Eastbourne 1936 ocklynge

[valerie1]

Hi Mark
Well it turns out that this was not my grandmothers sister, but my grandmothers aunt, my cousin was so greatfull for the info but insists that Alfred was working in Harley Street but he was known as Mr and not Dr, I an trying to find his will as I believe my grandmother Jane O'Brien nee Horan of Dublin benefited from this as she did own her own house, which was a rare thing in the early 1900,s unless you came from money.

Any way my cousin asked me to pass on there thanks

Best regards

Valerie

[William2005]

Dear Valerie,
                     i would be grateful for information regarding Jeannie Burns. The saga surrounding her life with James Poole Wagstaff at Potton Manor was much talked about and she was regarded as a great benefactor to the village folk.  I have known for a number of years that she died in Eastbourne but only these last few days found exact details, and more information regarding her husband, Alfred Gibson Jalland.

As a result of proving the connection between the various branches of my Wagstaff family here in Bedfordshire, i was intrigued to read the various newspaper reports and the contest for the Wagstaff fortune the James had bestowed on her and although revoked, the trial judge allowed her to inherit as "his common law" wife.

Roger

[valerie1]

Hello Roger,

Got your message and will ask my cousin if he has any more info for you, I may have missed something but you speak of James ? should I know this name.
 I think my cousin will be intrested in you message he has always wondered about our grandmothers luck, to own a small house in Dublin when times were hard, we knew that one of her relations had sent the money home or left it to her.
Regards Val

[William2005]

The James that I mentioned was a distant relative on my mother's side of the Wagstaff family. He had met Alfred Gibson Jalland's wife, who later went to his home as Housekeeper. Some months later her persuaded her to marry him, both knowing of her previous marriage. They lived as man and wife until his death in 1903, she inheriting his fortune of approx £174.000. In 1906 she confessed to bigamy and the following year the court case was heard regarding the contesting of the will by James's cousins. The judge found in her favour and on her death she left £50,000.

I found  all of these details a few years after starting my researches into my mother's Wagstaff family.

Its only recently that i found the details of her death and now the details of her husband's death and their  burial  at Eastbourne. I had been told that she died at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne but had no idea that she had reverted to her proper married name of Jalland. ( I do have details of the court proceedings and a copy of James Poole Wagstaff's will. Also the case made local and national headlines. I have some copies of the newspaper reports too) She was well thought of in the village of Potton, and it would be fantastic if your cousin has photographs of her and Alfred that could be copied. I would like to pass copies to Potton Historical Society who were so helpful with my initial inquiries in the 1970's.  I began my researches in 1965, but since my retirement in 2007 have been spending more time to fill in gaps and make further progress.

If I can be of help in any way, do let me know.

Roger.

PS. James and his wife had a daughter but she died after a few months. There is a monument to her in Potton Churchyard.

[William2005]

Valerie,
              The Jalland mystery seems to be continuing. I have found Alfred Gibson Jalland and his wife Josephine, in the 1911 Census, living at 65 De Parys Avenue, Bedford. With them is an adopted daughter, Dorothy Josephine Wagstaff, aged 11 years, born in Liverpool.

Roger.

[valerie1]

Hi Roger,

Before calling Dublin I need to get my head around this mystery, are you saying Josephine was married once before she married Alfred?

Your relative knew this and was happy to live as man and wife, if she was married before was it to an Irish man.

Now your second post has turned up and I am very confused (this is not hard for me) LOL.

If you send me a list of questions I will be happy to put them to my cousin for answers and will ask about a photo but they asked me to find out about Alfred as they did not know much about him they found a business card in one of Josephines relatives house some years ago, I expect they know more about Josephine as she was our relatives

I love family history, do you think she said Alfred was dead then got involved took the money and went back to Alfred how did James die ?

We are a good catholic family you know so don't want any skeletons turning up Ha Ha.
What you going to turn up next, I have kinda stop ed my family history so many brick walls but you are wetting my appetite again.
Noted you live in Bedford I only live about 15 miles from there, keep me updated not contacting Dublin yet need story straight in my mind.
Regards Val

[valerie1]

When James met her was she a widow of Alfred ?

[William2005]

Hello Valerie, Well, if you're 15 miles from bedford, i am just about 8 miles from bedford - living close to Northill, where my Wagstaffs moved to, from Potton.

I don't appear to be able to send you a link so that you can read one of the online articles that will give you the basic details of the saga.

Jane Josephine met James Wagstaff after she had her husband had parted. She told James that alfred left her on their wedding night..... the marriage between james and josephine is recorded at St George's Church, Bloomsbury, 21 December.

I am not sure if its allowed to add an email address here, but  I can be reached through the website chicksandspriory.co.uk as I am the chairman and historian of the friends of chicksands priory.

[William2005]

You asked me about questions, so here goes.

i would like to know the parentage of Jane Josephine Burns to add to the family tree, and more especially if there exists any photographs of her and Alfred G. Jalland that i could have a copy of.

I have not found a photograph of James Poole Wagstaff so far.

Does your cousin know what happened to his aunt between, say for example, 1911 and 1935 when she died?

I would have presumed that any part of the Wagstaff fortune which was left in 1935, would have gone to the male heirs of James Wagstaff.

To be honest, anything that your cousin cares to share with me would be splendid. I can still hardly believe that after all these years information is coming up.

i am now wondering what happened to the adopted daughter - the name of Wagstaff suggests that the child was adopted after James's death in 1903 and before Josephine reverted to her real married name, Jalland.

Have you been to Eastbourne, and is there a gravestone in the cemetary? I certainly will have to visit the place for myself as soon as I can.

James was not Catholic, but a member of the Church of England.

From what I understand of Mrs Jalland, and of the good works that she did, certainly in Potton if not elsewhere, that she was in fact responsible for providing the funds for your relative to buy the house in Ireland. She was known in the district as "Lady Bountiful".

Best wishes,

Roger.

With best wishes,