Author Topic: David Colbron Man of Mystery  (Read 7774 times)

Offline Craig Semplis

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David Colbron Man of Mystery
« on: Monday 03 February 14 00:57 GMT (UK) »
David Colbron was my Grandad on my mother's side (*) from Edinburgh. He was a quiet man some would say too quiet. He started going courting my granny Edith Colbron and she was smitten with him then for TEN YEARS he disappered no word no nothing until one night he just turned up on her door and they started going out as tho nothing had changed and as thou it had been merely a few days since last they saw each other. The family have no idea what happened to him or WHY? When he was younger he loved his music and we have a photo of him with The Evening Follies I've tried over the years but have reached a dead end about them he is on the left playing the guitar Hawaiian style even tho there must be other people with this photo and his other love was the sea and boats. He was in the Royal Navy during WW2 training at The Butlins camp at Skegness called HMS (ROYAL) Arthur (a Stone Frigate shore based) navel camp then was at Chatham but never was at sea due to his age. He had a stroke in later years and got into trouble with the courts I think for putting suger into cars. If anyone could help or solve this nagging mystery I would be most grateful as my mother now has the start of a sort of dementia so its important to me please help Scotland thankyou.

*Living? , info. removed
Semplis not many of us about.

Offline loobylooayr

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #1 on: Monday 03 February 14 11:20 GMT (UK) »
Hi Craig and welcome to Rootschat,

Firstly can I say what two fantastic photographs you have of your Granddad. I particularly love the photo of "The Evening Follies". You are very lucky to have such a great pic of David.
Secondly, can I advise you that it would be best to amend your post and remove your Mum's name as Rootschat's term's and conditions do not allow any info (names/d.o.b/marriage details etc) on living people.

Now back to David...have you an idea of his date of birth? Was he living in Edinburgh when he met your Granny? Have you considered that David could have been overseas for the missing ten years. Was the "Evening Follies" photograph taken when your Granny was courting him/ married to him or do you believe it was taken during his missing years?

This is not going to be an easy mystery to solve  :)
Good luck with your search,
Looby :)

Offline loobylooayr

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #2 on: Monday 03 February 14 11:33 GMT (UK) »
Looking at your photograph again David. (amended- Sorry- Craig :-[ )
Could the "Follies" be entertainers on cruise ships/transatlantic liners?
Maybe you've already considered that and tried to research it. ;)
Looby :)

Offline ev

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #3 on: Monday 03 February 14 14:23 GMT (UK) »
Hi all ,

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/  has several references to "Reg. Maddox's 1936/1937 Evening Follies". No idea if that's connected.

Did David and Edith marry in their late 30's ?

It might be that David was in the Navy when he was younger and was called up again when WW2 started ?
It may be worth posting on our Armed Forces board to find out how you would obtain his Naval records.


ev
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Offline loobylooayr

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #4 on: Monday 03 February 14 20:53 GMT (UK) »
Hi Craig,
There was a man called Reg Maddox who was the lessee/management of The Theatre Royal in Bath in 1938 according to    http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/theatres/show/544-theatre-royal-ii-bath

Reg was probably involved with this theatre for many years and actually died at the theatre in 1948 - http://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/page/3041/The+Butterfly .
His son Frank was also involved with the theatre.

Looby :)

Offline Craig Semplis

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #5 on: Tuesday 04 February 14 00:06 GMT (UK) »
First things first WOW thankyou for your promp responce to my post and opps sorry for my slip up got carried away with excitement at the thought of maybe solving huge parts missing in my grandad's life. I should maybe also have said he had at least one sister in Edinburgh but something happened way back in time because every sunday he would take my mum out all over midlothian until she was 14ish and they had a great time, but this one time in mid summer they were out and it was very hot as they were near to his sisters house they went and knocked on the door, my grandad asked if they could have a glass of water, his sister agreed but as they went to step in side she told them to wait at the door. She went to get the water watched them drink it and closed the door in their faces my grandad was sooo afronted he vowed never to speak to them again - and he never did. Some BIG family bust up I guess but I will never know, though its strange to think I have other close family in Edinburgh who've I've never met and did they never wonder what happened to David as he died in 1979 i think. Another point to make is granny and granded married quite late in life 30+ I think in 1940 and he was in the navy after they met the second time. I have of course thought the other reason he left was due to at their majesty's pleasure. To All who viewed and especially all who took the time to reply BIG Thanks from Craig
Semplis not many of us about.

Offline ev

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #6 on: Tuesday 04 February 14 09:24 GMT (UK) »
Craig , from what you have and looking at http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ......

David Colbron / Edith Todd marriage 1944 Midlothian(not available online).

David Colbron death 1980 Midlothian , born c1907(not available online).

David Colbron birth 1906 Midlothian.


Edith Colbron(other surname Todd) death 1984 Midlothian , born c1907(not available online).

http://www.deceasedonline.com/ Edith Colbron death 12th July 1984 , cremated 14th July 1984 Warriston Crematorium (Edinburgh).

Not sure about this one , maybe the spelling of the surname is incorrect  :-\
David COLBAIN , death 1st July 1980 cremated 4th July 1980  Warriston Crematorium (Edinburgh)


ev
Census information Crown copyright , All Census information from transcriptions - check original records , Familysearch/IGI is a finding tool only - check original records

Offline Craig Semplis

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 04 February 14 16:20 GMT (UK) »
To Both Looby AND ev not sure how to thank you enough for ur replys. But BIG Thankyou to u both, thanks for ur interest I'm way south in Kent and only get home once a year if I'm lucky to stay with whats left of my family in Edinburgh. By chance do any of you know how I could find out about Grandads sibling (s) regards Craig
Semplis not many of us about.

Offline Annette7

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Re: David Colbron Man of Mystery
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 04 February 14 19:45 GMT (UK) »
I had a few spare credits for Scotlands People - David Forrester Colbron b.8/10/1906 at 40 Tenement Street, Leith, Midlothian - son of James Thompson Colbron, Warehouseman, and Ellen Cumming Sinclair married 28/4/1892 Leith.

However, they actually married 28/4/1893 - James Colbron, Warehouseman aged 21, son of George Colbron, Clerk (deceased) and Jane McComb - Ellen C. Sinclair 16, dau. of James Sinclair, Iron Moulder and Helen Livingstone.

I am only able to view transcript of Scottish census for 1901 -

Leith, Midlothian

James Colbron    29     born Kelso, Roxburghshire
Ellen Colbron     23      born Dunfermline, Fife 
Ellen Colbron     7        born Leith     (birth registered as Helen Livingstone 1893)
Jane Colbron     5           ditto           (birth registered as Jane Livingston 1895)
James Colbron   1           ditto           (birth registered as James Thompson 1900)

You'll need to buy credits on Scotlands People to view 1911 census but looks like they have been incorrectly transcribed as CALDORN.

Believe that they also had a son Joseph Sinclair 1902, David Forrester 1906 and Mark Thompson 1908.    There may well have been more after Mark as Ellen (or Helen) only ca.31 when he was born.   There were 5 Colbron births registered between 1911 and 1921 at Leith South:

Florence Elfird (?) 1911
Irma Milne 1915
Eliza 1917
William Richard  1919
John Green 1920

Any (or indeed all) could be siblings of David.

You'll find with Scottish records that there are often variants on Christian names as with Ellen (or Helen) above so please be aware of this.

Annette



           
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