it was I briefly say that the Highland Cyclist Battalion was just that, an independent unit with operated on bicycles in the UK during World War I. To find out more about where the Highland came from see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Cyclist_Battalion
In April 1920 Walter married Florence Anne McGough and the couple had 1 daughter and 2 sons. The 1939 England and Wales Register lists Walter as working as a General Highways Foreman. On his death no one is named in the probate records, but his wife was still living at the time.
Harold Borrington
24 Nov 1900 - Apr 1964
Harold was born in Derbyshire and is the brother of Walter Alfred (above). On 20 August 1918, straight from school, he joined the UK Royal Air Force; Service Number 286497.
In October 1924 he married Ada Gerrard in Derby and couple went on to have 2 girls. The 1939 England and Wales Register show Harold working as a carpenter in railway maintenance.
Thomas Borrington
29 Dec 1790 - 1843
Thomas was born in Ipswich, Suffolk to Joseph Borrington and Sarah Hyde. Records show him on 09 April 1814 as serving in the 23rd Dragoon Guards, a British Regiment serving in Canada. Doing a quick internet search it seems he would have arrived in Canada just in time for the Battle of Lundy's Lane on 25 July 1814. It was also known as the Battle of Niagara Falls, and was one of the bloodiest battles of the Anglo-American War of 1812.
I will need to do further research to find out when he died and if he got married.
More information about the battle can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lundy%27s_Lane
This surname is a link through my Peake ancestors making them very distant relations, according to Ancestry, or not direct ancestors at all. They all seem to have come from Derbyshire, or at least that is where the family originate from.
Alfred Ernest Borrington
Sep 1887 - 13 Nov 1917
Alfred was born in Derby, Derbyshire to John Thomas Borrington and Sarah Dean. On 29 September 1900 he married Gladys Colebourne. The marriage details show Alfred as a timber merchant. The couple had 8 children: 3 girls and 5 boys.
Alfred held the rank of Sergeant in the 15th Battalion, Machine Gun Corps, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire (Sherwood Foresters) Regiment; Regimental Number 8068, 73298, He died of wounds sustained at the Battle of Passchendale, 3rd Battle of Ypres, and is remembered in Part II, Boulogne Eastern Cemetery.
Alfred Ernest Borrington
27 Jul 1901 - 13 Aug 1963
Alfred is the eldest son of Alfred Ernest Borrington (above) and Gertrude Colebourne. He was also born in Derbyshire.
The British Army WWI Pension Records show Alfred enlisting in the Tank Corps; Regimental Number 320589. The document is dated 1919, and therefore he would not have served for long. The records show that his occupation was a welder.
In October 1920 he married Florence Armson. I know from Ancestry that Alfred and Florence had several children as their records are showing as private. I have not yet traced him after 1920, but expect that he also served in the Second World War.
Albert Edward Borrington
05 Aug 1907 - 14 Oct 1963
Albert is the 4th son born to Alfred Ernest Borrington (b. 1887) and Gertrude Colebourne, in Derbyshire. One of his older brothers, Harold Arthur, had died in 1912 at the age of 8. His other older brother John Thomas Borrington had married Fanny Baker in 1924 and had several children; as yet no military records have been located, but he must have served.
On 02 June 1930, Albert married Doris Birley, with whom he had 3 children: 1 girl and 2 boys.
The 1939 England and Wales Register lists Albert's occupation as Constructional Engineer Erector Artificial For Heavy Worker. I know he served in the Second World War as there are a couple of photographs of him on Ancestry which say he was in the Royal Marines. I will need to pay to see more the details; I will come back to this in the future.
Frederick Albert Borrington
24 Dec 1935 - 29 Nov 2007
Frederick was born on Christmas Eve in Derbyshire to Albert Edward Borrington (above) and Doris Birley. He was their middle child, having an older sister (Doris Cissy Ellen) and a younger brother Roger Edward born and died in 1945.
A note next to the photograph above, from Ancestry, says that Frederick served in Borneo; I am not sure when as there have been several conflicts in the region which involved the British military.
In April 1956 Frederick married Mary Claire Moyniham in Windsor. I have yet to find the records of any children, as I guess, if there are any, they are still living.
