Towyna Thomas

[carol8353]

Sorry for not giving the full extract to avoid confusion.

THOMAS-STAURENGHI. - First anniversary of the marriage of Towyn Thomas to Miss Sylvia Staurenghi at Stapleford Parish Church, Notts. July 18, 1905. Thanks for the numerous congratulations.

Either the marriage was not registered, is missing from the index, or, as Roy suggests, it may have been a fabrication to make their relationship respectable.

The only way to be certain might be to look at the parish register. Perhaps a posting on the Nottinghamshire board might help.

Alternatively, contact the church - http://www.staplefordparish.org.uk

Regards,

David

Ahaha first anniversary- that makes more sense with the dates 

I think the whole of their announcements were a load of fibs and that they didn't marry till 1925 as Roy and I both found yesterday.Maybe one had been married before?

The son John was born c 1900 in South Africa,but given the surname Thomas.

[dcbnwh]

Another notice:-

Marriage

THOMAS-SADLER - At Hanover Square London, August 27th, 1927, Jack, son of Towyn and Sylvia Thomas to Ivy Ethel Sadler of Dorking.

Note that the index gives his name as John C L Staurenghi.

David

[dcbnwh]

And another:-

From - The Stage 22 November 1951

A SAD PASSING

Conductor of Ramsgate Victory Male Voice Choir, Proffessor William Towyn Thomas has died, age 81...took up residnce in Ramsgate 19 years ago...

In 1939 he is the keeper of a second hand book shop in Ramsgate, born 3 Sep 1870.
Sylvis B (A?) was born 30 Oct 1884.

Sylvia A Thomas death recorded Q1 1952 Thanet District age 67

David

[dcbnwh]

In 1901 there is this family in Fulham:-

John H Staurenghi - Married 44 b 1857 Agent For South Africa General b Wales
Agnes Mundy - Married 21 b 1880 Living On Own Means b Birmingham, Warwickshire,
John Mundy - Single Male 1 b 1900 b South Africa
D'Arcy Stanfield Visitor Single Male 9 1892 - Australia
Ernest Stanfield Visitor Single Male 7 1894 - Australia

Agnes and John seem to match the deatils of Towyn's family but why the surname?

John Henry Staurenghi died in Fulham District Q1 1902

David

[carol8353]

Well found- What a confusing family !!!

Carol

[dcbnwh]

Just found another:-

J H Staurenghi left Southampton on 24th September 1898 on the 'Scott'. The next entry is a Miss Munday.

I can't find such a person born in Birmingham.

David

[Roy G]

From that we deduce that Agnes (aka Silvia) had a husband and a son before she entered into a relationship with Towyn Thomas.  In order to find Towyna's birth in 1908, perhaps she was registered in her mother's maiden name of Munday!
Roy G

[dcbnwh]

From 'The Era' 9 May 1908

Birth:-

Thomas: - On April 30. the wife of Towyn Thomas (Royal Welsh Singers), professinoally known as Miss Sylvia Staurenghi, of a fine daughter (Towyna). Both doing well.

Unfortunately, it doesn't say where and I can't find any details in the birth index.

Images for her immigration, naturalization and death in the USA are on Familysearch. They all have the same birth date.

It sounds as though Agnes/Sylvia may not have been married to John Stuarenghi and may just have used his surname as a stage name.

The only Agnes Munday of about the right age, who I can find, was the wife of a Thomas John Munday. There are newspaper articles about the break up of her marriage in 1896 in which she was descibed as a young girl of nearly 18.
She was actualy Agnes Daives who married Munday in 1895.

This was in South Wales but the censuses state that she was born in Birmingham. There is a possible match:

- https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27N-JNZJ

- https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J7VV-NLZ

It may not be the right person but John Staurenghi was also from South Wales.

David

[Roy G]

Thanks David

Yes, I also found  .... Thomas: - On April 30. the wife of Towyn Thomas (Royal Welsh Singers), professinoally known as Miss Sylvia Staurenghi, etc. 
And like you, cant find any supporting details in the birth index, so feel it to be a fabrication.

I have also seen details of her immigration, naturalization and death in the USA, but am told there are also a few under her married surname of Dolly or Daly which I have yet to find.

Having a son who was born in South Africa, makes it difficult to check whether Agnes/Sylvia may have been married to John Stuarenghi or not for it may have been a marriage in South Africa.

The Agnes Munday of about the right age, who broke up from Thomas John Munday, would be worth following up. It will complicate things further if she subsequently turns out to be the Agnes Davies who married Munday in 1895.

Here is another poser.
There is a newspaper report from 1917, saying a Towyna Thomas was singing soprano at a concert.   It does not say that it was a 9 year old Towyna, so were there 2 of them in the field of entertainment, (one being at least a decade older than the other)?

Re the photo of Towyna,
Every time I look at it I still get the gut feeling that someone has stuck a face on another set of shoulders.  Furthermore, I have reports from 1927 and 1929 that 18 year old Towyna received head (facial?) injuries after a car crash, so I also wonder if the photo had been doctored to conceal any scaring.  I feel it is most unusual that no other images have survived, for someone involved in the theatre usually circulates hundreds of images of themselves, for those images often gain them future employment.

Regards Roy G.