Passing

This Mr.M typing just a quick note to say Ladkyis passed away of Friday

Edward James Charles Sinclair

I can't give you a picture because I don't have one. Perhaps Len and Bren have one in their collection or Bernard and Veronica, or Andy and Jayne or even Gareth as he has his mother's photographs.

It's funny how your mine wanders isn't it? Mine sometimes disappears for days. Well, I was watching a BBC programme called The Repair Shop where people took their most treasured artifact to experts and they repaired and restored them and I wondered if I should give it a go and have the painting that my Dad said was done by Joseph Hennah repaired. This set up a train of thought, bear with me

Dad always described the painting as "Done by Joseph Hennah, he was Joan Sinclair's father."
Now as anyone with the slightest interest in family history will tell you those words - he was Joan Sinclair's father - will get the researching tastebuds flowing. So I had a little look. you can look here for some of Joseph Hennah's paintings if you like. They are lovely.

Now for the research bit.
Joseph E Hennah was born 12 Jan 1896 to George and Mary Ann Hennah and in 1911 he is age 15 and living with his parents and siblings at 20 Raglan Street Newport. For those who don't know Newport this is in the area known as Pill. At some time in the dim and distant past this was welshified to Pillgwenlly. probably because the name for an inlet in an estuary is called in English a Pill - in fact there is a village on the estuary of the River Avon near Bristol called Pill. I digress.
In the 1911 census Joseph is a Light worker. His father is a ship painter and his older brother Charles is an Iron Ore worker. I wonder if they worked across the river at Orb works ... again I digress.

Edward James Charles Sinclair was born in 1917 and his birth was registered in Romford, Essex. I know, that was a surprise to me too. We know his father was in the merchant Navy and died at sea in WW1
Joan Dorothea Hennah was born 5 March 1921 to Joseph E Hennah and Muriel Hughes who had married in the same quarter of 1921. I haven't bought the certificate because spending a tenner just to see how long before the baby was born they married is not something I need to do ... where was I? oh yes.

Edward and Joan married in the September Quarter (june, July or August) 1939 in Caerleon. Mon. They were living at the home of Joseph and Muriel 215 Christchurch road and Edward was working at the British Aluminium Works. until he joined up in 1940. He joined the Royal Artillery.
Some time after the war Joan was admitted to St Cadoc's hospital. This was the Mental hospital for Newport and the surroundings, and she lived there for a long time.
I don't remember meeting her as a small child although my Dad said I did. I remember her being at Jackie and Robert's wedding and everyone being slightly embarrassed because they didn't know how to talk to her. that was 1965. She went back to the hospital and then was found a flat in the community and she died in 1978 and Edward died in 1986.
I still don't know if I should get the painting repaired but it was an interesting afternoon doing the rersearch.

Definitive Proof

Remember me telling you that Daniel John Guilfoyle Seymour was a little liar and he had userped his brother's name to marry for the third time while not bothering to end either of the first two marriages?

Well!

You might think that this is just me reshowing the picture from the fabled scrapbook but look at the second picture and you can see what is written on the back. This is the uniform of the Merchant Navy. We know Daniel was in the merchant service because I have showed you his registration card with a picture.

This picture was sent to Muriel, oldest child of Margaret Annie Guilfoyle and Frederic Gibbon and as you can see Daniel is calling himself Uncle Charlie. He says it was taken in 1919, well that fits with him going back to sea. I am just so pleased to have seen this picture - thank you cousin Gareth for allowing me to copy it.

 He has medals on his chest but I have no idea if he is really entitled to wear them. He does look like his mother, he has her deep-set eyes. and I can see Cousin Travis in the line of the mouth - and I think that is like his father (Daniel's not Travis')

I just couldn't wait to share these with you. I might have a couple more surprises but first I need to talk to Gareth

More pictures from the past

Our Cousin Domini has sent me some pictures of her family - parents and siblings.

Domini "rock and rolling with a family friend in Greece in 1956

Domini is the eldest child of Mary Josephine Guilfoyle and Michael Wilson. They married in 1944.
Mary Josephine is the Daughter of Charles Seymour Aaron Guilfoyle and Mary Breen who married in North Wales in 1914.
Charles Seymour Aaron Guilfoyle is the youngest son of Charles John Guilfoyle Seymour and Elizabeth "Bessie" Nathan.
" Aaaah" I hear you say, "That's the connection".

Domini and Anthony

 Yes, it is and if you are really interested I can send you a PDF version of the family tree and you can see for yourselves the convoluted twists and turns of these branches. I hope some of you take me up on this offer

Mary Josephine, charleston girl

I am hoping that Domini will find time between her travels to tell us more about her and her family. She has children, but she hasn't given me details yet - not that I am pushing you understand, but I am just .............. curious, yes that's it I am curious. I am NOT being nosey I just want to make the family tree more complete OK?

Mary Josephine with Domini

 Can you see any family likeness? I can, but I could be just wishing it. There is a certain bone structure that seems to shine through. Until now I have assumed it comes from the Bessie Nathan side but now I realise that I need to know more about the Guilfoyle side. This means tackling the Irish roots and I simply don't know where to start.