Albert Victor Borrington
Feb 1895 - 05 Dec 1917
Albert was born in Derby, Derbyshire to John James Borrington and Catherine Annie Borrington, who were cousins. His father was the brother of Alfred Ernest Borrington (b. 1887). The 1911 England Census lists Albert as working in a cotton factory. He was unmarried.
Albert held the rank of Private in the 2/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Regiment. He was accidentally killed in a stove accident, while stationed at Ribicourt, France; from what I have deciphered from his records I believe he may have been a cook at the time. Albert is remembered on the Cambrai Memorial at Louverval.
Joseph James Horatio Nelson Dawson Borrington
Abt. 1837 - December 1855
This rather grandly named ancester was born in Derby, about 1840 to James Borrington and Catherine Dawson. James Borrington was a plumber and glazier and son Joseph had another 8 siblings: 4 brothers and 4 sisters.I have yet to work out the link between Joseph's family and those above.
Joseph had gone to fight in the Crimean War, as a volunteer in the 95th (Derbyshire) Regiment of Foot. I can only speculate as to why the eldest son would have chosen to go off to a distance land, rather than joining his father in the plumbing and glazing business. Perhaps he was keen to leave behind his conventional life and have an exciting adventure. I can only imagine that the Crimean War was "promoted" a little like the First World War would be, and that those going to fight, never really thought they would be at any real risk.
An account of the Regiment's time during the Crimea War can be read at: https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/95th-derbyshire-regiment-foot
With more general information about the war available here: https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/crimean-war
Unfortunately Joseph must have discovered the realities of trench warfare, as he was killed at the Siege of Sebastopol, aged only 19.
William Harold Borrington
Dec 1874 - Jan 1932
Walter was born in Derby, Derbyshire to James John Borrington and Amelia Edwards. He was 1 of 12 children: 8 sons and 4 daughters. His eldest brother James John (b. 1866) was a photographer's assistant in 1911; Walter Edward (b. 1867) was a house painter in 1911, and went on to have 2 sons who also served (below); Thomas Horatio (b. 1869) is listed in the 1939 England and Wales Register as a harness maker. Frederick (b. 1871) was living in Gateshead in 1911 and working for the British Railway.
William was the next son, who had married Emma Maddocks in 1894. The 1911 England Census lists him as a funterer (dealer), living with Emma and their daughter. On 14 October 1914 William was enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps of the Territorial Army, as a Private, Regimental Number 2513. Unfortunately his service was short, as he was deemed unfit for duty and was discharged on 29 October 1914.
Arthur Septimus Borrington
21 Mar 1884 - Apr 1960
Between Arthur and William there was a brother John Alfred (b. 1876), who also worked as a funterer and is listed in 1925 as a fried fish dealer. I am currently getting no service records for him.
Arthur joined the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment; Regimental Number 305952. I have not yet found his service records.
In 1939 Arthur is working as a green grocer living with other members of the extended Borrington family.
Charles Percy Borrington
Apr 1887 - 21 Apr 1964
Charles is the youngest brother and child of James John and Amelia. He was also born in Derbyshire. The 1911 England Census shows him living at Crownhill Barracks in Devon. He is a Private in the 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire) Regiment; Regimental Number 11109.
On 24 April 1916 Chas Percy (as he liked to be known) married Margaret Bosworth in Derbyshire, possibly because they already had 1 daughter born in 1915. Another followed in 1917. I am not sure what his occupation was after he was discharged, and there is no clue from his probate records.
Walter Alfred Borrington
24 Aug 1899 - 23 May 1969
Walter was born in Derbyshire, England to Walter Edward Borrington and Elizabeth Tillson. Walter was the couple's eldest son, and he had 6 other siblings: 4 brothers and 2 sisters.
Walter enlisted on 30 August 1914 and his records, when they can be deciphered, make for interesting reading. Walter was sent to France as a Private in the Suffolk Regiment; Service Number 19075. The records go on to include a letter from his father to someone he addresses as Your Lordship. He says he has already written to the senior officer in the Regiment, but has had no success. He explains that his son has been fighting for 6 months and that he felt that he had done is share, being only 16, and could they please send him home. Based on this it is clear that Walter had lied about his age when he enlisted saying that he was 19 years, 4 months. After being provided with a copy of Walter's birth certificate, by his father, he is discharged and returned to the UK.
