John Daniel Guilfoyle

Charlie and Fani 1939.
(original picture with cousin Pat)

John Daniel Guilfoyle Seymourwas born on December 16th 1878  at 125 London Road, Southwark.

His birth was registered on 25th January 1879 just two days before the six weeks grace allowed between the birth and the registration. He was registered by his Grandfather John Nathan and it would seem that he believed that Bessie and Charles were married at this time.  They didn’t get married until 1st March 1879 when they were in Liverpool.

I have found John Daniel on the 1881 Census for Scotland. With his parents and sister Harriet. I have not found any other mention of him until  the1891 census when he is living at  5 Halley St, Chorlton-on-Medlock with his sisters Harriet and Margaret and brother Charles and a housekeeper.

Ten years later Bessie has opened the Fancy  Goods Bazaar on Cardiff road, Newport, but she has only put herself and daughter Margaret on the census.

On 30th August 1905 John Daniel married Josefa Gutiere at the Register Office, Newport. They both give their address as 44 Cardiff Road (living above the shop) He gives his father’s name as Guilfoyle Seymour (deceased) Theatrical Actor and her father is Joseph Gutiere, farmer.

This must be the Spanish girl that Aunty Mu told us about.

Less than two years later, on 8th January 1907  Daniel Guilfoyle Seymour get married to Luise Braun in Chertsey. He says that his father is Charles Seymour  a shopkeeper.  Now I am pretty sure that this is “our” John Daniel . Now he is a mechanic and when we realise that motor cars were beginning to arrive - Rolls Royce were just getting started - it just feels right.

They had a child called Karl Daniel  1st June 1913 in 7 Back, 65 Hurst Street Birmingham—probably those now famous back-to-back houses. Daniel was an motor Omnibus Driver.  On 12 September 1913 Karl Daniel died age three months. The father’s name is given as John Daniel Guilfoyle  and they have moved to Petwyn Street Stoke-on-Trent.

Charles Guilfoyle married Fani Robini in St Pancras, London. He says his occupation is Assistant Cinema Operator and his father is Samuel Guilfoyle  a compositor. Once again I am 99% certain that this is “our” John Daniel. I think he then got a job  as a steward on the ships and when he saw what America had to offer he emigrated - sending for Fani later. He lied about his age when he married her saying he was 30  when he was actually 42. I cannot find another Charles Guilfoyle on any census. I can't find a John Daniel on any census either.

I think I have finally unravelled the Uncle Charlie in America mystery