Wedding picture of Michael Wilson and Mary Josephine Guilfoyle 1944

 I believe Charles John Guilfoyle was born around 1850, give or take a year or two. Official registration of births didn't begin in Ireland until the 1870s and my searches for the baptism of a Charles John with a father called Daniel have not found anything but that could be because of several reasons
a) I am not looking in the right place
b) Catholic registers have not been digitised for every parish in Ireland.
c)I am useless at finding stuff

Tim and Anthony

Tim, Domini, Deidre, Anthony at Blarney Castle

With a bit of luck something will allow me to find a small kernel of information and that will open the flood gates.
Enjoy the pictures and let me know if you want a copy of the family tree

Photos from 1976

I am just going to name the people in each picture. From left to right in each picture

First Row: Peter Gibbon, Michael Smith (seated), Mark Smith (seated), Alan McDade (tiny child in blue top
Next Row: Richard Gibbon (blue sweater), Brenda Baggott (Yellow top), Debra Cox nee Baggott (red top), Muriel Baggott, Louisa Duckham, Pat Duckham with Gareth Duckham in front of her, Joan Gibbon nee McDade with Kerry Gibbon in front of her, Phyllis Gibbon with Rhona Gibbon in front of her, Fred Gibbon.
Back Row: Leonard Baggott, Peter McDade, John Duckham, Bernard Gibbon, Dennis Gibbon, Russell Gibbon

 Louisa Duckham with Gareth held tightly in front of her, Richard Gibbon, Peter Gibbon Debra Cox nee Baggott with Mark Smith racing across in front of her, Andrea Roberts nee Smith with Alan McDade in front of her, Michelle Jones, Kerry Gibbon, Matthew Jones, Sarah Jones, Hilmer Carlson with Mary Carlson nee Gibbon in front of him

 Front row: Michael Smith in the go cart. Mark Smith, Gareth Duckham, Kerry Gibbon, Rhona Gibbon
Next Row:Marjorie Gibbon, Louisa Duckham, Pat Duckham, Ann Macey nee Gibbon, Yvonne Jones nee Carlson holding Matthew Jones, Phyllis Gibbon.
Back Row: Debra Cox nee Baggott, Leonard Baggott, John Duckham, Russell Gibbon, Mary Carlson, Dennis Gibbon, Hilmer Carlson, Joan Gibbon nee Dwyer, Richard Gibbon

 Richard Gibbon with Mark Smith on his back, Peter Gibbon, Andrea Roberts nee Smith with Alan McDade on her shoulders, Debra Cox nee Baggott, Sarah Jones, Michelle Jones

 Joanna Graham nee Jeffries, Val Jeffries nee Gibbon, Paul Carlson

 Back row: Paul Carlson, Ann Carlson nee Pinnell, Colin Carlson
Front row: Mark Smith, Peter Gibbon, Andrea Smith

 Michael Smith, Richard Gibbon, Mark Smith, Andrea Roberts nee Smith

 Seated Peter Gibbon, Michael Smith, Richard Gibbon, Andrea Roberts
Standing The shoulder of Ann Carlson, The back of Bernard Gibbon, Marjorie Gibbon

 You should know these faces by now

 Standing: Ann Carlson, Joan Gibbon nee McDade, Marjorie Gibbon, Ann Macey nee Gibbon

 The look on my face says someone is not behaving

 Peter blowing out the candles for his 12th birthday

 See that blue and white china? it all got smashed when the dresser fell over in their new house

Richard Gibbon, Paul Carlson Andrea Roberts nee Smith, Michael Smith, Mark Smith, Peter Gibbon.

These pictures have been hiding in an album in Peter's home for the last 40 years and now, with today's technology we can all share them. If anyone has any other pictures of these two days could you consider sharing them with us. If you have any family group pictures I would love to see them too and then to share them here and in the newsletter

Memory Making - to the next Generation

Last night we attended a Promise Ceremony. Miss Boo made her Promise as a Girl Guide. This was made even more special by the fact that her Mum is the Guide Leader for the Company and this unit was started because there was nowhere for the girls to go when they were too old for Brownie Guides.

 I was so proud of both of them.

 It was made even more poignant by the memories this evoked. You see Waaaay back in 1975 when Andrea was ten She moved up from Brownies to Guides and was thrilled to be leaving me behind. I was an assistant leader for the Brownies.. Two weeks later I had a phone call from the District Commissioner telling me that if I didn't take over the Guides then it would close.
Andrea was distinctly annoyed by this but my good friend Viv agreed to help and we had an arrangement that I would be the one to talk to her daughters and she would talk to mine. As the Leader I was the one to stand in front of them while they made their promise.

 There was home made cake! Made by Andrea and really delicious. Trefoil shaped because of the Girl Guide badge. and a perfect shade of Guide blue

Seeing Miss Boo Standing beside her mother helping her and watching as she made her promise meant that all those happy times at meetings and at camp came flooding back. So special. So proud of my Girl Guides

Some pictures of New Cousins

This is so exciting. Allow me to introduce our newly connected cousin Dale Reed HERLING, and his family. Dale is the son on Harry Lewis Edward Holder. He is married to Evelyn and they have a daugher Wendy. 

Evelyn Herling, Dale Herling, Kevin Krause, Wendy Krause

 It is through Wendy and the marvels of Ancestry DNA that we have connected. Wendy is married to Kevin KRAUSE and they have a daughter Breanne.

Breanne Krause

 More beautiful ladies connecting to our family. I think I have worked this out correctly to see where the generations connect Dale is the same generation as Travis, Roxanne, Renaye, Pat (Alice's daughter) and me! So Wendy is the generation of my children and .............. well you get the picture.

Wendy Herling Krause, Breanne Krause, Keving Krause

And what a delightful picture this one is. I am sure that our other newly connected cousin Kesha and the rest of that branch will be thrilled to know that this family continues to expand.
On behalf of all your cousins spread across the world I would like to say Welcome Dale and family, we have found you and we don't intend losing you again.