The transcription of the records suggest that Walter joined the Highland Cyclist Battalion; Regimental Number 12725. I am not sure if this is true, on his return. If it was I briefly say that the Highland Cyclist Battalion was just that, an independent unit with operated on bicycles in the UK during World War I. To find out more about where the Highland came from see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highland_Cyclist_Battalion
In April 1920 Walter married Florence Anne McGough and the couple had 1 daughter and 2 sons. The 1939 England and Wales Register lists Walter as working as a General Highways Foreman. On his death no one is named in the probate records, but his wife was still living at the time.
Harold Borrington
24 Nov 1900 - Apr 1964
Harold was born in Derbyshire and is the brother of Walter Alfred (above). On 20 August 1918, straight from school, he joined the UK Royal Air Force; Service Number 286497.
In October 1924 he married Ada Gerrard in Derby and couple went on to have 2 girls. The 1939 England and Wales Register show Harold working as a carpenter in railway maintenance.
Thomas Borrington
29 Dec 1790 - 1843
Thomas was born in Ipswich, Suffolk to Joseph Borrington and Sarah Hyde. Records show him on 09 April 1814 as serving in the 23rd Dragoon Guards, a British Regiment serving in Canada. Doing a quick internet search it seems he would have arrived in Canada just in time for the Battle of Lundy's Lane on 25 July 1814. It was also known as the Battle of Niagara Falls, and was one of the bloodiest battles of the Anglo-American War of 1812.
I will need to do further research to find out when he died and if he got married.
More information about the battle can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Lundy%27s_Lane
Friday, 25 October 2019
Served in the Military
Introduction
This post is intended as a list of those who spent any time in the military, regardless of the service, conflict or whether they returned home. I may expand on the individuals in separate posts, especially where several members of a family served their country.
Speid Brothers
James Speid Benson
1873 -1963
WWI
Private, 1st Volunteer Battalion Gordon Highlanders (previously City of Aberdeen Volunteer Regiment), November 1914; commissioned, October 1916. Home service, Aberdeen, 1914-19.
John Speid Benson
1877 - 1916
WWI
Served in Central Africa. Sergeant, 26th Squadron Royal Flying Corps.
Brown Brothers
Clement Brown
1891 - 1928
WWI
North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales) Regiment. 15543
James Patrick Brown
1894 - 1979
WWI
New Battalion. 10559
William Brown
1897 - 1917
WWI
Served in Amara, Turkey. Corporal, 7th Battalion. 7938.
Alexander Family
Gervase Alexander
1774 - 1857
Physician and Captain of the Halifax Volunteer Corps of Infantry 1802
William Ryrie Alexander
1824 - 1892
During the Raj
Major General H.M. Bombay Staff Corps; Late Commandant 1st Sind Horse
Charles Henry Alexander
1870 -1937
Officer in 1st Northampton Regiment
William Ryrie Alexander
1876 - 1951
Lieutenant in Royal Navy then volunteers in Canadian Expeditionary force - special enrolment as draughtsman during WWI. 77493
Fulco "Peter" Alexander
1909 - 1983
1932 Electoral Register lists him at Officers' Barracks at Royal Arsenal in Woolwich
Henry "Harry" Cerda Ryrie Alexander
1904 - 1966
Lieutenant in Royal Navy; enrolled in 1917
Basil Charles Maurice Ward
1898 - 1956
WWI
The husband of Lillias Barbara Elsa, daughter of William (b. 1876). Served as Lieutenant in 1st Battalion, East Surrey Regiment
Heyland Family
Arthur Rowley Heyland
1781 - 1815
Officer with 1st Battalion 40th Regiment. Killed at Battle of Waterloo
Alfred Thomas Heyland
1813 - 1897
Went to the Crimea as a Captain in 95th Regiment and achieved rank of Major General
Gowland Father and Sons
Edward Lake Gowlland
1876 - 1942
WWI
Royal Army Medical Corps
See this post for more about Edward https://myfamilyhistoryfacts.blogspot.com/search/label/Edward%20Gowlland
Geoffrey Gowlland
1903 - 1988
WWI
Lieutenant in Royal Navy
Langton Gowlland
1903 - 2002
WW1
Lieutenant in Royal Navy
Gould Family
Lionel Aubrey Gould
1873 - 1923
WWI
Corporal in Military Labour Corps. 5618.
