MILLARD and DUNFORD in Wiltshire

[Mozzie]

Hi Everyone,

I have a mystery which I need help to solve.  Annie Poolman born in Warminster 1875 married George Dunford in Mere 1900.  Not long after they seem to have carried the surname of Millard if I'm not mistaken.  Does anyone know if they changed their surname to Millard or did Annie remarry a Millard after 1903.  It appears that Annie had her first child Andrew John Dunford in 1903 but he turned into Andrew John Millard not long after.  It's really got me baffled and any help would be wonderful. 

Regards from Mozzie

[SimonLong]

Hi,

I am not sure if this will help but wanted to provide some possibly related info about my maternal Grandfather:-
 * My grandfather was Andrew John Millard - born 1903 - in Wiltshire  ( I believe he lived in Monkton Deverille, and at a later point in Maiden Bradley).
 *  He said his father was a gameskeeper.  At one point
     he recounted having to take his father to Bath for
     treatment of rheumatoid Arthritis(?).  My
     grandfather also suffered from fairly severe arthritis
     and eczema.
 * During the First World War he was in an accident, being on the   
    running board of a vehicle carrying Australian troops that
    crashed.  His right knee was ruined.
 * He had a younger brother ( Robert ) who had an accident while
    young and had one of his eyes removed at a military hospital.
 * In the early 1920's he moved to Australia and worked shooting
    and trapping on the WA Wheatbelt.  Later he worked in the
    South West with a team laying train tracks.
 * In the early 1930's he married Opal Dora Bilston, and they
    moved back to England and lived in Maiden Bradley.  While there
    they had a son ( John Moreton Millard ).
 * Moving back to Australia ( either late 30's or early 40's ) they
    bought a farm on the edge of Denmark, WA.  They named
    the farm Dunford Valley.
 * Both Andrew John Millard ( referred to as Jack ), and his
    wife passed away in 1993, and their ashes were interred
    by their son John in a wall at the Denmark cemetery.

All the best,
Simon Long

[Mozzie]

Hi Simon,

Many thanks for your message regarding Andrew and Opal or Uncle Jack and Aunty Opal as we called them.  I think it was around 1992 when me and my sister last visited them in Mullaloo.  When I was very young I thought that Aunty Opal was my dad's cousin and it wasn't until much later that I found out that indeed Uncle Jack was my dad's cousin.  They were this wonderful couple who always gave us kids a shilling for an icecream whenever we happened to meet up with them in town in Denmark.  Their daughter J was just a few years older than my sister and I have a few photos of J taken at my grandparents Golden Wedding Anniversery back in the 1960's.  The last time I saw Jack junior was at my uncle and aunt's Golden Wedding Anniversery in early 2000.

I have always been interested in researching my family tree and asked Jack junior if he knew anything about his grandmother Annie Harriet Poolman but he said he knew very little.  From the research I've gathered it seems that Annie Harriet Poolman married George Dunford 22/10/1900.  She had possibly 2 boys and 3 girls.  On the information that was given to me the name Millard is written next to this marriage with a question mark?  What I think is that she married George Dunford and he died soon after and then she married a Millard and the children were his. 

I had no idea that their farm was called Dunford Valley.  That means that the name had much significance.  Our farm just a few kilometers away was called Wiltshire Farm.

Would love to discuss more with you.

Regards from Amanda

[SimonLong]

Hi Amanda,

I am Janice Irene Long ( nee Millard's ) son.   We owned and lived at the Bow Bridge Petrol Station until about 1974/1975.  During that time my grandparents sold the farm and moved out to be near us.   Mum passed away in 1987.  I last visited my grandparents in early 1993 to celebrate grandad's 90th birthday.  At that point they were staying with Uncle Jack at Cloverdale. 

Uncle ( young ) Jack passed away 2-3 years ago.   Poor Rob lost his sister Michelle also not long after.   

We are poorer for their absence.

Once - probably back in the 70s - I was driving with Grandad out towards Denmark from Bow Bridge.   There was a little road leading off to the left that he referred to as the Pullman's( this is the spelling I always presumed.. ?) place.  On this occaision he said I was related to them.   Is this relevant at all?   

I would be very happy to discuss this further with you.  I would slso be very keen to see any photos you might have of them.   I don't have many.

As grandad would say - "Good Health! ",

Simon

[JamesMillard]

Hi,

This might go back earlier than the time period you're looking at.

My relative Robert Millard married Elizabeth Dunford in 1818. But Elizabeth had children prior to marrying Robert. In particular, John Millard was born in 1815 and on his marriage certificate of 1850 was listed as John Dunford son of Robert Millard.

Thanks!