I may as well post this as it may trigger some memories ...
"A successful young tailor, and his wife, both from Pitminster in Somerset, moves to Bristol and then on to Manchester ( to follow his successful cousins who had moved earlier ). He and his wife suffer the loss of two
young children, a son dies at 21 years, business fails due to competition and industrialisation, arguments rise, he leaves for America, the ships sinks and Isaac drowns ( The "Glamorgan" Built 1872. In Service 1879-1883 chartered from South Wales Atlantic Co. 2,411 tons. Sank 16 February 1883 - Liverpool to Boston. Loss of 7 lives ), his wife is left penniless, two younger children sent to the Workhouse ( including Edward, my grandfather ). Edward learns the cornet and plays in the band at the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal - he gets a half-crown and a pint of ale "from" Queen Victoria. The two daughters find husbands in Manchester. My great grandmother ( Hannah ) and her young sons ( George, Charles and Edward ) move to Kingston upon Hull, the two eldest marry locally. Charles and his family moved to Grimsby. Charles became a minesweeper deck hand on HMS Actaeon, during the Great War and died 14/11/1919 on the Steam Trawler "Theban" Age: 45 Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Forward; husband of Emily Wilkinson (formerly Forward, nee Rowan), of Back 37, Kent St., Grimsby. His memorial is at Tower Hill, London, because he was lost at sea. Edward works on coastal boats, landing in Penzance
and meeting a Cornish girl, and they marry and have 10 children, one of which was my father. Edward joins the local Fire brigade; he signs up for the Royal Navy
in the Great War, suffers injuries as a result of which he returns to work in Penzance on the coal carts; he dies at the age of 47 as a result of his injuries and the effects
of the coal dust. This leaves my grandmother penniless and struggling ...."
Best Wishes, treeve