Charles Robert Gould
1920 - 1944
WWII
Lieutenant in Royal Armoured Corps and Dragoon Guards
Toogood Family
Alexander Decimus Toogood
1826 - 1874
Captain in the Bengal Fusiliers 1870 and Gentleman-at-Arms to H.M. Queen Victoria
1841 - 1926
Enlisted in 1882 and achieved rank of Major in Royal Artillery WWI
Charles Frederick Strangways Gwynne Toogood
1861 - 1936
Lieutenant in Berkshire Militia 1881
Cecil Toogood
1870 - 1958
1891 Lieutenant in South Front Barracks in Kent. WWI Major in Lincolnshire Regiment
Arthur Seymour Toogood
1872 - 1968
WWI
Major in R. War R
Hubert de Chair Toogood
1885 - 1970
WWI
Lieutenant then Captain in Royal Engineers
Alexander Cecil Henry Toogood
1900 - 1921
WWI
2nd Lieutenant in Lincolnshire Regiment
Harington Father and Children
John Harington
1873 - 1943
WWI
Brigadier General in Rifle Brigade
John Temple Harington
1909 - 1983
WWII
Achieved rank of Major in Rifle Brigade serving in the Middle East; received an MBE. 44106
Aline Lucy Harington
1918 - 2007
WWII
Sister of John Temple. Served in the Women's Transport Service
Walter Arnold Crispian Keppel
1914 - 1986
WWII
A nobleman and Lieutenant Commander in Royal Navy; husband of Aline
Walter Egerton George Lucian Keppel
1882 - 1979
WWI
Father of Walter Arnold. He was a Captain in the Scots Guards
Carington Father and Son
Charles Robert Carington
1843 - 1928
He served under William Ewart Gladstone as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms from 1881 to 1885
Albert Edward Charles Robert Wynn-Carington
1895 - 1915
WWISon of Charles. Served as Lieutenant in Royal Horse Guards (The Blues); died of complications from amputated arm at Ypres.
Walter Stuart Blake
1880 - 1941
WWI
Served in South Africa. Sergeant, South African Infantry. 218
Percy Blow Stapleton
1879 - 1934
WWI
Corporal, Royal Tank Corps. 205492
Henry Disney
1701 - 1760
Doctor of Medicine and Captain 1720s
John Edward Sharpe
1823 - 1857
Lieutenant in 46th Regiment Bengal Native Infantry in India; he was killed during the Indian Mutiny on 14 July 1857 at Fort Sialkote. His grave is at Sialkote and has a memorial bearing the words "In memory of Captain J.E. Sharpe 46th Regt. N.I. Died at Sealkote 14th July 1857 aged 33 years. Erected by his brother officers."
Henry Charles Legge
1852 - 1924
Served as a Lieutenant in the Sudan 1884 - 1886 in 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards. Then in World War I, Lieutenant Colonel as Equerry to the King of which more elsewhere.
Sunday, 13 October 2019
Banker dies in China
This is the story of the short life and career of Henry Nicholson Blake.
Henry is my 2nd cousin 4x removed. He was born about 1885 in Golspie in Sutherland, Scotland to John Blake, a farmer, and Jane Isabella Morrison. I have estimated the marriage of Henry's parents to be around 1844, though I am yet to find a record. Henry had 3 brothers and 2 sisters.
The 1901 Scotland Census lists Henry living, with some of his siblings, with a cousin. The head of the house is listed as Jane McKibbin and she has a son Arthur. It took me a bit of time, but I finally discovered that Jane McKibbin was born Jane E Cormick and her parents were Daniel Cormick and Mary Blake (the sister of their father, John). Their cousin had been born in 1857.
The census lists Henry as a banker's apprentice and further research shows that Jane's husband, James McKibbin, was a banker with the Northern Bank Limited, Ireland. Interestingly James' sister, Sarah, had married Andrew Blake, the subject of this post https://myfamilyhistoryfacts.blogspot.com/search/label/Andrew%20Blake
Both McKibbin siblings, and I have assumed them to be, were born in Ireland. Their father James McKibbin was also a banker. While Sarah and Andrew Blake were married in Ireland, James and Jane were married in 1881 in Enstone, Oxfordshire. It is their marriage record which tells us the profession of the male McKibbins. It also tells us that Jane's father, Daniel, was a surgeon.
