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WARNING - long story!

I have finally uncovered most of the story of my aunt by marriage's grandfather. It is not what she was expecting (and I don't yet know if I will actually tell her the detail as she is 85 years old. Decision on that is on hold!) However, I can not yet gain closure and would appreciate thoughts:

OK - William Leader Massingham is born Dec Q 1865 Mutford (Lowestoft) Suffolk 4a.649 (and Bpt 1867) parents Robert and Elizabeth.

1871 and 1881 is in Lowestoft with parents, siblings and extended family.

Mar Q 1891 marries Helen Elizabeth O Gibbons in Norwich 4b.220.

1891 census is boarding, with wife Helen in John Street, Norwich.

Mar Q 1892 daughter Kathleen Elizabeth Massingham is born, Norwich 4b.163. mmn Gibbons

Mar Q 1894 daughter Maud Massingham is born, Norwich 4b.190. mmn Gibbons

Mar Q 1898 a daughter is born Croydon 2a.242, Elizabeth Leader Massingham. She is reg with mmn Gibbons, but I am almost certain (in absence of the actual certificate but going on aunt's family knowledge and further census evidence) that she is the daughter of William L Massingham and Ellen Booth nee Parker.

1901 census: William  Massingham (who says he is born Italy - where on earth that came from no-one knows!) is at 55 New Road, Southampton, a Clerk, with "wife" Ellen b. Ireland, and daughter Elizabeth age 2. He is a Furniture Shop Asst.

1901 census: Helen Massingham nee Gibbons is at 43 Warwick St, Norwich, married, with her widowed mother, a sister and the 2 daughters, Kathleen and Maud.

1911 things become interesting:

1. William Leonard Leader Massingham is now at 2 Princes Place, Oxford St, Portsmouth is supposedly Single, aged 41 (!) and a Chartered Accountant.

2. Helen Massingham nee Gibbons is still in Norwich, with her mother, a different sister, and her 2 daughters. Says married  20 yrs (correct), with 2 children, both living (correct).

3. Ellen, now reverted to married name of Booth, is boarding, along with daughter Elizabeth Massingham 12yrs with a single Irish Dock Labourer Peter O'Connor in Fleetwood, Lancs. She says she is married, 23 years (correct, she married (Adam) James Booth in 1888 in Farnborough) and 1 child (correct, she did not have any children of her legal marriage). BTW Ellen Booth's husband Adam James Booth lives to 1949 and dies in Camberwell - I think!

08 Apr 1911 - William Massingham leaves Southampton on the St Louis bound for New York.

17 Apr 1911 - Wm Leonard L Massingham, Accountant, age 41 (!), last residence Portsmouth arrives New York. Gives Next of Kin address in UK as 1 Meadow St, Portsmouth, with no name.

07 Sep 1915  William L Massingham (who has now aged to only 42yrs) marries Elise V Arnollin in Chicago, Cook Co, Illinois. She is 29yrs.

Dec 1918 - US Draft - William Leader Massingham is at 813 Rush Street, Chicago, with wife Elise. He is a  Book-keeper.

Feb 1925 - Elise Victorine Massingham applies for  US Naturalisation and states she is married to William, whereabouts unknown.

Dec 1927 - Elise Massingham completes her Naturalisation, stating that she is now divorced from William, whereabouts still unknown.

1930 Census - Elise Massingham is divorced, Shade Maker (Factory), living with 2 Roomers in Chicago.

So that is what I know so far, and have documentation to prove.

Can anyone fill in the gaps and/or tell me what happened to the cad William Massingham?

Ellen

Attached photo may be of Alexander MacKay b.1867 in Talmine, Sutherland, Scotland.

Would be obliged if it could be approx dated, and if anyone has a clue as to the uniform.

Thanks for any help.

Ellen

Hi Everyone.

My friend is in possession of a WW1 medal which does not belong to her family, so we want to try to get it to its rightful owners/descendants. We have no idea of any connection to my friend's family, so will give none of those details for now as probably irrelevant.

The medal is 1914-1918 Victory Medal inscribed: W E Thornber 267325 Ches.R.

I now have the Medal Card from A******y - gives a little more detail:  christian name (s) William.E. and an additional service no: 470932, Labour Corps. There is no 1914 or 1915 Star, so likely that he served from 1916 or later.

I also have the medal roll, which gives his christian names as William Ewart (surname still Thornber). No sign of anything on CWGC, so looks likely he survived the war.

Have also done a check on Forces War Records with no obvious results.

So far so good.

I can find only 2 births of William Ewart Thornbers in England/Wales of an age to have served.

A) William Ewart Thornber, b.Sep Qtr 1896 Burnley, son of Wilfred E E Thornber and his wife Emma Wilkinson.
I don't think this is the chappie, as it looks as though he is the one who served in the Royal Marines, service no 955, who signed up 20 July 1915. His birth date of 08 July 1896 is two days out (should be 10 July) on the Marines record from F*P, but it gives next of kin as mother Emma, so it looks like him.

B) William Ewart Thornber, b. Jun Qtr 1876 Burnley, son of Caleb Thornber and his wife Martha Ingham. There is no evidence as yet that this is NOT the guy, BUT, he is from a prominent and wealthy family. His father Caleb was Mayor of Burnley twice, and bequeathed the cash for Burnley War Memorial and various Trusts in the town. This William Ewart Thornber died on 21 Mar 1923 and left over £118,000 in his will. His youngest sister was married to a Lt Col Cecil Gustaves Bradley, DSO. It seems highly unlikely therefore that William (who was also a married man with a child and approaching 40 years of age) would have served as a private in the war.

All thoughts on progress so far very welcome.

I think I'm going to have to start on all the William E Thornber and William Thornber births - of which there are a substantial number!

All help to get this medal home would be appreciated.  (I'm from the north of Scotland btw, so not   local to Lancashire/Cheshire)

Ellen

Hi all

I am trying to place a Joseph Packman who shows in the Otago area from around 1868 to at least 1885.  I think he may be an ancestor who disappeared from Scotland sometime between 1859 and 1861.

He is showing on the Otago Nominal Index 1868-1876 at Naseby, and 1876-7 at Eweburn.

There is also a mention of him importing a horse from Melbourne in the North Otago Times on 20 Nov 1885.

If anyone can help in any way ie; how old he was, married? where he came from, went to!!  I'd be very much obliged.

Cheers

Ellen