James junior is not listed in the 1901 census and I have not been able to track down his whereabouts. I have assumed that Henry was James' apprentice, or had at least obtained work through James. It may be that the death of both his parents was a stroke of luck for Henry and his brothers. Rather than continuing as farmers in England, they went off and explored the world, though often they reverted to farming as an occupation.
John James went into the Merchant Navy which took him to foreign shores; he married and had one son.
Walter Stuart initially served in the Army holding the rank of Sergeant in the South African Infantry where he was wounded in action. Walter married and settled in Canada; he may have continued in farming, but is also listed as a labourer.
Derrick Granville also settled in Canada as a farmer.
The next and final record I have found for Henry is that of his death. He died on 29 January 1918 in Shanghai, China where he appears to have been working for the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China.
A brief introduction on the bank can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Bank_of_India,_Australia_and_China
Henry is my 2nd cousin 4x removed. He was born about 1885 in Golspie in Sutherland, Scotland to John Blake, a farmer, and Jane Isabella Morrison. I have estimated the marriage of Henry's parents to be around 1844, though I am yet to find a record. Henry had 3 brothers and 2 sisters.
The 1901 Scotland Census lists Henry living, with some of his siblings, with a cousin. The head of the house is listed as Jane McKibbin and she has a son Arthur. It took me a bit of time, but I finally discovered that Jane McKibbin was born Jane E Cormick and her parents were Daniel Cormick and Mary Blake (the sister of their father, John). Their cousin had been born in 1857.
The census lists Henry as a banker's apprentice and further research shows that Jane's husband, James McKibbin, was a banker with the Northern Bank Limited, Ireland. Interestingly James' sister, Sarah, had married Andrew Blake, the subject of this post https://myfamilyhistoryfacts.blogspot.com/search/label/Andrew%20Blake
Both McKibbin siblings, and I have assumed them to be, were born in Ireland. Their father James McKibbin was also a banker. While Sarah and Andrew Blake were married in Ireland, James and Jane were married in 1881 in Enstone, Oxfordshire. It is their marriage record which tells us the profession of the male McKibbins. It also tells us that Jane's father, Daniel, was a surgeon.
James junior is not listed in the 1901 census and I have not been able to track down his whereabouts. I have assumed that Henry was James' apprentice, or had at least obtained work through James. It may be that the death of both his parents was a stroke of luck for Henry and his brothers. Rather than continuing as farmers in England, they went off and explored the world, though often they reverted to farming as an occupation.
John James went into the Merchant Navy which took him to foreign shores; he married and had one son.
Walter Stuart initially served in the Army holding the rank of Sergeant in the South African Infantry where he was wounded in action. Walter married and settled in Canada; he may have continued in farming, but is also listed as a labourer.
Derrick Granville also settled in Canada as a farmer.
The next and final record I have found for Henry is that of his death. He died on 29 January 1918 in Shanghai, China where he appears to have been working for the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China.
A brief introduction on the bank can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chartered_Bank_of_India,_Australia_and_China
Wednesday, 9 October 2019
Edward Lake Gowlland: medical and military man, freemason and .....
1876 - 1942
Early Life
Edward is a distant ancestor being the husband of the wife of the brother-in-law of the 2nd great-nephew of wife of my 6th great-uncle. The details of his life have required me to give him his own post. What appears below (and the photo) is partly taken from the excellent biography on http://www.gowlland.me.uk/biographies.htm#zzedwardlakegowlland
Edward Lake Gowlland was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey to Richard Sankey Gowlland and Jessie Katherine Lake. He had 2 younger sisters: Katherine and Dorothy.
I will leave the biography site to provide more information on his ancestors, otherwise I would just be repeating everything already covered there. I will briefly say that in the 1881 England Census tells us that his father was a Private Secretary for HM Office of Public Works.
On 16 October 1893 Edward is listed on the register at University College London, for those taking medical exams. I was rather surprised to find that, in 1899 while still a medical student, he is initiated into the Freemason Lodge of Sancta Maria. The the list of members shows virtually all are in the medical profession from St Mary's Hospital and there is a brief history of the lodge at https://gsml49.freemasons.london/about/ on the site of the lodge with which Sancta Maria amalgamated in 2008 (Gihon Lodge).
A quick Internet search shows tells me that Sancta Maria was only founded in 1897, initially meeting in Freemasons' Hall, but in 1899 it had moved to Mark Masons' Hall. https://www.dhi.ac.uk/lane/record.php?ID=5491. Among its famous members were Sir Alexander Fleming and Sir Bernard Spilsbury.
In 1900 Edward has moved to Bournemouth, holding the qualification of Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries (LSA) which later became a registrable qualification with the British Medical Association, when it was founded in 1858. Edward is not in Bournemouth very long as in 1900 he is now living in a boarding house in Paddington, London and is listed as a medical practitioner.
Married Life
On 10 February 1902 Edward marries Dorothy Mary Thornhill, whose father Herbert is listed as a gentleman. Edward's own father is still at HM Office of Public Works. Edward and Dorothy move to Faversham in Kent where Edward joins the Freemason, Lodge of Harmony. He is now practising as a surgeon and physician in the firm of Anderson and Gowlland, listed at address of 54 East Street and 7 Newton Road. I have not been able to find out more about this firm.
Edward and Dorothy continue to live at 54 East Street and in 1907 Edward's name appears in the UK Navy Lists for 1907, against East Swale; I am unsure of the significance of these Sick Quarters records at the moment. The 1911 England Census shows that Edward must be running a successful medical practice as he now employs 3 servants and a governess for this 2 sons (twins Langton and Geoffrey born in 1903).
With the outbreak of World War I the records show that Edward is sent to France where he achieves the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Royal Army Medical Corps. He is back living in the family home in Faversham in 1915.
Things go wrong
On 29 January 1916 Dorothy receives a letter from Edward while she is living with her parents (dated 23 January). He writes,
Dear Dor
I think in these very bad times it will be best if you can persuade your mother and father to go to Faversham and live with you and shut up their house (this is of course no business of yours or mine but merely a suggestion for economy) they to pay you each what you paid them for board and lodging. I .. to tell you now that I have been particularly stupid and broken the 11th Commandment, which I didn't mean to do until after the War. Our life together has been so peculiarly unhappy that I am sure you will be glad to know that we need never live together again. I met someone in Devon whom I am fond of and we were found out, the result will probably be in the papers very shortly. I mean that the lady's husband is seriously thinking of taking proceedings and I am frightfully sorry that this should have come now when I simply cannot sit down and write business letters there is no time and opportunity. I have written to my Bankers to say that they shall in future send you £23 rather than £29 per month, as you won't have to pay for your board and lodging.
Yours affectionately
EG
Dorothy replies to Edward on 01 March 1916,
Dear Edward
I have been thinking on the situation arising out of your letter to me of the 23rd Januar 1916, and for the sake of our children I have come to the conclusion that I will allow bygones to be bygones but in return I ask you to give up this other woman and to now provide a home for me and the children and to live with me and them whenever your military duties will allow you to home whether on leave or permanently. If on consideration you are now ready to do these things for me and them please let me know as soon as possible when you will provide a home for us so I may make all the necessary arrangements before the children return from School for the Easter holidays. I may say I have not told the boys of your conduct as I have no wish to poison their minds against you and I hope they may not hear of the trouble which has arisen between us.
Yours faithfully
Dorothy
Edward writes to her again on 03 March 1916
Dear Dorothy
You must understand me well enough to understand that I should not have behaved as I have done without due consideration. I adhere to every word of my letter dated 23rd January 1916 and under no circumstances do I intend to give up "this other woman".
I am very glad that you have not told the boys, it can serve no purpose to make them unhappy. I have written to them and told them that we shall not live in our old home and I want you to understand that my conduct in this other matter has had no bearing whatever on the necessity of leaving our house.
Yours
Edward Gowlland.
On 10 March 1916 Dorothy petitions initially for a decree of restitution of conjugal rights. In short it required Edward to return to the marital home. Dorothy was granted her decree and it was served on Edward at 9 Bedford Row in Middlesex, where he was currently living. He was given 14 days to obey.
On 14 July 1916 Dorothy petitions for divorce. In a letter supporting her petition she states that Edward has not returned and is therefore guilty of desertion without reasonable cause; he has also frequently committed adultery with Mary Florence Alexander. She goes on to say that between the 02 and 08 May 1915 Edward and Mary Florence committed adultery at the Cotteridge Private Hotel in Woking and repeated this activity on 20, 21 and 22 May 1915 at the "Galloway", Commercial Road in Woking.
Dorothy states that Edward is a Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps and is now living at 4 Grafton Street, Fitzroy Square in Middlesex.
On 20 October goes back to the court and states that, since then, Edward is guilty of adultery coupled with desertion. The court rules that the couple's children stay with Dorothy and that Edward needs to pay his wife's costs of £42 9s. 5d. In later proceedings Dorothy provides further information and petitions for maintenance; Edward is initially given 6 weeks to respond but is then allowed a further 2 months to respond. I am unsure from the documents if Edward responds to this? In 1929 there are further proceedings regarding maintenance. At this the court orders that Edward pay Dorothy £200 tax free from October 1929, in monthly instalments for as long as they both shall live.
The other party
So let me now give the other side, regarding the "other woman", Mary Florence Reiffenstein who was born in Glasgow, Scotland to Christian Eduard Reiffenstein and Lillias Jane Corbet. Her family had moved first to Camberwell and then settled in Hampshire. Mary had 4 brothers and 2 sisters.
In 1902 Mary Florence had married William Ryrie Alexander who was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy. The couple had 1 daughter. In 1914 William went to Canada on special enrolment as a draughtsman in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
On 31 August 1915, having returned from Canada, William files for divorce on grounds of adultery, and names Edward Gowlland as a co-respondent. In his supporting letter William refers to the same instances as Dorothy Mary, and we know from Edward's correspondence that has been he who was told or discovered the two.
William states that he lives in England, but is currently stationed at the Napier Barracks and is a Lance Sergeant in the 30th Canadian Regiment. Mary is living Wodcombe Hyde Road in Paighton, Devon. At another hearing the court rules that his daughter will stay with him, presumably he will move out of the barracks. William receives his Decree Absolut on 16 August 1915 and there is one final proceedings for costs held in May 1916 which rules that Edward Gowlland needs to pay costs of £69 12s. 8d.
At this point we know that Dorothy has only recently started on her divorce proceedings, but we must assume that once Mary was divorced she and Edward were still meeting up.
Later Life
In July 1917 Edward Gowlland marries Mary Florence Reiffenstein in Kensington and he continues to practice medicine in Surrey until his death in 1942. Mary dies on 18 June 1962 and leaves her effects to her now married daughter (from her first marriage) and a Richard Dallas Wood (solicitor). The value was £1865 18s.
In 1920 William marries Sibyl Marguerite Harrison in Thanet. The couple later move to Kensington where William is listed in the 1939 England and Wales Register as the director of a print supply company. William dies in 1951.
Dorothy does not re-marry. The 1939 England and Wales Register has her living with her mother; both women are living on their own means. They are still living at Dorothy's marital home and the women appear to have 3 other women living with them. Dorothy dies on 07 May 1963. Her home address is now listed as 28 Kenilworth Road, but she dies in King Edward Hospital. She leaves £890 6s. 8d. to her son Langton.
Final Words
I feel I need to make some sort of concluding statement. I doubt that "adultery" was unusual at this time (any more than it is now). Both men were in the military at a time when the country was at war, meaning the men would have spent time overseas or stationed at barracks in England, but away from home. I do feel sorry for Dorothy as she wanted to put Edward's affair behind her and for the two of them to make a home for their boys again (though they obviously went to boarding school). There has clearly been some trouble in Dorothy and Edward's marriage which has created increasing pressure and contributed to the situation. There is no hint at the state of marriage between William and Mary and, in this case, it is the wife who was having the affair. The only one to come out of the whole situation worse off is Dorothy. Although she received maintenance for the rest of her and Edward's life, she did not re-marry and was probably not making ends meet due to the 3 lodgers listed with her and her mother in 1939. Mary lived the longest and left a small sum compared to Mary.
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